Fight Pollution

You're driving your car . . .
and open the Power Window.
That's Free, right? - - - Wrong!!
 

Little things that we do routinely, without giving thought to the consequences, can make a BIG difference in the Quality of Air we breathe and the Water we drink - IF we ALL practiced them! It's every person's little contributions that paint the BIG Pollution Picture.

Energy usage equates to Air and Water Pollution. Gasoline and Electricity are produced by Corporations which have Smoke Stacks belching Pollutants. They also return heated Water into Lakes and Streams which upsets the Natural Ecosystem. Energy is the power it takes to produce EVERY activity we perform ! 

You can use your Monthly Gallons of Gasoline consumed plus the KWH (kilowatt hours) on your monthly Electric bill as a rough gauge to indicate how well your War on Pollution is progressing: Make a note of this $um for the month before you start battle, and additional notations for every month you practice Conservation. 

If you desire, you can keep two seperate charts. You could even draw a Line Graph like this to indicate your progress:

Hang a copy near every Thermostat and Switch
and another on your Rear-View Mirror.

Your chart will be most accurate when there are a constant number of persons living in your home and using Electricity, and during the months when outdoor temperature is nearest to your comfort level. Then heating and cooling, influenced by outdoor temperature fluctuations, will have minimal effect on your Energy usage.

There are very few Freebies in the World of Energy.
Your Personal Pollution Factor is determined by how wasteful you are. 
Let's take a microscopic LQQK:

 

You're driving your car . . .
and open the Power Window.
That's Free, right? - - - Wrong!!

ANY accessory you turn on in your car will require Electricity from the Battery. That's Free, right? - - - Wrong!! 

The Alternator must work to replace the Battery Electricity, which makes the Motor work harder and take more Gasoline and belch more exhaust into the Air you breathe, waiting for the next rain to wash it into the Water you drink.

The Headlights and Radio and Power Windows and Turn Signals, and even opening the Door or Glove Compartment [*]- ALL require Energy, use Eelctricity, and put more Pollutants out your Exhaust Pipe into your Lungs.  Even turning the Steering Wheel, which works the Power Steering Pump! 

And opening Windows in your car when it's moving creates an air turbulence that interferes with the aerodynamics of your car to act as a brake and increases your Gas consumption. This turbulance is in direct proportion with the speed you are driving. Speed = Pollution.

And remember; any Pollutants you put into the Air you breathe, may be washed into the Water you drink by the next Rain you get.

Braking pollutes the air, too! Not only by the particles of Brake Pads that are lost along the roadway next to the Millions of TONS of Rubber Tire particles. Where did you think the Tread from worn out Tires went? 

When you brake your car to slow down, you are wasting the momentum that took Gasoline to build up. When you race between traffic lights and brake behind the next car, the braking action is thus wasting Gasoline. (And also wearing out your Brakes and other mechanical parts). 
And LQQK; your Brake Lights are on !

Don't Fill your Gas Tank.  A Full Tank adds more fuel to a collision fire. The added weight will also give poorer gas mileage, and increase the chance of spillage. Spillage is especially important in Lawn and Garden Engines which may operate near a Well, Garden, or Garden Pond.

Even driving with Low Tire Pressure wastes Gasoline! keep them pumped up according to the chart on the Driver's Door Panel.

Speed Kills - Gasoline! The culprit is Wind Resistence. If a car was shaped like a Bullet, there would be Very little Resistance as it cut through the air.

But try holding your flat hand out the car window at 20 miles an hour. Then try it at 50. That resistence is trying to stop your car the same as if you drove with your brakes applied; perpetuating the Scientific Principle that, "For every Action, there is an equal but opposite Reaction". You will go much farther on a Gallon of Gas going 50mph than you will going 70mph. And your chances of arriving alive are much better.

TailGating causes Pollution! - Driving close to the car ahead of you not only puts you at risk of a collision. It also tends to use more Gasoline caused by your constant braking and catching up, depending on the other driver's habits. And your eagerness to reach your destination is only satisfied by mere seconds at best! Plus if a COP stops you for TailGating or Aggressive Driving, you may arrive much later and poorer.

Maybe it's time to trade cars? If your Edsel is looking a little road-worn and the tires are finally showing age cracks, and the window glass is getting foggy around the edges, then maybe you should consider a good used car. A used car won't add more Pollution in Detroit. And many will get 30mpg. 

Whenever you waste Gasoline, you are also Polluting the Air by the amount of Gasoline it took for the Diesel Truck to bring your wasted Gasoline to the Gas Station. Plus . . . the amount of Pollution spewed into the Air by the Refineries.  And the Diesel Engines that pumped it out of the ground. And the Diesel Ships that brought it here from the Arab Countries. And  don't forget the Electricity that was generated from Polluting Fuels, which runs the Motor inside the Gas Pump at the Gas Station to overfill your Gas Tank.

 

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Inside your home there is Mega-waste:
Thermostats have a BIG waste potential. Every Degree that a Thermostat is set greater, takes more Energy than the previous degree did! To heat a room from 70 to 71F.  takes less energy than to heat it from 71 to 72F. The same applies to Air Conditioning; more cooling equates to more Pollution.

In your Refrigerator is a Thermostat that consumes Electricity according to its setting. How often the door is opened and for how long, determines the Energy used. Refrigerating hot food uses more energy than cool food.

The Thermostat that controls Heating and Air conditioning may be your best chance to save Energy. Setting them no higher than you can be comfortable with, will do much to lower your Pollution Factor. 

