Saving Energy

From April 30, 2008

I am a member of a local homeschooling email network, and there was a question posted recently regarding what each of our families is doing to help the environment. I thought this was rather interesting because many of us think we are helping, but our efforts average out to something minimal when combined, and some of don't realize that our efforts are actually doing some good.

As a homeschooler of four kids, I save money by not spending hundreds in annual school supplies and hundreds in school clothes every fall. We also do not have to worry about the extra expenses of school photos (we do our own) or field trips, or other expenses for which public-schooled children may need to contribute.

Other things we do or can do:

• Re-use shopping bags (for example, we also use them as trash bags). 

• Use canvas bags for shopping bags. 

• Use CFL lightbulbs. 

• Use multi-strips for electric equipment, and shut off at end of day. This saves on the continued drain of electricity even when the appliance is off. 

• Shut off the water while we brush our teeth. 

• Shut off lights when not in the room. 

• Shut down the computer when not in use.

• Grow an organic garden.