YOUR AD HERE »

Tips to help fight global warming

Andy Bourelle

– Insulating your water heater decreases the energy needed to heat it.

– Look for Energy Star labels on home appliances, office equipment and other items. The federal Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy award the label to products that are ahead of the curve on energy efficiency.

– Check the setting on your refrigerator. It should be 38 to 42 degrees, freezer between 0 and 5. If your settings are 10 degrees too cold, your energy bill will be 25 percent higher.



– When shopping for a new car, don’t forget to factor in fuel efficiency. A more efficient automobile can reduce gas costs and reduce damage to the atmosphere.

– Use caulking to stop your air conditioning or heating from escaping via poorly insulated windows.



– Don’t use halogen lamps; they burn hot enough to start a fire and are inefficient.

– A tune-up on your car will improve its fuel economy by 6 to 9 percent. And don’t drive too fast; every mile per hour you drive slower than 65 mph will improve your car’s fuel efficiency by about 2 percent. And fill your tires with air; soft tires make the engine work harder.

– Don’t wait for your screen saver to kick on if you are going to be away from your computer for more than 10 minutes. Turn the monitor off; it uses the same amount of energy as a 60 watt light bulb.

– Find ways to curb your car use. Take mass transit as much as possible or car pool. Ride a bike.

– Look on your photocopier for a standby button or mode, and make sure it gets used. Copiers consume a lot of energy standing constantly at the ready.

– Only use your dishwasher when it is full. Wash big items by hand, to make more room in the washer.

– If you want your home to be cool when you get home, invest in timers rather than leaving the air conditioning on all day.

Source: Earth Day Network


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around the Lake Tahoe Basin and beyond make the Tahoe Tribune's work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Your donation will help us continue to cover COVID-19 and our other vital local news.