The Thermostat on your Water Heater has a BIG effect on your Pollution Factor, too. Keep it set low enough so you can take a shower with no cold Water turned on. This setting is hot enough for your Washing Machine. Taking a shower may use 2 or 3 gallons of Hot Water. Getting a Tub Bath may take 10 times as much.

Most Washing Machines have a "Hot - Cold" Thermostat. Use the "Cold" setting whenever possible. Some Detergents are manufactured especially for use with cold Water. Buy only those that are marked "Biodegradable".

Washing a "Small" load of clothes runs the Washing Machine exactly as long as a "Large" load. This makes full loads much less Polluting. And remember  that any Bleaches or other additives you put into your Washing Machine will eventually find their way into the Earth's Water Table.

Dishwashers often have a pre-heater to raise their Water temperature. Set this Thermostat just high enough to get the dishes clean.

Electric Blankets do much to improve your Pollution Factor. It takes MUCH more Energy to heat a Bed room than to heat a Bed.

The Thermostats that control the Burners on your Kitchen Range can also make a noticable improvement on Energy Conservation. Turning a Burner on "High" requires much more Eelctricity than turning it on "Medium".

Turn lights off when you leave a room; unless you hear a voice shout, "Turn that light on"! Use smaller bulbs for room lighting, reserving higher wattages for reading areas. Flourescent Tubes are very Energy-efficient.

Recycle and dispose of properly, every household waste that is not appropriate for a Compost Bin. ESPECIALLY those containers that held Insecticides, Weed Killers and other Chemicals!! Remember that many stores have a Recycle Can to return the Plastic Bags they use to pack your merchandise.

Old Towels and Clothing make great Dust Cloths and car Rags. And don't forget the Service clubs that gladly take old Clothing and Eye Glasses. Some will accept almost any useful item. And they don't require the time of a Yard Sale.

An innocent Tube of Toothpaste requires Energy to make the Paste. And the Tube. And the Ink on the Tube. And the Cap. And the Box that holds the Tube. And the Ink on the Box. And the Carton that holds the Boxes. And the Ink on the Carton. And the Staples and Tape. And the Propane Fork Lift that loads the Diesel Truck that takes the Cartons to the Toothpaste Store. 

When you use it like Crest shows on TV (Dairy Queen with a curl on top), most of it blobs into the sink before it touches your Teeth. Try using 1/3 less Tooth Paste and force it into the Bristles; there'll be 1/3 less Diesel Trucks spewing Pollutants as they roar past your home, on the way to the Toothpaste Store.

Trash the Remotes? Every Electrical Device that uses a Remote Control, uses Electricity when it is turned OFF !  The internal Receiver that responds to the Remote is ALWAYS turned on, waiting for a command. 

Most of these Electrical Devices can be turned off by putting a Switch ahead of the Power Cord. That Switch is used instead of the one on the Device. But TVs may automatically program themselves for the channels available, and this programming is lost when Electricity is removed. This causes the TV to reprogram before it displays a channel. This is time consuming and not within the realm of average Human tolerance.

But did you ever consider Trashing the TV ? This may improve your physical and mental health, by not inducing you to sit idle while you absorb worthless programming and worthless snacks. It could induce you to walk around or read a Book. That may be the greatest gift you could give a Child. 

Should you decide to Trash the TV, don't do it in one instant. Do it over a period of several months so it is less objectionable. Summer is a good time to do this since there are more outdoor activities available.This will give the viewers time to gradually settle into a different routine. Right after Supper is a good time to turn it "Off (and maybe "On" later in the evening), because the induced activity will help burn Supper's Calories. 

Night Lights consume Electricity. Some, even in the day time. Get the ones with an Electric Eye, or better yet; get the low-pollution Glow types.

Your Garage Door opener may have a Sensor that prevents it from closing when a Child or Pet is under it. It Pollutes 24 hours a day. If you have no Child or Pet, you may not need this Polluter.

Motion Detectors use Electricity 24 hours a day. Some older ones may even turn lights on in the day time if they detect motion.

However tiny the device, when their combined wattage is considered, you may be able to lower your Electric Bill enough to afford a bigger Car. Which uses more Gasoline. Or even enough to go on a Cruise. Where the Ship's Stacks will spew Pollution into the Air you breathe and the Water you drink.

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Outside your home the Lawn may need mowing or watering. Could you put it off an extra day? Mow or Irrigate 19 times a Summer instead of 20. Run the Irrigation 5 minutes less; or 10 minutes less. A Water Timer can be a plus.

Maybe a bigger Push Mower would get the job done quicker? Or a Rider? But it would take more energy to Manufacture the Riding Mower. And more Water to wash it. And the Diesel Truck to deliver it. And cost money which would run the U.S. Mint Machinery. And deprive you of the exercise.

Plant Evergreen Trees on the North side of your House to act as a Wind Break to the cold Winter Winds. Even a tall Fence or Hedge may make a considerable difference.

You say you have a Cell Phone on standby, waiting for a signal from the Tower to ring you? And a MicroWave with a clock? And a lighted Doorbell Button? And a keychain Remote? And your Watch uses Batteries?

Jogging is Free, right? - - - Wrong!! 
Jogging makes you perspire, and drink more Soda. And the Refrigerator Light and Compressor to cool it. And the Detergent to wash your Towel. And the Box that holds the Soda. And the Ink on the Box. And the Carton that holds the Boxes. And the Ink on the Carton. And the Staples and Tape. And the Propane Fork Lift that loads the Diesel Truck that takes the Cartons to the Soda Store. And the Water Pumped to your Shower. And the Shower Light. And your Sneakers adding plastic particles to the roadside Tire Tread particles, and . . .
 

[*Turns on interior lights]

Health and Happiness,
Nevin Hawlman