My daughter's homework (Help!)

[malice]

I notice a lot of vegans are also environmentally friendly, so I'm hoping you folks can help me out here :)

My daughter has to draw a picture of 13 things we do to conserve energy at home. I've come up with nine..lol Wondering if anyone can give us some ideas. So far I have, hanging laundry to dry, turning off lights and using natural light (opening the curtains during the day), turning the heat down and wearing a sweater, using a fan instead of an air conditioner, turning off the computer/tv when we're not using them, walking instead of driving, hand washing dishes instead of using a dish washer, playing board games instead of video games, and sweeping the floor instead of vacuuming.

We live in an apartment building, so we can't turn down the heat on our hot water heater etc..any of the things you could do if you owned your own home.

Thanks in advance for any ideas!

[DancingWillow]

turn off water while you're brushing your teeth, while you're putting soap on your hands (after initially wetting them), and while you're putting on body wash/soap in the shower

[Juice]

taking showers instead of baths can save water too

[malice]

Thanks for the ideas guys. We do all those things too, but it's easy to forget about them and just do it automatically when you've been raised to do them.
I'm up to 11 now. W0ot! We also use reusable containers and cloth bags instead of plastic. Do you think they count?

[eclectic_one]

Thanks for the ideas guys. We do all those things too, but it's easy to forget about them and just do it automatically when you've been raised to do them.
I'm up to 11 now. W0ot! We also use reusable containers and cloth bags instead of plastic. Do you think they count?
I would think that counts...you're not using bags and just disposing of them.

Do you do any recycling? (I take my plastic and glass bottles to recycle.)

[Risker]

Using energy saving light bulbs/dimmer switches. Only boil the amount of water you need and not a full kettle full. Cooking with the lid on saucepans. Turning the gas down on the stove so the heat doesn't escape up the side of the pan. Drawing the curtains at night to keep the heat in. Turning the radiators off in rooms your not using and keeping doors closed to keep the heat in.

[veganbikerboy]

saving energy at home..?

how about tapping into next doors electric supply? that would save you loads, watch your bills tumble:D

[DancingWillow]

how about tapping into next doors electric supply? that would save you loads, watch your bills tumble:D

LOL:D I'll watch out if you move close to me:p

[Tray]

Don't use the WC as a trash bin and don't pee too often: each time you pee you waste 8 litres of water
Always turn off tv and other electronic devices (it saves more energy that the stand by mode)
Have a vegan diet also helps to conserve energy ;)

[veggiewoman]

I'm off out now but will help you tomorrow afternoon when I get back from my street collection for http://www.ciwf.org.uk/, I look after children so can help you out there also with websites etc.

[Risker]

Don't use the WC as a trash bin and don't pee too often: each time you pee you waste 8 litres of water

Only if you flush. ;)

[Tray]

Only if you flush. ;)
yes i know but i didn't know how to say that in english:D

[Aylish]

There you go, a picture of a big painful bladder! :)

Instead of using a humidifier I place bowls of water around the house near heat sources. Which my cat thinks are her private watering holes! I don't think much of the water gets into the air.

[VeganJohn]

That old chestnut about only filling the kettle with as much water as you need rather than filling it up springs to mind :>

[Pansypuss]

Double glazied windows and proper insulation in loft and walls. I read somewhere recently that using a dishwasher was more enery saving than hand washing. I really liked that!

[mew_76]

My mum used to follow us round when we were kids turning lights off if we left a room!

[Tray]

I forgot this: use the refrigerator the less possible!

[veggiewoman]

some ideas my friends and I have thought about ,however they may not be so easy to actually draw :

Dishwasher one made me think of washing your own clothes, instead of using a washing machine - conserving water and electricty.

Reading instead of watching television?

Insulating around your doors, or having double glazing put in.

when filling a kettle for a cuppa only fill it per cup needed not to the top wasting water and electricity to heat it

What about insolate the walls/roof
tuck curtians behind radiators so the heat doesn't go up onto the window
have draft excluders on doors and a inside flap on the letter box

energy saving light bulbs

Dont leave things like tvs on stand by

Turn the tap off when brushing your teeth!!

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websites like these may also help too

http://www.directenergy.com/alberta/home_essential/energy_ideas/default.aspx?WT.svl=nav

http://www.est.org.uk/myhome/whatcan/10pointchecklist/

http://www.agralite.coop/ideas.htm

GOOD LUCK :)

[treehugga]

In Australia lots of people put a brick in their toilet cystern, so you don't use as much water when you have to flush especially if you have an older toilet without a half flush.

We use grey water for out gardens here either by bucketing from sinks etc or having professionally installed grey water automatic watering.

Ride bikes or walk instead or run a vehicle converted to biodiesel.

Use candle light.

Pestle and mortar instead of electic food processors.

Haybox cooker: fill polystyrine or cardboard box with straw and place a heated to boiling point stew or soup in it. Leave 6-8 hours and it will be cooked without using energy.

Compost your scraps instead of buying fertiliser for your homegrown veg.

Don't consume meat or dairy - one of the most energy and environmental wasters there is!

[Risker]

In Australia lots of people put a brick in their toilet cystern, so you don't use as much water when you have to flush especially if you have an older toilet without a half flush.


Good point.

UK people, you can get free water saving devices for your toilets from here;

http://waterwise.fortune-cookie.com/free-stuff/

Hippo's are big plastic bag things that save about 3 litres per flush and Save-a-flush are bags filled with silicone gel that save about 1 litre per flush.

Refridgerators should be kept as full as possible is another one, they're more economical that way, if you don't have enough food to fill it then bottles of water etc are good.

[ravenfire]

Put something like a liter waterbottle filled with water in the back of your toilet for water displacement and you'll save water with every flush.