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How to Earn Points with Daily Actions Towards Sustainability

Two points: Turn off lights and electronics

Earn two points for turning off speakers, printers, copiers, scanners, heaters, desk lamps, etc. when they're not in use. You can slip one time per week and still take the full two points. At home or in your residence hall, if you have a power strip, flip the switch or turn off each device through its power button.

To remind yourself, write this new habit on a note and post it where you will see it (e.g., next to your coat or bag or on your cubicle entrance).

Why: Read about energy vampires.

Facts:

• Many PCs available today come with a power-down or sleep mode feature for the CPU and monitor. ENERGY STAR computers power down to a sleep mode that consumes 15 watts or less power, which is around 70% less electricity than a computer without power-management features. ENERGY STAR monitors have the capability to power down into two successive "sleep" modes. In the first, the monito's energy consumption is less than or equal to 15 watts; in the second, power consumption reduces to 8 watts, which is less than 10% of its operating power consumption.

• Make sure you have the power-down feature set up on your PC through your operating system software. This has to be done by you; otherwise, the PC will not power down. If your PC and monitor do not have power-down features, and even if they do, follow the guidelines below about when to turn the CPU and monitor off.

• Screen savers are not energy savers. Using a screen saver may in fact use more energy than not using one, and the power-down feature may not work if you have a screen saver activated. In fact, modern LCD color monitors do not need screen savers.

One-two points: Minimize water use

Earn one to two points by minimizing your water use by forming new habits. To earn one point, simply pick one habit listed below and stick to it every day for the whole week. For two points, pick two new habits and keep them up every day for the week. You can slip one day and still take the points. If you already do all these things, congratulations! Give yourself two points.

To remind yourself to complete your habit, write it on a note and hang it where you will see it, e.g. on a mirror or the shower door.

In the shower:

• Take a shorter shower.
• Shower every other day.
• Reduce the water temperature.
• Turn off the water when soaping/shampooing/conditioning and shaving. 

At the sink:

• Turn off the water while you're brushing your teeth.
• Turn off the water while you shave.
• Turn off the water while you wash dishes.

Why: You can get the same results with less water.

Facts:

• Showers account for 65% of all water-heating costs.
• Taking a shorter shower will reduce your carbon dioxide output by up to 350 lbs. and your energy bill by up to $99 per year.

Two points: Reduce waste associated with meals

Earn two points by doing any of the following.  You can slip one time and still take the points.

• When you bring your own lunch, bring each food item in a reusable container.
• When you eat off campus, either choose a restaurant where your meal is served on a reusable plate/bowl with reusable utensils or, if you're getting food to go, bring your own reusable container. (Reusablebags.com sells a Wrap-N-Mat for sandwiches, a bamboo utensil set in a fabric pouch, a lightweight steel food carrier, and aluminum boxes with snap-on lids.)
• Take only the silverware you need for your meal in the dining hall. Think: "Am I going to need a knife to eat a bowl of soup?" If not, then don't pick it up.

Why:   Plastic cutlery, plates, cups, and takeout containers are made from oil -- an imported, non-renewable resource that does not break down in landfills.

Facts:

• Paper napkins, plates, and cups require oil, too -- to harvest the trees as well as to manufacture and transport the finished products m to campus or to your store. And, yes, carbon dioxide is produced during each step of this process.
• Americans toss out enough paper and plastic cups, forks, and spoons every year to circle the equator 300 times.

Two points: Use a reusable cup

Earn two points by using a reusable mug, glass, or bottle instead of a paper cup for your coffee, tea, soda, water, and juice. You can slip one time and still take the points.

• Get a reusable container that you will enjoy using. If you don't like the taste of plastic, use attractive, lightweight steel and aluminum bottles or travel mugs.

Why:  Plastic and Styrofoam cups are made from oil -- an imported, non-renewable resource that releases carbon dioxide during extraction, manufacture, and transport and does not break down in landfills. Paper cups require oil to harvest the trees, during manufacture, and in transport to the campus or to your store. Carbon dioxide is produced during each step of this process.

