Earth Day 2011: Five Ways to Help the Environment From Home

In honor of Earth Day this Friday, April 22, we're offering up a few tips on how to be more green at home and in your community. There are many ways, both small and large, to be more environmentally friendly from home. Here's a grab bag of our top five:

1. Recycle
Waste Management has made it easy to do curbside recycling in Arcadia. Items that are accepted for recycling are paper products, including computer paper, catalogs, junk mail, copier paper, phone books, grocery bags, gift wrap and envelops, even if they have “windows”; cardboard, including food packaging such as cereal boxes, cake-mix boxes, frozen food boxes, egg cartons and soda/beer carriers; all beverage containers marked “CA Redemption Value” or “CA Cash Refund”; plastic containers labeled #1-#7; aluminum and tin cans, liquor bottles, empty aerosol cans, pie tins, glass jars and bottles. See the full list here. Just drop the recyclables in the blue bin and put it on the curb on trash day.

2. Replace light bulbs
Buy some compact florescent light bulbs (CFLs) to replace your incandescents when they burn out, or if you're feeling really "green," save some energy and replace them all now. They last a lot longer and save quite a bit on the energy bill overtime.

3. Install a low-flow showerhead
Low-flow showerheads cut down on the amount of water coming out when you shower, but you really can't tell the difference, except for a lighter water bill! They pay for themselves quickly.

4. Ditch your dryer
We pay a lot of hidden taxes for the wonderful sun that we get all year long, why not put some of that instant solar power to work and reap the reward of sun-fresh clothes. The dryer takes a lot of energy to run, so start out trying half-time loads, hanging the clothes out to dry when they're damp, then eventually go all the way and ditch that dryer.

5. Compost
According to the Environmental Defense Fund, 18 percent of the waste in an average U.S. household comes from the yard and garden, a huge amount of mostly bio-waste that can be returned to the garden.

The composting process essentially involves setting aside certain types of organic waste apart from normal trash and collecting it in a composting bin somewhere outside, where it decomposes and becomes a nutrient-rich soil additive or fertilizer.

Not only does this reduce waste in the dumps, it reduces the energy spent to take it there, can save you money on soil and fertilizer, reduces the use of chemical fertilizers, and plants love it!

A lot of kitchen waste (except meats, oils and bones) and most yard waste (except seeds, roots and large branches) can be used. To see a full list of what can be composted, go here, or read the Homeowner's Guide to Composting for even more details.

The City of Arcadia offers 3 x 2 foot compost bins for $30.00. Compost bins with worms can also be purchased for $65.00.

The City of Arcadia's Web site has a very infomative section on recycling, composting and disposing of e-waste that you can view by clicking here.
(Source: http://arcadia.patch.com/articles/earth-day-2011-five-ways-to-help-the-environment-from-home)