Tips From Our Team
Leaving the water running while you brush your teeth for
two minutes uses about 6 gallons of water. Turning it
off while you're brushing means a family of 4 will save
more than 10,000 gallons of water a year!
Anonymous
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Instead of throwing away old, unwanted electronic items
(such as computers and cell phones) check out your local
recycling center to see if they offer disposal for
electronics. E-cycling programs are also available
through Dell, Hewlett Packard, Apple, and IBM, among
others. Make sure to remember to recycle cell phone
accessories, batteries and printer cartridges, too.
Emily Cloyd, Student Services Coordinator,
Florida
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When printing, reduce the margins and/or choose the
two-sided option to reduce the amount of paper you use.
When possible, save documents to your hard drive instead
of printing and filing them as hard copies.
Greg Robinson, Operations Supervisor, Utah
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Changing your driving habits can increase your vehicle’s
fuel efficiency and reduce its carbon emissions while
keeping you safer on the road. Here's how: Take it easy.
Aggressive driving, including abrupt starts, extreme
acceleration, and hard braking wastes gas and
contributes significantly more pollution than normal
driving. Travel at the speed limit or lower. Driving at
75 mph instead of 65 mph will decrease your fuel
efficiency by about 10 percent, and can dramatically
increase tailpipe pollution in many vehicles.
Jason Michael Walker, Military Finance
Officer, Online Campus
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Use fueleconomy.gov to find gas mileage (MPG),
greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution ratings, and
safety information for new and used cars and trucks. Or
better yet, walk!
Kenneth Meyers, Qualifying Center Manager
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Yard trimmings and food residuals together constitute 24
percent of the U.S. municipal solid waste stream. That's
a lot of waste to send to landfills when it could become
useful and environmentally beneficial compost instead!
Establish a compost area at your home for kitchen
scraps, leaves, and grass clippings – you can even add
shredded paper from the office!
Linda Westerberg, Marketing Coordinator,
Illinois
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Using canvas tote bags instead of paper or plastic bags
at the grocery store, and plastic coffee mugs instead of
styrofoam cups at the coffee shop are smart and easy
ways to reduce your carbon footprint. It’s also a great
way to save a bit of money. Many grocery stores and
coffee shops give discounts for people who bring in bags
and mugs. Try to find the re-use potential in all of
your products – you’ll be surprised how many things can
be used more than once.
Antonio Allah, Student Technical Support
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Shopping and donating your old items to thrift stores
reduces the amount of energy invested in making new
products and will save you money.
Jason Michael Walker, Military Finance
Officer, Online Campus
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Local farmer’s markets are full of produce that is fresh
and free of pesticides. What’s more, shopping at
farmer’s markets supports the local community and can
decrease food transportation costs.
Sorrell Tankus, Enrollment Counselor MW BT
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Switch to fair trade coffee, and other
socially-responsible consumer goods.
Jason Michael Walker, Military Finance
Officer, Online Campus
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You can pay up to 45 percent more when you buy a
product, like fruit or vegetables that has already been
cut up, packaged on a plastic tray, and then
shrink-wrapped. Buying the whole fruit or vegetable is
cheaper, and you come home with less packaging to throw
away.
Sandra Koscomb, FAO
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Close all shades & curtains during the day, in hot
summer season. This can reduce indoor temperatures by
1-5º. Reverse the process during the cold season. In
addition, invest in summer screens, window tinting &
dual-pane windows.
Lisa Owens, Enrollment Counselor, Florida
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Remove yourself from junk mail lists. GreenDimes can get
you started. In the office, EcoLogical Mail Coalition
will eliminate the junk that former employees receive at
work.
Jason Michael Walker, Military Finance
Officer, Online Campus
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Landscape with native plants, which are best adapted to
the local climate and once established, seldom need
watering, protection from the elements, or continuous
mowing.
Jason Michael Walker, Military Finance
Officer, Online Campus
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If you're thinking about remodeling your home, consider
hiring a contractor with an eco-friendly philosophy.
Green building professionals are now easy to locate and
can offer very competitive rates. To find a green
contractor, designer, or architect near you, consult the
U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED) website. Co-Op America also
screens building professionals based on their commitment
to social and environmental responsibility.
Jason Michael Walker, Military Finance
Officer, Online Campus
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Opt into a clean energy program. Check with your local
utility company or with the Green Power Network at the
US Department of Energy.
