iECO Tips - I Embrace Conservation Opportunities

#1				Tips for Fuel Efficiency Interested in improving your fuel efficiency? It’s not that difficult, just a few simple changes can make a big difference. Why? Save money -with gas prices approaching $4 a gallon, there's never been a better time to conserve fuel. Make an environmental impact, since every gallon of gas burned generates the carbon equivalent of a 20-pound bag of charcoal briquettes! How? The following tips will help you save from $20-$50 a month at the pump. Drive smart - Avoid quick starts and stops, use cruise control on the highway, and don't idle. (Using cruise control alone can improve fuel efficiency by as much as 14%!). Drive the speed limit - Remember - every 5 mph you drive above 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.10 per gallon for gas. Drive less - Traveling a mile or less? Walk, bicycle, use a scooter or moped. Have lots of errands to do? Combine trips. Buy the cheapest gas you can find - Buy gas in the morning, from wholesale shopper's clubs, and using gas-company rebate cards. Track neighborhood prices on the Internet. Keep tires properly inflated - Improve gas mileage by around 3.3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. Replace worn tires with the same make and model as the originals. Source: BigGreenPurse.com.

#2				Reduce Your Energy and Water Bills Consider using cold water instead of hot to wash your hands, since the cold, hard truth is that cold's usually just as effective. Why? Saving energy. Every 10-degree drop in H2O temperature saves you 3%-5% on water heating costs. Saving water. Most faucets spit out 2 gallons per minute while you're waiting for the water to warm up. How? With hand washing, the friction and the soap are what really get your hands clean. As far as water temp goes, you'd have to use boiling water to actually kill germs. Source: www.idealbite.com

#3				There’s a Phantom in Your House Not a ghost, a phantom load -- the energy that's sapped by appliances when they're plugged in, but not on. Plug your devices into power strips that you switch off each night to achieve energy symbiosis. Why? $ Savings. In the average home, 40% of all electricity is used to power electronics while they're turned off. Planet savings. If we averted phantom loads in all U.S. homes, we could shut down 17 power plants. It’s not difficult. Power strips with surge protectors make it easy to "unplug" many appliances at once. How? Smart Strip Power Strip - Device that senses when electronics are off, then "unplugs" them; also has space for "always on" appliances such as clocks and the fridge ($40). Belkin SurgeMaster - Has nine outlets, three phone-line inputs, and safety covers for the kids ($29). Intermatic Appliance Timer - a timer that turns off lamps and electronics; use it when you're outta town ($5). Kill-a-Watt - find out how much energy various appliances are using ($24). Source: www.idealbite.com

#4				Don't race to the dealer - car shopping homework tips Before you buy a new or used car, check with the U.S. EPA. You can compare the fuel economy leaders of the vehicles you're interested in and check on the most fuel efficient vehicles available. Why? Gas prices at or near $4 gallon. Do you need another reason? How? Read the summary of EPA’s most fuel efficient vehicles developed by Edmunds.com. Check out the Fuel Cost Calculator developed by the federal government to help you anticipate annual fuel costs, as well as compare gas and money savings between vehicles. It makes clear how much gas and money you can save simply by driving a more fuel-efficient vehicle. Source: www.idealbite.com

#5				Concentration – a key to greener living Concentrated formulas not only save you cash, but also mean less packaging and energy use – and less space required to store that stuff once you get it home. Look for smaller versions of common household products such as laundry detergent, window cleaner, juice and more. Why? A cash-saving formula. A regular, 50-ounce bottle of Tide costs about $6 at Walgreen's. But for just $3 more, you can get the 2X concentrated bottle and wash twice as many loads - effectively saving you three bucks. Thoughtful packaging. If the entire "consumer liquids" market changed from unconcentrated to double-concentrated formulas, annually it'd keep 141.1 million pounds of plastic out of production. Plus, smaller bottles means more room under your sink. Seriously considering the fuel crisis. Since bigger bottles and more liquid take more energy to transport, if we changed over to double-concentrate we'd save 19 million gallons of diesel fuel per year. How? Look for 2x concentrated or higher on the label of the products you buy, and follow the directions on the back (sometimes you gotta dilute the stuff with water). Source: www.idealbite.com