Individual Actions You Can Take To Make An Impact

What Can You Do?

Read through the following three pages and select the actions you are willing to take to reduce costs, improve air quality, and make a big impact on your community.

Transportation

Reduce Car Trips

XReplacing a 5-mile car trip per week with one of the following alternatives saves 196 lbs of CO2 in a year

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Walk or Bike

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Ride the Bus

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Combine Trips

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Carpool

Change Driving Habits

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Drive SlowerEach 5 mph driven over 50 mph results in roughly 7% loss in fuel economy

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Maintain CarWould reduce emissions for the average driver driving the average car by 170 lb CO2 per year

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Idle LessIdling for one hour emits 16 lbs of CO2

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Use a Transportation Demand Management ProgramCan help you keep track of your transportation emissions and plan alternative mode trips

Your Info

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Zip Code

Buildings and Energy

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Change Air FiltersA dirty or clogged air filter forces your fan work to harder, which uses a lot more energy

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Take Short ShowersEvery minute less saves an average of 2 gallons of water

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Use LED LightbulbsReplacing an incandescent light bulb with an LED light saves about 35 lb of carbon emissions per year

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Wash Clothes on ColdWashing clothes in cold water instead of warm saves an average 0.90 kWh/load

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Use Energy-Efficient AppliancesSwitching from an old refrigerator to an Energy Star refrigerator saves an estimated 121 lbs of CO2 and $21 per year

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Put Lights on a TimerTurning off one 40 watt lightbulb for one hour saves 40 watts

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Use Renewable EnergyA 10% increase in renewable energy generation for each kilowatt-hour of electricity reduces CO2 emissions by 1 lb

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Use Ceiling FansCeiling fans allow you to raise the thermostat setting about 4 degrees with no reduction in comfort

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Seal Doors and WindowsHeat gain and loss through windows are responsible for 25-30% of residential heating and cooling use

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Close Doors and WindowsThe air conditioning system has to work harder to replace the heated or cooled air that escapes through an open window

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Explore TVA rebates / Tax CreditsTVA's rebates on energy-efficient upgrades and repairs can add up to over $5,000 in savings

Waste and Land Use

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Reuse ProductsReusing items cuts down on the environmental cost of making new products and keeps items out of the landfill

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Borrow and Buy UsedBorrowing and buying used save emissions associated with the raw material extraction and manufacturing of a new product

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RecycleRecycling all common household products (aluminum & steel cans, plastic, glass, newspaper, magazines) can prevent 405 lbs of CO2 emissions per person

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Compost FoodLandfilling food scraps produces 20x the CO2e emissions as composting

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Shop Locally or Grow FoodLocally sourced foods generate 5 to 17 times less C02 than those sourced globally

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Plant Native TreesPlanting local trees supports native wildlife, conserves water, and prevents erosion