1. RECYCLE EVERYTHING THAT YOU CAN.  Batteries can be saved to be recycled at battery drives or MOM’s Market in Bryn Mawr.  Plastic bags are recycled by most local supermarkets, TE has mixed recycling which includes all plastics  #s 1-7, glass, cans, mixed paper.  However, DO NOT put your recycling in trash bags, as these are KNOWN to cause major problems at the recycling facility machines.  
2. TURN OFF YOUR IDLING ENGINES!  If you are picking up a child in the car line, turn off your car until the line is moving.  Contrary to popular belief, restarting your car does not burn more fuel than leaving it idling. In fact, idling for just 10 seconds wastes more gas than restarting the engine so you will save $$, not breathe in toxic fumes, AND be earth-friendly.
3. SAVE ENERGY AT HOME.  Teach your kids about turning off the lights when they leave a room and turning off the faucet while brushing their teeth (and remember to do it yourself!).   Install LED bulbs - the quickest, easiest way to save energy -- and money.  Also, make sure you don’t have leaky faucets or toilets.  Repair a leaky toilet and you can save $30 a year, which may not sound like much until you realize it also means 73,000 gallons.  
4. HOLD ON TO YOUR OLD ELECTRONICS (and recycle them) – Whole Foods, Tredyffrin township and local libraries sponsor annual electronics drives.  Americans tossed out a whopping 5.5 billion pounds of electronics last year - TVs, stereos, cell phones, and computers - according to the Environmental Protection Agency.  The result?  Millions of pounds of chemicals and heavy metals ended up in the ground even though it's easier than ever to recycle electronics.
5. SAFELY DISPOSE OF MEDICINES.  It turns out that the common practice of flushing pills down the toilet has a harmful effect on waterways and their ecosystems.  These medicinal compounds filter into the groundwater and end up in our lakes and streams.  The US Geological Survey studied water from 139 streams in 30 states and found that 80% contained traces of pharmaceuticals.   The Tredyffrin Township Police Department and CVS will take any unwanted medications to ensure that they are disposed of safely and properly during Prescription Drug National Take Back Events, held annually.   The second (less preferred) option is to mix expired pills with coffee grounds, cat litter, or sawdust , and throw it in the trash in a sealed container (think used yogurt cup).  This will keep them away from your kids and pets, and prevent harm to fish and other wildlife habitats.
6. SUPPORT LOCAL FARMERS.   We are blessed to have access to good produce from local farms in NJ and PA through our myriad farmers’ markets, local Whole Foods, and CSAs (community supported agriculture).  Buying local not only supports farmers but also gives you fresher food and reduces the energy used to transport produce from afar.
7. MONITOR THE GLOW.  Anything that has a glow even after you turn it off continues to draw power (that costs you $$). Your TV, cell phone charger, and printer are likely culprits. Unplug the offenders from wall sockets and plug them into power strips instead. When you leave a room, flip the strip switch to cut the flow of electricity.  Unplug appliances and electronics that glow and you could save $200 a year.
8. DO FULL LOADS OF LAUNDRY. Whenever you wash just a few clothes or dishes at a time rather than waiting for a full load to accumulate, you're wasting water, power, and money. The average American family of four washes about 540 loads of laundry a year, which consumes up to 21,000 gallons of water, and more than 150 loads of dishes, which uses about 1,500 gallons. Most of the energy consumed by washers goes toward heating the water -- about 90 percent in the clothes washer and 80 percent in the dishwasher. Combining half-loads, choosing short cycles, and using cold or warm rather than hot water in the clothes washer racks up savings.
9. RETHINK DISPOSIBLE PLASTIC.  This means bottled water, juices and disposable lunch waste.   Send your kids to school with reusable water containers, metal silverware, Tupperware and reusable sandwich bags, will reduce hundreds of pounds of waste and also be great for your wallet!   
10. REDUCE PAPER TOWELS.   Parents use TONS of paper towels, which are made from wood pulp, take a lot of energy to produce, and are expensive!    Consider using the many washable or reusable products available to wipe little faces and hands, as well as kitchen counters.  Personal favorites are the colorful wipe cloths at Trader Joes for an awesome job on any stoves or counters!   Also consider using your paper towels multiple times prior to tossing – first wipe your kids hands, rinse and then use the same sheet on the nearby counter, table and/or floors.
11. WRAP CREATIVELY.  You can reuse gift bags, bows and event paper, but you can also make something unique by using old maps, cloth or even newspaper. Flip a paper grocery bag inside out and give your child stamps or markers to create their own wrapping paper that's environmentally friendly and extra special for the recipient.
12. REUSE PAPER AND CARBOARD.   Think of all those art projects that can be created from egg crates, shoe boxes, toilet paper rolls or printed paper.  Give your children some supplies and have them go to town with their creativity!
13. CUT OUT PLASTIC BAGS.  Each year the U.S. uses 84 billion plastic bags, a significant portion of the 500 billion used worldwide. They are NOT biodegradable, and are making their way into our oceans, and subsequently, the food chain.  Have your kids remind you not to forget your reusable bags in the car!!   And make sure you recycle those bags that you do accumulate (bring them back to the supermarkets to put in their recycling bins!)
14. CUT DOWN ON JUNK MAIL.  Feel like you need to lose a few pounds? It might be your junk mail that's weighing you down. The average American receives 40 pounds of junk mail each year, destroying 100 millions trees. There are many services  (such as http://www.dmachoice.org) that can help reduce the clutter in your mailbox, saving trees, time and the precious space on your countertops.
15. DIAPER WITH A CONSCIENCE.   By the time a child is toilet trained, a parent will change between 5,000 and 8,000 diapers, adding up to approximately 3.5 million tons of waste in U.S. landfills each year.  Whether you choose cloth or a more environmentally-friendly disposable (like NatureBabycare, Earth’s Best, or Bambo as examples), you're making a choice that has a much gentler impact on our planet.

These are just a few of our personal favorites.  For more easy ways to be green, visit:

http://www.50waystohelp.com/

Brought to you by the TESD Green Team. To learn more or get involved, please contact: Tracy at tracyteeselink@aol.com, Val at valcheng@gmail.com or Gaby at gabysnyder@yahoo.com 

Tredyffrin/Easttown Middle School PTO
801 Conestoga Road
Berwyn, PA 19312