How Green Is Your Home?

Directions: With your family review each item and put a check mark next to the ones that accurately describe your family.

__ Our family uses cloth bags at the grocery store.

__ Our family recycles aluminum cans, paper, plastic, and glass.

__  Our family has installed low flow shower heads.

__ Our family takes short showers and/or showers every few days instead of every day.

__  Our family buys appliances that have the “Energy Star” symbol.

__ Our family uses energy-efficient light bulbs.

__ Our family repairs leaky faucets quickly.

__ Our family has insulated the hot water heater or has a tankless hot water heater.

__ Our family car gets frequent tune-ups.

__ Our family car has radial tires that get better mileage.

__ Our family walks or bikes to school/work.

__ Our family combines errands in order to save fuel.

__ Our family has installed a water control device in all our toilets.

__ Our family changes the furnace/air conditioner filters regularly.

__ Our family uses solar power.

__ Our family hangs clothes on a clothesline to dry whenever possible.

__ Our family washes all our clothes in cold water.

__ Our family keeps the thermostat no higher than 68 degrees in the winter. We keep it even lower at nighttime and during those times when no one is at home.

__ Our family uses paper towels made from 100% recycled fibers or we use cloth towels instead.

__ Our family refuses to buy products that have a lot of packaging and tries to buy in bulk whenever possible.

 __ Our family turns lights, computers, and other appliances off when they are not being used.

__ Our family has planted several trees in our yard.

How do these activities help work against global warming?

Most of these steps conserve energy.  By purchasing energy-efficient products like refrigerators, light bulbs, and dryers, we can save electricity produced by power plants that spew millions of tons of carbon dioxide into the air. Likewise, keeping the furnace thermostat low and the furnace itself well maintained helps it to use less energy.

By purchasing paper products made from recycled paper we save thousands of trees from being cut down.  Trees are huge consumers of carbon dioxide and play a crucial role in removing greenhouse gases from the air.  Recycling products such as aluminum cans cuts down on the amount of energy needed to make these products from scratch.  Also, less garbage in our landfills create less methane, another greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.

Directions: List three steps your family pledges to take in order to become “greener”. 

Family Member's Signature ___________________________________________ 

Learner's Signature ___________________________________________________