Ways to Save the Enviroment Switch off anything that uses electricity.

Stick to a routine of shutting off as many electrical appliances as possible when you leave a room. If it will be at least 36 hours before you use it again, unplug it. Even when an appliance is off , it may still use power. Just imagine. You will save hundreds of dollars and yo u could donate the money to acharity in need or buy yourself something nice. Use rechargeable batteries instead of disposable batteries. Batteries not only t ake up landfill space (they can't be incinerated), they can leak acid into the E arth. Even then, only use the appliance when you must. If you have the choice, p lug in the device instead of using batteries. Organize a carpool for work or school. This way, if you take a highway with a Hi ghOccupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane, this can usually save time and money on gasoline . For bonus points, use a hybrid or other car that gets high gas mileage. Avoid using plastic whenever you can; it is a poison of the earth (things like d isposable plastic cups, plastic bags, nonsense plastic items you don't need). It never breaks down, and has led to the poisoning and death of numerous sea creat ures. Look into ways that plastic can be recycled in your area. Some cities have programs for recycling plastic bags and other difficult to recycle types of pla stic. Don't use pesticides, herbicides, or chemicals. Pesticides kill hundreds of bird s and other animals per year. If you have unwanted weeds, pull or hoe them out y ourself, clip them down, plant a ground cover in their place, or use mulch to co ntrol weeds and limit evaporation. If you are a gardener, check out permaculture, integrative pest management, poly cropping, and other techniques that reduce or eliminate the need for chemical in puts. Compost. Designate an area in your yard to put your yard waste, fruit peels, and uneaten food. Find some worms who can break the waste down and produce a very r ich soil that works great with your landscaping. Keep your compost heap as far f rom a water source as possible, and if you can, put a couple layers of concrete blocks or bricks around your heap to avoid a mess on your lawn. Use renewable energy sources. In the USA around 71% of electricity is produced b y burning fossil fuels. Burning coal or other fuels emits green-house gases and pollution in the environment. An average home powered by a coal utility will bur n 12,000 pounds of coal a year and will cause about the same amount of pollution as 2 cars. By using renewable energy as the primary power source, the reduction of pollution per household would be equivalent to that of planting 400 trees. M any electric companies offer power from renewable sources (sometimes at a slight ly higher fee). Another option is to rent solar panels, as these are becoming in creasingly less expensive. Contact your local energy provider for more informati on.