Facts:

• While creating a ceramic or metal mug requires more energy and consumes more water than manufacturing paper or plastic cups, a ceramic cup can be used literally thousands and thousands of times before heading off to a landfill, while a paper or plastic cup can only be used a handful of times before it falls apart and must be thrown away. The true lifecycle of a ceramic or metal mug beats paper and plastic every time.
• Your coffee will taste better in a ceramic or metal mug. Okay, so that's not a fact, but come on: In your heart you know it's true.

One-two points: Reduce paper use

Earn one to two points. To earn two points, practice both habits listed below every day for a week.  To earn 1 point, pick just one habit.  You can slip one time and still take the points.

To remind yourself, write your new habit on a note and hang it where you will see it (e.g., your computer monitor). 

• When using your computer or making photocopies, print and copy on both sides of the paper. If you do not have a duplex printer, you can do this manually by printing all the odd-numbered pages then putting these sheets back into the printer and printing the even-numbered pages.
• Reuse the blank side of already-printed paper. You can print draft and internal documents on the blank side. Or use the blank side as scratch paper. 

Why: Using both sides of a piece of paper before recycling reduces your paper consumption by 50%, an impressive amount all by itself.

Facts:

• The average person in the U.S. uses about 750 pounds of paper a year. That means you and your Sustainability Challenge partner use more than half a ton of paper a year. What does it take to manufacture that half-ton of paper? Twelve trees, 27,500 gallons of water, and enough electricity to power a house for a full month. And during this process, 30 pounds of pollution is emitted.

Ever wondered where paper comes from? Probably not, but wouldn't now be a good time to start wondering? Check out The Life of Paper and you'll discover that 30% to 40% of everything that's in a landfill is paper.

One-seven points: Reduce drive-alone car trips

Earn one point for each day you used an alternative to a drive-alone car trip (up to seven points per week).   Alternatives: walk, jog, bike, skateboard, bus, car/vanpool, ride your motorcycle or scooter, or work from home. If you already use alternative transportation modes to get to and from campus or other places daily, you'll still earn between one and seven points.

Need help in finding an alternative? There are plenty of options:

• Take the bus, ride your bike, or walk.
  • Spokane Transit Authority has a great trip planner to help you plan your trip by bus.
  • Spokane Rocket Velo offers tips and even commute-buddies if you're commuting to class or work by bike. E-mail info@spokanrocketvelo.com to ask for more information about commuting by bicycle.
    
    
• Carpool. The choice is yours: Be the driver or tag along for the ride. You can find a driver (or a passenger) by visiting Spokane County Trip Reduction carpooling pages. Click here.

Why: Automobiles and driving contribute significantly to global warming, air and water pollution, and urban sprawl. Check out the Transportation Choices Coalition's fact sheets to find out more. Here are some tips for maximizing your trips by car:

• Do not run any errand unless you can combine three errands into one trip. For example, instead of just going to the grocery store and back home again, combine the trip to the grocery store with one that includes a trip to the (local) hardware store (where you'll by your compact flourescent lightbulbs) and the (local ) sporting-goods store (where you'll buy buy arch supports for your sneakers; you'll need them when you start walking to work).
• Take at least one other person who also needs to go to the store. Instead of going out alone, make sure you ask a co-worker, someone on your floor, or -- going out on a limb here -- your significant other if s/he has some errands to run. You'll take one car, have company, and save the planet.
• Complete at least 3 errands using a mode of transportation other than a car.

Interested in your potential savings when you start carpooling? Try out the Commute Cost Calculater. Want to see how biking to work in Spokane can be done? Watch a video from BikeToWorkSpokane.org, a project of the City of Spokane Bicycle Advisory Board.

Facts:

• Eight million gallons of oil are used each day by passenger vehicles in this country. See Reducing Oil Dependence for more about how we can turn this trend around.