Ten Things You Can Do to Save Energy
& Curb Global Warming

1. Change a light bulb Replacing one regular light bulb with a compact fluorescent bulb saves 150 lbs. of CO2/yr.
   
   
2. Drive less Go to www.511.org for a personalized public transit map and schedule to your destination. Walk, bike, carpool or take public transit & save one lb. of CO2 for every mile you don’t drive!
   
   
3. Recycle more You can save 2,400 lbs. of CO2/yr. by recycling just one-half of your household waste. For local recycling info, contact your city or www.recyclestuff.org/CDR.asp.
   
   
4. Use less hot water Wash clothes in cold water to save 500 lbs. of CO2/yr. Set your water heater to 120º. If the tank feels hot to your touch, it’s not insulated; replace it with a modern one – or consider a tankless water heater.
   
   
5. Remove your lawn and add water-saving native plants. 20% of the electricity used in California goes to pump water, so saving water reduces CO2 emissions too!
   
   
6. Use less electricity. Air-dry your clothes on a clothesline and save 700 lbs. CO2/yr. Plug phone chargers and other electronics into a power strip and turn it off when things aren’t being used – save even more!
   
   
7. Volunteer to plant trees and restore natural habitats. Healthy trees and native plant ecosystems absorb CO2. In Silicon Valley, Our City Forest –www.ourcityforest.org – welcomes volunteer tree planters. Acterra’s Arastradero Preserve Project works on native plant restoration every other Saturday. See www.acterra.org.
8. Inflate your tires to save gas. Improve gas mileage 3-4% – and save up to 9 cents/gal – by keeping your tires inflated properly. See www.ehow.com/how_112746_check-tire-pressure.html for easy how-to tips.
   
   
9. Eat less meat. Producing a pound of beef requires a gallon of gasoline. Switching to one meatless day/week will reduce water pollution and the methane gas from animal waste that contributes to global warming.
   
   
10. Eat locally grown food from the Farmer’s Market. The average American meal typically travels over 1,500 miles from farm to plate. Eating locally grown foods once per week can save up to 5,000 pounds of CO2 per year.

About Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs)…

They save you money.

Because they use about a third of the electricity of a regular light bulb, CFLs can reduce your PG&E bill. Lighting is usually 10-20% of your home’s electricity use, so the more bulbs you change, the more your savings add up.

They last longer than regular light bulbs.

CFLs generally last about 10 times longer than typical incandescent lights. Although they are more expensive, because they use less electricity and last longer, CFLs can pay for themselves in less than a year. Look for the “Energy Star” label to get the best quality CFLs.

They come in different brightness levels and in different shapes.

CFLs are now available in different sized bulbs and in “cool white” or “day light” and some work with dimmer switches.

They contain mercury vapor – so please dispose of them properly.

Like household batteries, CFLs are considered “hazardous materials” because they contain small amounts of poisonous mercury. So when the bulb finally burns out, take it at no cost (along with any used batteries) to one of the following recyclers:

• Batteries N’ Bulbs

  (408) 737-2852

  1111 W. El Camino Real, Sunnyvale

  Leave bulbs with employee at front register; closed Sunday.
  

• Beacon Lighting

  (408) 736-4505

  550 W. El Camino Real, Sunnyvale

  Drop off only; residents only; closed Sunday & Monday
  

• Orchard Supply Hardware

  (408) 732-7734

  777 Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road, Sunnyvale

  Take lamps to Customer Service counter; open everyday.
  

• City of Sunnyvale Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off Day

  Call (408) 299-7300 for dates and place. Accepts CFLs and all battery types and other household hazardous waste. Maximum load per trip is 5 gallons or 50 pounds.
  

• Sunnyvale SMaRT Station

  (408) 752-8530

  301 Carl Rd., Sunnyvale

  Accepts fluorescent tubes and bulbs from Sunnyvale, Mountain View and Palo Alto residents only. Give to employee at Recycling Center. Open everyday.

For more information including where businesses can dispose of CFLs, go to the City of Sunnyvale website:

www.sunnyvale.ca.gov/Departments/Public+Works -- click on “recycling” and then on “fluorescent tubes”