April 22nd means that Earth Day is here! It’s time to start thinking and acting a little more eco-friendly. Here’s are six ways to optimize your Earth Day experience.

1. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

This sounds simple and may be overly obvious, but it really works. Get in the habit of incorporating the “three R’s” into products you use on a daily basis. This process can have an effect on what you choose to buy. It also affects how you use and dispose of things you already have.

Remember to review all the acceptable items that can be recycled in your community. It’s likely that you’ll find something on the list that you’re accustomed to throwing away. Below are the links to view the lists for the current Ferris Homes communities.

• Grand Bend at Green Bay: City of Evanston Recycling
• Liberty Grove: City of Libertyville Recycling (PDF - 286 KB)
• Amberwood Estates: City of Wheaton & DuPage County Recycling (PDF - 120 KB)

2. Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs

Replace three (3) frequently used light bulbs with compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) and reduce your carbon footprint by 450 pounds a year. With CFL bulb prices continually dropping and the technology improving (increases in both bulb life & lumens per watt) this should be an easy choice. Need more reasons?

• CFLs save people money. Switching to CFLs is a fundamentally good economic decision
• Anyone can make the switch and begin using the bulbs
• CFLs drastically reduce energy consumption

3. Party Smart

Late April is also a great time for parties. But parties can generate a lot of waste. Here’s a few tips for an eco-friendly party:

• Set up recycling bins for aluminum cans, glass and plastic bottles
• Buy large quantities of food and drinks to reduce packaging
• Encourage guests to bring their own glasses and/or plates to reduce waste (there will also be less confusion about which drink belongs to each person

4. Use Water Wisely

Saving water around the house is important because it is a limited resource. Here’s a few easy ways how to use less water and save some money:

• Take shorter showers because showers account for 2/3 of all water heating costs
• Put a filled bottle in your toilet tank (less water used per flush)
• Reuse water around the house, such as using cooking water for plants
• Keep your water heater insulated and the thermostat no higher than 120°F
• Use cold water to wash your clothes

5. Stop Filling Up The Gas Tank

Car pool, use public transportation, bike to work or drive a fuel efficient car. Not only will you be putting much less carbon dioxide into the air, you’ll also be saving a bundle as gas prices creep upwards towards $4.00/gallon.

6. Take Advantage of the Weather

Depending on where you live, this time of year has some of the nicest weather. Try opening windows instead of running the air conditioning and/or heater. This will also save some money on your energy bill.

Nice weather is also a great excuse to drive less. Walking and biking help your health and are better for the air.