03/08/07

DID YOU TAKE THE POLL WE SENT AN EMAIL ABOUT RECENTLY? If you did, great! But if not, is it perhaps because you didn’t get around to trying some of February’s challenges? The Winter Break broke the momentum for many of us, but its never too late to examine your household’s energy use related to water: Lower your water heater, take shorter showers, wash clothes in cold water, install low-flow showerheads, wash a full load, etc. These challenges are straightforward and worthy of your time. Visit the February Challenges page of the website for details. (Note: You’ll have future chances to take the February poll).

WHICH OF THE MARCH CHALLENGES WILL YOU TRY? This month it’s all about home appliances. And we think once you learn more, you’ll be compelled to make some changes right away. Remember, the top four challenges tend to offer the biggest impact to the energy savings of most households, but they are ALL worth trying:

• Lower Your Refrigerator/Freezer Temperature
• Stop Energy Drains from Unused or “Off” Appliances
• Replace Worn Out Appliances with Efficient Ones
• Wash Dishes More Efficiently
• Recycle Your Second Refrigerator/Freezer
• Cook More Efficiently
• Make Your Refrigerator More Efficient
• Use Your Computer/Printer/Copier More Efficiently

Don’t forget we have Kill-A-Watt meters available for loan from our Lending Library (located in Marion’s classroom) to help you measure the energy drain your appliances contribute to. Its an addictive exercise (how many watts does your “sleeping” computer really use?) Check them out!

THE AUCTION WILL BE GREEN THIS YEAR! Thanks to Rocio Herbert and Joan Jenkins, our Auction Coordinators, for supporting this effort. We are introducing compostable and biodegradable dessert plates, coffee, wine, and soda cups that will be sent to San Mateo County’s compost facility along with food scraps, while bottles, cans, cardboard and paper will all be gathered for recycling. As a result, there should be little, if any, actual trash sent to the landfill, which is quite a feat for an event attended by over 375 people!