| Here are 3 tips that can have a real effect on | | | | 2) Drink less bottled water and more tap water. |
| reducing your consumption of resources and | | | | First off, bottled water produces 3,000,000,000 |
| won't be monumental adjustments to your | | | | pounds of plastic waste per year, about as much |
| lifestyle. | | | | waste as the combined annual waste of San |
| 1) Use compact fluorescent light bulbs, a.k.a. CFL | | | | Antonio and Atlanta. |
| bulbs. | | | | Second, bottled water is no more healthy than |
| These things are ubiquitous nowadays and you | | | | the water coming out of your tap (sometimes |
| probably have a bunch of them up already. If you | | | | the bottled water is the water coming out of |
| haven't seen them, they look like the bulb to the | | | | your tap - take a look at the fine print of some |
| right. | | | | of the larger Ozarka containers and it reads |
| If every household in the country used one of | | | | something like this "Source: Houston Municipal |
| these guys rather than an incandescent bulbs, it | | | | Water Supply"). The FDA regulates bottled water |
| would be a pollution reduction similar to taking a | | | | and the EPA regulates tap water. However, |
| 1,000,000 cars off the road. The CFL bulb uses | | | | because 70% of bottled water doesn't cross |
| about 75% less energy than an incandescent bulb | | | | state lines the FDA can not inspect it. |
| and lasts about 10 times longer. Yeah, they cost | | | | Furthermore, the EPA has stricter guidelines for |
| more at the store, but over the life of the bulb, | | | | the quality of water than the FDA does. I don't |
| you'll save over $30 when compared against the | | | | think that any water you're going to buy, whether |
| incandescent bulb. Plus you don't have to change | | | | tap or bottled, will have any negative health |
| them nearly as much. And changing a light bulb is | | | | consequences, I just thought that the regulation |
| a pain in the tush. | | | | was interesting. |
| Don't toss out your working incandescent bulbs | | | | Also, you like those pearly whites that so many |
| though. Wait until they burn out and then go buy | | | | Americans have? Thank your municipal water |
| CFL bulbs to replace them. Also, throwing CFL's in | | | | supply and keeping drinking the tap water filled |
| the trashcan is not a good idea. This is not | | | | with all that fluoride. The Center for Disease |
| because the broken glass may cut you or tear | | | | Control identifies community water fluoridation as |
| your bag, it is because they contain a small | | | | one of 10 great public health achievements of the |
| amount of mercury. It's a tiny amount, about the | | | | 20th century. |
| size of the very tip a ballpoint pen and far less | | | | What if you don't like the taste of tap water? For |
| than what is present in a watch battery. Still, a | | | | instance, here in Austin, every fall and spring, the |
| hundred million of these small amounts becomes a | | | | tap water tastes like algae. The solution is easy: a |
| significant issue. | | | | water filter. You can even buy one that attaches |
| To dispose of them, you may take them to | | | | to the tap so you don't have to fill up a Brita |
| either a place that explicitly takes back used | | | | pitcher. |
| CFLs, like Ikea, or you can take them to your | | | | 3) Brush without running the water. |
| nearest hazardous waste disposal site, which can | | | | I used to put the toothpaste on the toothbrush, |
| be found with a simple Google search of "tceq cfl | | | | turn on the faucet to wet the toothpaste, and |
| disposal" (I'd include a link but it isn't allowed). | | | | keep the faucet running the whole time I was |
| "TCEQ" is the Texas Commission of | | | | brushing. I didn't even think of the fact that I was |
| Environmental Quality. | | | | actually using none of that water running down |
| And what should you do if you break a CFL? The | | | | the drain. Over the last couple of years, I turn the |
| Australian Department of Environment offers the | | | | water off once I've wet the toothpaste and I'll |
| following advice: | | | | turn it back on at the end when I actually need |
| - Open windows in the room to air out for 15 | | | | the water. |
| minutes before cleaning up | | | | If you do this, you'll save close to five gallons of |
| - Don't use a vacuum as this will spread mercury | | | | water per day. If the whole country did this, we'd |
| into the air | | | | save close to 1,500,000,000 gallons a year. Three |
| - Wear gloves when cleaning up | | | | simple ways to reduce consumption and pollution |
| - Use a disposable brush to gently sweep up | | | | and none of these will really inconvenience you. |
| fragments | | | | Another way to reduce your carbon footprint and |
| - Use a moist paper towel to help pick up | | | | save money is to make energy efficiency |
| remaining tiny fragments | | | | improvements on your residence. The federal |
| - Wrap the pieces up in layers of newspaper and | | | | government and many municipalities offer |
| place in a sturdy sealable bag or container along | | | | subsidies to homeowners that improve their |
| with anything used to clean up the mess. | | | | home. |