When you practice energy and water conservation, you will reduce usage, save money on monthly utility bills, and help protect our precious Mother Earth. Not quite sure where to begin? Dolphin Quest sightseeing tour in John’s Pass shares several ways you can lower your water and energy footprint and increase energy efficiency!
Bathing, Cleaning, and Everyday Appliances
- Nearly 10 gallons of water per day is lost to leaks. One of the easiest, most effective ways to cut your water footprint is to simply repair leaky faucets or toilets.
- Switch to a low-flow showerhead, and save 15 gallons of water during a 10-minute shower.
- Shave a few minutes off your normal bathing time to save energy and money!
- Switch to the shower. It takes about 70 gallons of water to fill a bathtub, so showers are going to be more water-efficient.
- Replace your washer machine with an energy-and-water efficient model. This will save you over 20 gallons of water per load!
- Make sure to adjust the settings on your washer machine to the proper load size. Nearly 22% of indoor home water use comes from doing laundry!
- Only use hot water to wash clothes are super dirty. Otherwise, opt for warm or cold water.
- Be sure to clean your dryer’s lint filter after each use to make sure the dryer is running efficiently.
- Good news! The dishwasher is actually more water efficient than hand washing, especially if you run full loads.
- Use the air-dry option or stop the dishwasher when the dry cycle begins, and let the dishes air dry.
- Use a bucket instead of running water to mop the floor, and use a sponge mop as opposed to a string mop.
Heating and Cooling
- On those super sunny days, block the heat from the sun by closing windows, doors, and curtains.
- During warmer months, set the thermostat to 80 degrees or higher when you are sleeping or away from the home. This will cut your AC costs by three to five percent!
- Replace your air conditioning unit that is ENERGY STAR approved.
- Plan to do heat and moisture-creating activities such as washing dishes, doing laundry, bathing, and cooking before noon or past 8pm.
- Consider using a window fan, which requires as little as 1/10 the amount of energy needed to run an air conditioner.
Cooking, Food Prep, and Storage
- When cooking smaller meals, use a toaster oven or slow-cooker. Also, keep the burners and reflectors on your oven clean. This way they will reflect heat better and use energy more efficiently.
- Stock your freezer! Food actually retains cold temperatures so a full freezer will be more efficient than an empty one.
- Set out frozen food to defrost or use the microwave instead of running it under hot water.
- Check the gasket in your refrigerator door to make sure it fits properly. A loose gasket will cause cold air to leak out.
Outdoor Maintenance
- Crazy, but nearly 60% of your household water footprint can go towards lawn and garden maintenance.
- Use a nozzle on your hose to shut off or to adjust the spray to fit the amount of water you need to use.
- Mow your lawn using a higher lawn mower setting. Longer grass allows for less evaporation and a more hydrated lawn.
- Use a broom to clean your sidewalk and driveway instead of pressure washing or water from a hose.
Lights
- Turn off lights and appliances when you leave a room.
- Switch your light bulbs to compact fluorescent lamp bulbs. These guys use as little as ¼ the energy of regular incandescent light bulbs and can last ten times as long.
With these tips, it’s super easy to do your part for water and energy conservation! Our precious Florida coastal creatures will thank you!
Enjoy the Environment: Tampa Dolphin Tour
After doing your part for the environment, you deserve time to relax. If you would like to see bottlenose dolphin and other wildlife enjoying their natural habitats, and live in or are visiting Tampa, call Dolphin Quest to schedule your sightseeing cruise through Johns Pass! For more information, please give us a call at (727) 423-7824.
