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PERSONAL ACTION

The table below consists of 100 personal actions that has been put together from scouring the internet and thinking of practices some of us are already trying to follow.  No one is perfect and none of us at Neighbours for the Planet are claiming that we follow ALL of these recommendations ourselves.  It is important that you do NOT feel intimidated by this list and that you feel proud of any action that you take. 

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The general rule is the old adage – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle in that order.   Reduce by trying to cut down on waste for instance get your bills online.  Reuse by trying to choose products that last and do not require a constant supply - coffee pods, floor wipes, etc.  These single use items not only cause extra garbage but also contribute to climate change via their manufacturing, transportation and disposal. And finally, Recycle products or their packaging whenever possible, or better yet read here about ways to recycle less.

 

A lot of these changes will save you money over the long term.  Some require no initial investment and you start saving right away, others require some up front costs. 

 

We highly recommend reconnecting with nature via outdoor activities.  It has been proven to help improve psychological health and it is hard to care for something if you never connect with it.

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Finally, we have tried to tag the actions below with some indicators to show relative impact in terms of reduced CO2 emissions, cost savings, initial investment, ease of adoption.  It is quite unscientific, but we hope it helps you to choose which actions you might be able to undertake.  

Category
Ease
Impact
Cost
Savings
Select
029

Category

Description

Only wash or dry clothes with full loads

Energy Use

Ease

Impact

Cost

Savings

M

M

L

M

030

Category

Description

Dryers are energy hogs, so hang clothes to dry when you can

Energy Use

Ease

Impact

Cost

Savings

M

M

L

M

031

Category

Description

Install a programmable thermostat.

Energy Use

Ease

Impact

Cost

Savings

M

M

M

H

032

Category

Description

Look for the Energy Star label when buying new appliances.

Energy Use

Ease

Impact

Cost

Savings

H

M

M

H

033

Category

Description

Winterize your home to prevent heat from escaping.

Energy Use

Ease

Impact

Cost

Savings

L

H

M

H

034

Category

Description

Lower your heating by a couple of degrees and wear warmer clothes

Energy Use

Ease

Impact

Cost

Savings

M

H

L

H

035

Category

Description

Turn off your air conditioner when it's not needed

Energy Use

Ease

Impact

Cost

Savings

M

H

L

M

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