Small Acts Make a Big Difference

Earth Day is celebrated every April 22 in 175 countries. The date corresponds to spring in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. Founded by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson in 1970 as an environmental teach-in, the cause was taken international in 1990 by activist Denis Hayes. For over 40 years, Earth Day has inspired and mobilized individuals and organizations worldwide to demonstrate their commitment to environmental protection and sustainability.

For 2011, the Earth Day Network is hosting a Billion Acts of Green. According to the site, it is the largest environmental service campaign in the world, with the goal of building commitments by individuals, corporations, and governments in honor of Earth Day. The aim is to inspire and reward acts of reducing carbon emissions and supporting sustainability, while hoping to have one billion actions by Earth Day 2012.

Here at Patch, we believe Earth Day should be celebrated year-round with conscious efforts to make little changes in our daily lives that will help the environment.

This week, we offer five simple ways to "go green" at home.

1. Turn it off 

Unplug appliances when you are not using them. Think of the toaster, blender, cell phone charger, and lights. Or you can invest in a smart power strip, which senses and then shuts down when appliances go off.

2. Wash cold

Whenever possible, wash clothes in cold water. Just because it is cold, does not mean it will not get clean. Nearly 85 percent of energy used to machine wash clothes goes to heating the water.

3. Low-flow or cut back

There are two ways to help reduce water use (plus lower your bills) when it comes to taking a shower. Install a low-flow shower head which helps monitor the amount of water that comes out. You can also try cutting your shower time down. If five minutes is your thing, then go for four.

4. Let there be florescence

When your light bulbs burn out, think about installing florescent ones, also known as CFLs. They use less energy to produce better light than standard light bulbs. They also last longer, which means they are friendly on the wallet.

5. Change the dial

Change the thermostat for big differences on your monthly bills, and you are going green. Set the dial a few degrees lower in the winter and a few degrees higher in the summer.

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