GREENWorks
Ideas for a Cleaner Environment
A publication of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, Concord, NH (603) 271-3710

July 2010

Keeping Cool

Summer has arrived, meaning swimming, boating, barbeques, sunshine and summer heat. The summer weather can also bring increased energy use for keeping cool. No one wants their energy bills to rise with the temperature, and finding ways to stay cool without cranking up the air conditioner saves money – and is better for the environment.

Who says saving the world has to happen on your own time?

Meet the Green Team at the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund (www.theloanfund.org), a nonprofit that helps low-income people gain long-term economic stability: Its Green Team members have helped bring about a lot of changes at work, both big and small. Here are just a few of their recent victories:

* Employees recycle.

* They print on double-sided paper when possible

* The organization’s outside lighting is on a timer.

* Copiers shut down between 5 p.m. and 7 a.m.

If you haven't heard of the New Hampshire Carbon Challenge, it's worth checking out:

The program's goal is to "educate, inspire and support sustained reductions in residential energy consumption."

One of the best things about the website, http://carbonchallenge.sr.unh.edu, is its New England Carbon Estimator: http://carbonchallenge.sr.unh.edu/calculator.jsp.

It takes only 10 to 15 minutes to use the Carbon Estimator and take the challenge, but according to the site, the people who do save an average of $751 per household per year. That seems like reason enough!

• Keep fridges and freezers full but not overcrowded.
Here are some tips to keep things energy-efficient in there:
• Arrange contents in a way that lets air circulate.
• Keep the freezer full by filling plastic milk bottles with water.
• Make sure doors fit tightly. Here’s a test: Close the door on a dollar bill. If you can pull the dollar out easily, the gasket isn’t sealing properly.
• Don’t open the doors unnecessarily.