A Sustainable American Lifestyle

For my Environmental Sustainability class I am writing about ways that the typical American household can reduce their environmental impact without sacrificing the quality of their life.  My areas of research are in electricity and water use.  Here are some ideas, as well as some statistics for you to consider in your own life.

Electricity

With only 5% of the world’s population, America consumes 26% of the world’s energy supply (EcoEarthWalk.ca). To generate this electricity, we rely heavily on coal, a fossil fuel which contributes to smog, acid rain and global warming. Coal accounts for 50% of the United States energy production (pbs.org). According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, a typical coal burning power plant emits 3.7 million tons of CO2, the equivalent to cutting down 161 million trees. In addition to carbon dioxide emissions, coal burning power plants also release sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, mercury, arsenic and lead (ucsusa.org).

Water

The average American uses between 80 and 100 gallons of water each day. Most of this water is used in flushing toilets and bathing (usgs.gov). While 71% of the planet is covered in water, less than 1% is fresh and available for human use (usgs.gov). At least 36 states are facing water shortages in the next four years (alternet.org). Water shortages are not limited to the Western United States. The Great Lakes are shrinking (newyorktimes.com) and states including New York, Georgia and Florida are all facing water shortages or will be in the future (alternet.org).

What Can You Do?

Reducing your impact on the environment doesn’t require any dramatic shifts in your lifestyle or quality of life. Many of the changes are small but can have a major impact on reducing your consumption of electricity and water. Reducing your consumption also means saving yourself some money. Here are some of the ways that you can reduce your environmental impact:

Electricity Consumption

Install Compact Florescent Lighting: CFLs use 75% less energy than standard incandescent light bulbs and will save over $30 in energy costs over their lifetime. They also last 10 times longer than a standard bulb which means less maintenance around the home (energystar.gov).

Flip the Switch: In addition to switching to CFLs, turning off the lights when you are not using them will save electricity and money.

Use a Power Strip for Electrical Appliances: Estimates indicate that as much as 10% of your total home energy use is a result of phantom power, the energy consumed by electronic devices in Standby mode (therenewableplanet.org)

Replace Old Appliances with Energy Star Appliances: When the time comes to replace an old appliance, chose an Energy Star Rated Appliance. According to Energy Star: “Energy Star qualified appliances incorporate advanced technologies that use 10–50% less energy and water than standard models.” (energystar.gov)

Unplug Chargers When Not In Use: Even when your cell phone chargers are not charging your phone, they are still drawing electricity. Unplug them from the wall after your phone is charged.

Water Consumption

Lower the Temperature of Your Water Heater: “For each 10°F reduction in water temperature, you can save between 3%–5% in energy costs.” Water temperatures can be lowered to 120° F without any noticeable change (EnergySavers.gov).

Pee in the Shower: Brazilian environmental group SOS Mata Atlantica says that by peeing in the shower, the average Brazilian household can save 1,157 gallons of water if it avoids flushing the toilet once a day for a year (huffingtonpost.com). If they can do it, so can we!  Watch their video, it is cute!

Turn Off the Water While Brushing Your Teeth: The EPA states that turning off the faucet when you brush your teeth can save 8 gallons of water a day; 240 gallons a month (epa.gov)

Use a Dishwasher: Consumer Reports claims that using an efficient dishwasher can actually use less water than washing dishes by hand! (consumerreports.org) Save even more water by only running the dishwasher when it is full.

Take Shorter Showers: Peeing isn’t the only way to save water in the shower. By taking shorter showers, you can save up to 60 gallons of water compared to taking a bath. A typical bath requires 70 gallons of water while a 5 minute shower only uses between 10 to 25 gallons (epa.gov).

Conclusion

Doing your part to save the environment doesn’t require large sacrifices that will lead to book or movie deals like No Impact Man and we don’t need to live in a cave without money like Daniel Suelo.  Creating a sustainable lifestyle is about making small changes that will result in a large difference in your consumption levels.  Being Green and environmentally friendly isn’t just for Hippies anymore.  The financial impacts of reducing your costs add up to money in your pocket.  Who doesn’t like that!?