WHATS YOUR 1 THING?

My one thing is to walk more and drive less.  -Nikki, Seattle
I only use naturally derived cleaning products in my home. No chemcals. They smell fantastic!  -Mina, Kirkland
i turn my water of when im brushing my teeth. :D  -kayla, lynnwood
I educate my neighbors about surface water run off to the Puget Sound and encourage them to properly dispose of pet waste.  -Jacqui, Snohomish
I try yo use my lights as little as possible and always turn them off when i leave a room.  -Aleena, Carnation
I use a drying rack for my thinner clothing instead of the dryer. Cuts my elec bill and drying time!  -Erin, West Seattle
I started a blog to help green parents reduce their energy use and exposure to toxins.  -Kathleen R., Seattle
Follow my kids around shutting off lights and making sure the water is shut off.Sounds funny but my house saves elec/water.  -Michel Brooks, Auburn
I recycle all the garbage I can and compost food scraps. I try to buy organic products with minimal or biodegradable packaging.  -Megan, Tacoma
I use cloth bags instead of taking the plastic bag they offer  -William, Fort Lewis
I use a "GREEN" product called Eximo to remove oil stains from my driveway to prevent toxic water runoff.  -Derek, Issaquah
For drying clothes I use a clothesline when the weather is good, or a wooden drying rack in the house when it's not.  -Jeanne, Onalaska
I switch OFF the print option on my calculator at work. Eliminating the register tape on 99% of the caluations I do.  -Dawn, Marysville
I re-use my travel mug instead of accepting disposable coffee cups. Some places even offer a discount when I do this.  -Bill, Issaquah
I unplug the toaster and coffee maker when I'm done using them, saving standby energy.  -Jen, Mountlake Terrace
I went vegetarian.  -Jen, Sedro Woolley
Ive switched jobs in construction to a company that builds green homes!They can save ya hella cash-ola!  -JD, seattle
I started commuting by bike a year ago -- not only do I get some exercise, but it's a great stress reliever :)  -LB, seattle
I check my tire pressure once a month to improve the efficiency of my gas and reduce the amount CO2 into the air.  -Terra Moreland, Tacoma
Whenever I find it on, I turn off the light in my company's conference room.  -Jill, Seattle
Buy local, support stores that buy from local vendors! Shop seaonal fruits and veg. Minimize shoppping the "commercial stores".  -Virginia, Kitsap County
Built our "chicken condo" and children's tree fort out of recycled wood from local demos.  -Vicki, Puyallup
I recycle paper, cans, bottles and I have a compost pile for the garden.  -Colette, Tacoma
I put food scraps (mostly unwanted vegetable parts) into the yard waste. This way it gets composted.  -Monica, Redmond
The paper towel roll sits in a lower drawer where it's hard to find. But we have plenty of cloth towels for cleaning up spills.  -Tom, Seattle
Replace bath towels with half sized hand towels, plenty of towel to get the job done. Reduces laundry/energy/water/soap 1/2.  -Michael, Quilcene
I share my home with with 5 other adults and two teens. Living together lowers our footprint and increases our fun!  -Bruce, Lake City
I use a skim of toothpaste on my toothbrush. My teeth get just as clean and less pollutants go down the drain.  -Susanne , Bellevue
I work @ home, so have flexibility. From May-Oct, I try to line dry all but 3X/month. I save 100 hours of dryer time a year!  -Deirdre, Vashon
Eating raw food.  -Sadee, Seattle
I buy biodiesel for my VW Golf TDI at Dr. Dan's Alternative Fuelwerks in Ballard!  -Maggie Pettit, Seattle
I'm enrolled in '100% Green Power' through Puget Sound Energy.  -Rick, Federal Way
I traded in my beloved 9 year old Jeep Wrangler (15 mpg) for a new Hybrid! Hurray!  -Leann, kenmore, wa
Being a vegetarian has more of an eco-friendly impact then buying a hybrid.  -Morgan, Seattle
save the planet  -bill Sather, monroe
We are diligent to ensure that our recycling meets the guidelines provided.  -M, Redmond
At work, I have a drinking glass at my desk. Can take it home to wash and avoids using disposable cups.  -Erin, Bothell
When washing your hands, turn off the faucet while lathering and scrubbing, then turn the water on again to rinse.  -DeDe, Seattle
I bought a BPA-free water bottle and take it to work every day, instead of consuming several bottled waters a week.  -Stacey, Renton
Whenever possible, I try to buy personal care products that are botanical and not tested on animals.  -Donna, Seattle
Riding my bike to work or carpooling.  -Cheryl, Seattle
Buy Local  -Sue, Seattle
My home now runs on 100% wind power--the bill is a bit more but I hardly notice considering the impact it makes.  -Tasha, Vancouver
Only printing when I absolutely have to. Take advantage of technology and use less paper, save it online!  -Aileen H., Seattle
I quit buying bottled water.  -Tony Russell, 100.7 The Wolf
Turn off the water heater if away for a few days. Use dimmers on our lights. Use motion lights outside for security.  -Michelle, Redmond
I signed up for a food PLUS+ compost recycling bin and cut our trash way down.  -TJ, bellingham
Buy "green" products and try to gradually influence as many of my friends as possible. It's working so far!  -Marian, Lacey
I have a beautiful, locally made coffee mug I use every day at work instead of paper or Styrofoam.  -Michelle, Redmond
I have compact florescent bulbs in most of my light fixtures at home  -Anne, Seattle
 