Jason Michael Walker, Military Finance
Officer, Online Campus
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Next time your shampoo, body wash, or lotion bottle is
empty, take it to a store that sells those items in bulk
and refill your container. Many co-op and eco-minded
grocery stores offer this option. Also look for "refill
packs" when available for products such as diaper wipes:
They use up to 90 percent less packaging than regular,
hard-plastic containers.
Jason Michael Walker, Military Finance
Officer, Online Campus
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When snow piles up in your driveway, avoid using
gasoline-powered removal equipment. Electric
alternatives still use some energy but create less
pollution. Better yet, get out shovels and brooms to
clear the snow -- you'll use absolutely no energy but
your own!
Jason Michael Walker, Military Finance
Officer, Online Campus
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Use reusable water bottles & fill up on filtered water
before you leave! Bottled water produces up to 1.5
million tons of plastic waste per year. That plastic
requires over 47 million gallons of oil to produce.
Because of these amounts, recycling programs & companies
can't keep up, leaving 80% of these bottles un-recycled
& simply thrown away.
Juli Cendroski, Enrollment Counselor
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Installing a solar water heater can dramatically reduce
the cost of energy for a family of four.
Christopher Cherry, Faculty Candidate
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Use cloth diapers and wash cloths instead of disposables
and baby wipes. The money saved can be used on a baby
diaper service.
Kandace Haque, Senior
Academic Counselor, Online Campus
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After washing your clothes, hang shirts, blouses,
sweaters, shorts, and pants on hangers on a clothes line
outside in the sun to dry. It eliminates the use of the
dryer or the need to iron. The rest of the laundry can
also be hung on the clothes line to dry.
Jo-Anne Hohensee, Corporate Education Liaison,
California
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Next time you want to get a good shine remember that
there are biodegradable car wash products that will not
contaminate our groundwater.
Phillip Morris, Enrollment Counselor,
Tennessee
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A good way to use less fuel in your car is to make sure
you all your tires have the same amount of air pressure.
Checking your oil and using a fuel injector cleaner
every time you fill up can also improve your mpg.
Tina Echerivel, CIS
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Check you water meter. Often you can find small leaks by
noticing unexpected water use. Finding and fixing those
leaks can save many gallons of water, and possible
extensive repairs to your home.
Wayne Bolen, Director of Financial Services
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Keep a drawstring top garbage bag handy for all those
styrofoam packing peanuts - when it's full, drop it off
at your local pack and ship store. They'll take the
bubble wrap too.
Robin Vaughn, Faculty Liaison
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Use the air-dry setting on your dishwasher instead of
the heat-dry option. Air drying uses 15 to 50 percent
less energy in practically the same amount of time. If
your dishwasher does not have an air-dry setting, simply
open the door once the final rinse is complete.
Jason Michael Walker, Military Finance
Officer, Online Campus
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Planning a vacation? Skip the plane tickets and take a
train instead. A transcontinental airplane flight that's
80 percent full can generate 2.5 tons of carbon dioxide
emissions. And we don't have to tell you how bad driving
is. Depending on the type of train and the length of
your trip, train travel creates just 4 to 15 percent of
the CO2 emissions, per passenger, than going by plane.
Plus it's a great, safe, and unique way to see the
country.
Jason Michael Walker, Military Finance
Officer, Online Campus
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When your CFLs eventually burn out, don't forget to
dispose of them properly. Since they contain mercury,
they should not be tossed in the garbage bin or put out
with regular recycling. (This is especially important
for the large, tube-like variety used in offices and
other business establishments.) Contact waste management
and recycling services in your area to find out the best
method of disposal.
Jason Michael Walker, Military Finance
Officer, Online Campus
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New models of automatic dishwashers can actually save
water over hand-washing. According to the University of
Bonn in Germany, an efficient dishwasher uses one-half
the energy, one-sixth of the water, and far less soap
than doing it the old fashioned way. Of course, you save
the most by running the dishwasher when it's full and
skipping the (usually unnecessary) pre-rinse.
Jason Michael Walker, Military Finance
Counselor, Online Campus
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It might seem like a no-brainer to most of you, but if
you aren't already, bring a reusable tote bag when you
go shopping. Making disposable plastic bags requires
energy equal to 4 million barrels of oil a year, while
paper bags use up 14 million trees annually.
Jason Michael Walker, Military Finance
Counselor, Online Campus
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Support local farmers and eat great food by
participating in Community Supported Agriculture. Here's
how it works: You buy shares in a participating farm
near you, then you'll start receiving fruits and
vegetables each week from the season's harvests. Not
only will you be getting fresh and local produce, you'll
be supporting independent farm owners and decreasing
food-transportation costs. Talk about a win-win
situation.
