Quick Fixes

No time, no money, instant savings

Looking for some simple, no-investment actions that help you save energy and money immediately? Look no further than these quick and common-sense options.

Adjust the thermostat

To avoid excessive heating and cooling, I will turn the thermostat down a few degrees in the winter and up in the summer.
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ACTION RESOURCES:

Department of Energy, Energy Saver: Thermostats

Proper Use Guidelines for Programmable Thermostats
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DAILY ACTION
Turn off the lights

I will make it a habit to always turn off the lights when I leave a room.

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DAILY ACTION
Eat a plant-rich diet

I will substitute half of my meat consumption with plant-based foods to save an average of $420 on groceries and over 7 tons of carbon emissions per year.
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ACTION RESOURCES:

Drawdown Solution #4: Plant-Rich Diet

This Protein Scorecard helps you make choices that save money and reduce emissions
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ONE-TIME ACTION
Reduce food waste

The average American wastes over $400 and tons of energy on uneaten food per year, I will save that money and reduce the amount of food I waste by effectively meal planning, not overordering, and composting or donating leftover food.
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ACTION RESOURCES:

Save the Food has great tools and resources to help you eliminate waste

ReFED's research shows just how impactful eliminating food waste is
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ONE-TIME ACTION
Only run a full dishwasher

I will make it a habit to only run a full dishwasher to save water and energy.
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ACTION RESOURCES:

Infographic with tips on how to save water in the home
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DAILY ACTION
Minimize idling in your car

I will minimize the amount of time spent idling in my car to avoid wasting fuel.
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ACTION RESOURCES:

Department of Energy shows that stopping your engine is the way to go
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DAILY ACTION
Keep your RPMs low

I will keep my car engine's RPMs low by avoiding abrupt accelerations and coasting into stops, improving my fuel economy by 15% –30% .
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ACTION RESOURCES:

Fueleconomy.gov's driving tips to improve fuel economy

Comprehensive guide on how to improve fuel economy
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DAILY ACTION
Drive speed limit

I will drive the speed limit to increase my fuel economy by 7% –14% .
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ACTION RESOURCES:

Fueleconomy.gov's driving tips to improve fuel economy

Comprehensive guide on how to improve fuel economy
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DAILY ACTION
Combine errands

I will combine errands and avoid multiple trips to increase my own time efficiency and to minimize my vehicle emissions.
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ACTION RESOURCES:

Fueleconomy.gov's tips on planning efficient trips
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DAILY ACTION
Walk or bike instead

I will walk or bike (___) mile(s) per day instead of driving and avoid up to (___) pounds of carbon emissions.
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ACTION RESOURCES:

Drawdown Solution #59: Bike Infrastructure
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DAILY ACTION
Telecommute when possible

I will telecommute to avoid my commute's carbon output.
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ACTION RESOURCES:

Drawdown Solution #63: Telepresence

Forbes: Benefits of Telecommuting for the Future of Work
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DAILY ACTION
Roll windows down instead of A/C

I will use the natural cooling of putting my windows down when in the car instead of the air conditioning.
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ACTION RESOURCES:

Comprehensive guide on how to improve fuel economy
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DAILY ACTION
Remove excess weight in the car

I will avoid keeping or transporting heavy objects in the car because this practice more quickly depletes fuel, improving my fuel economy by 1% for every 100 pounds of excess weight removed.
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ACTION RESOURCES:

Fueleconomy.gov's tips on planning efficient trips
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DAILY ACTION
Take the stairs

I will take the stairs instead of the elevator for the benefit of my health and to save energy.

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DAILY ACTION
Go paperless

I will avoid unnecessary printing and "go digital" whenever possible.

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DAILY ACTION
Reduce unnecessary purchases, buy long lasting products

I will reduce unnecessary purchases by only buying what I truly need.
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ACTION RESOURCES:

New Dream shows you how to tackle excess consumerism

The Story of Stuff Project

Even a reusable water bottle can save a ton
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DAILY ACTION
Reuse, repurpose or donate what you can

I will reuse materials instead of buying new ones and donate materials that I no longer use.
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ACTION RESOURCES:

Salvation Army's tool to arrange pickup or find a donation site

The Story of Stuff Project
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DAILY ACTION
Opt out of paper junk mail lists

I will opt out of junk mail lists to reduce wasted material and energy.
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ACTION RESOURCES:

Catalog Choice is a free service to help unclog your mailbox

NY Times article provides resources to eliminate unwanted mail
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ONE-TIME ACTION
Share resources with neighbors

I will set up a sharing initiative in my community to enable effective sharing of stuff, time, skills, and space.
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ACTION RESOURCES:

Example: Tool-Lending Libraries-Benefits & How to Start Your Own
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DAILY ACTION
CREATE A CUSTOM ACTION

Ideally, you’ll choose at least one measurable goal so that you can measure your success but there are no limits on what you can choose—so exercise your creativity!

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