DID YOU KNOW?

26 out of 52 salmon and steelhead populations in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and California are either threatened or endangered.

Glaciers in the North Cascades have lost 18-32 percent of their total volume since 1983.

Recycling one glass bottle saves enough energy to light a 100-watt light bulb for 4 hours.

Farmed Salmon are dyed pink to look more natural, otherwise they would have grey colored flesh.

Using a faucet aerator can save you up to 400 gallons of water a year.

In one year, an average tree is able to absorb 10 pounds of pollutants from the air and convert 330 pounds of carbon dioxide into oxygen. So go plant some trees!

Every person in the Puget Sound region uses an average of 80 gallons of freshwater every day.

In 2004, food scraps and compostable paper from homes and businesses made up 26% of the trash in King County’s regional landfill.

If you replace toilets installed before 1994 you can save more than $1,000 in water and sewer charges over the next 10 years.

Recycling at our current rate saves U.S. the equivalent of over 5 BILLION gallons of gasoline, reducing dependence of foreign oil by 114 million barrels.

Over 60 animal species depend on the Cedar River Watershed. The same place that provides drinking water to 70% of Seattle’s residents.

More than 118,000 acres of agricultural land in Washington State were lost to development between 1992 and 1997.

Native plants control erosion by holding the soil with their roots

Native plants are great for creating drought-tolerant yards.

Western Europeans use public transportation for about 10% of their urban trips, compared with Americans at only 2 %.

An estimated 53 glaciers have disappeared in the North Cascades since the 1950’s

Composting does more than save water it also binds itself to polluting metals, pesticides and other contaminants to prevent them from washing into waterways or being absorbed by plants.

A leaky sink can waste 2,400 gallons of water a year by only leaking one drop per second.

The U.S. devotes 17% of its fossil fuel consumption to the production and consumption of food.

The King county Wastemobile travels to many communities providing household hazardous waste disposal services for King County residents.

For every mile you drive below 65 mph, your car’s fuel efficiency increases by 2%.

Pesticides and herbicides damage soil and lawn health and pollute our waterways.

The average American consumes five times more energy the average global citizen.

Transportation accounts for 95% of oil consumption worldwide.

Transportation is the fastest growing form of energy use, accounting for nearly 30% of world energy.

Washington is the 2nd highest consumer of organic food in the nation.

CFL light bulbs use 75% less energy and last longer than incandescent bulbs.

A running faucet leaks up to 3 gallons per minute.

EarthCorps provides volunteer opportunities for individuals and/or groups to work on trails, remove invasive plants, and plant native species.

Every ton of recycled paper we use saves almost 400 gallons of oil, 3 cubic yards of landfill and 17 trees.

Native plant landscapes do not need pesticides or fertilizers better for kids and pets.

Setting your thermostat two degrees lower than you normally would in winter and two degrees higher in the summer will save 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide and around $98 a year.

The production of 1 kilogram of beef requires 16,000 liters of water. Conserve water! Eat less beef, better yet, don’t eat any!

The average shower or bath uses 45-50 gallons of water.

Over the past 10 years U.S. oil consumption has increased by 2.7 million barrels a day.

To produce 1 cup of coffee we need 140 liters of water.

The Water Smart Technology Program (WSTP) provides financial incentives and technical assistance to help commercial, industrial, and institutional customers upgrade operations and equipment.

Reusing just one computer with a standard CRT monitor prevents emission of over 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide

Use laptops instead of desktops. They use more than 50% less energy and require less resources and energy to produce.

If you could harness the energy saved from recycling one aluminum can, you could operate a television for 3 hours.

For every ton of wood that is reused in construction or remodeling, we avoid creating 60 pounds of greenhouse gasses.

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