Jason Michael Walker, Military Finance
Counselor, Online Campus
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No matter where you live, you can save money and energy
this winter by following a few simple steps: Run a tight
ship. Minimize the energy needed to heat your home by
making sure your windows and doors are well-sealed with
caulking and weather-stripping. This easy and
inexpensive fix can save as much as 10 percent of winter
heating costs. Seal your ducts. Homes with forced-air
heating systems can lose up to 40 percent of their heat
if duct joints are poorly sealed. You probably want to
get a qualified contractor to do this one, but some
states will offer a tax credit to help pay for the work.
Jason Michael Walker, Military Finance
Counselor, Online Campus
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Bring your own utensils and napkins from home and wash
them instead of using disposable.
Erin Di Cesare, Enrollment Counselor
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Carpool with a co-worker to events or to work.
Erin Di Cesare, Enrollment Counselor
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Reuse and recycle your paper - use front and back for
note-taking then put it in the blue bins for recycling.
Erin Di Cesare, Enrollment Counselor
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When you upgrade to a new computer or other technology,
recycle the old ones. Many of the major companies offer
recycling programs. Click on any of the following
companies for information on how to recycle their
products:
Dell,
Apple,
Hewlett Packard,
IBM,
Lenovo,
Motorola.
Jason Michael Walker, Military Finance
Counselor, Online Campus
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Excessive air leakage in buildings wastes heating and
cooling energy. Check the condition of the weather
stripping around doors and windows especially in desert
climates. An inexpensive infrared thermometer is a good
investment to find areas of your home that experience
energy loss.
Energy Star
offers a complete guide to sealing and insulating your
home.
Scott Morgan, AAPM for Course Development
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In addition to going paperless with your bills, try
getting your payroll statements online too. Contact the
Apollo Payroll Department for more information.
Yudi Franco, Marketing Support Coordinator,
IPD
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When doing errands near the home, try walking, biking or
combining shopping trips to save on fuel and lower your
carbon emissions. According to the Live Earth Global
Warming Survival Handbook, more than half of all
commutes are five miles or less, and 40 percent of all
trips are less than two miles. Visit
www.activetransportation.org
for more information.
Suzanne Barton, CEL, New Jersey
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Consider native plants when landscaping your home.
Native plants usually require less water and
maintenance. The US EPA offers many resources on
landscaping with native plants on their
Green Acres
page.
Jason Michael Walker, Military Finance
Counselor, Online Campus
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Teach your kids about sustainability and the
environment. Visit the following websites for more
information on the environment for kids and young
adults.
US
EPA Environmental Kids Club,
EPA Student Center,
World Wildlife Fund and Center for a New American Dream,
United Nations Environment Programs for Youth,
United National Environment Programs for Children
Jason Michael Walker, Military Finance
Counselor, Online Campus
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Bring a coffee cup or tumbler to work and rinse it out
every morning rather than using three or four disposable
cups every day. Keep it at your desk so the break rooms
don’t get cluttered.
Joe Mildenhall, Chief Information Officer
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Retrofitting your house for solar energy can be a huge
project. Try using solar power on a smaller scale, like
for heating water and outdoor lighting.
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Being green doesn’t always mean planting a tree. In
places like Arizona, it is better to landscape your home
with more native plants that don’t need water and can
thrive in their natural environment.
Bill Pepicello, President, University of
Phoenix
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Choose canvas over paper or plastic at the supermarket.
Try using canvas or cloth bags to carry your purchases
shopping or at the market. Leave a few in your car or at
your desk for those unexpected trips.
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Try to break the habit of buying small bottles of water
because our landfills are overflowing with the
containers. Use filtered water and put it in a reusable
container or cup.
Terri Bishop, Chief Communications Officer
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Three simple ways to save energy are to line dry
clothes, turn your thermostat down and shave some time
off your shower.
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Buy post-consumer recycled goods like paper towels and
garbage bags.
Adam Honea, Provost, University of Phoenix
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Reduce your mail box waste; get your name off of junk
mail lists. Contact companies directly or write to the
Direct Marketing Association with your name, address and
signature to: Mail Preference Service, c/o Direct
Marketing Association, P.O Box 643, Carmel, NY 10512
Stan Meyer, Vice President of Marketing
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Use your dishwasher. Dishwashers actually use less water
than washing dishes by hand. If your dishwasher has an
eco setting, try using that and letting the dishes dry
naturally.
Diane Thompson, Chief Human Resources Officer