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Look for our monthly column, WRSE Ecophiles, in the West Roxbury Transcript

Click here for articles

 

Winterizing Workshop

WRSE's second annual was Nov. 9

View winterizing tips here

 

WRSE presents a

Green Business Forum

for local businesses

Read about event here

 

WR Main Streets launches recycling initiative for local businesses Read article here

Read WRSE's "Letter to the Editor" response Click here

 

WRSE wins Mayor's 2009 Green Leadership Award

Read more here

Visit the Boston Green Awards site

 

WRSE is now on Facebook. Become a fan.

 

WRSE celebrates Earth Day

by illustrating what 350 plastic bags (the amount typically used by a person annually) looks like and distributing free reusable bags donated by Macy's Liquors and CVS. Read more here

Earth Day bag lady

Photo courtesy Peg Sawyer

 

Easy ways to save paper when you print

Use less paper, use less energy, save trees, and save money! View tips here

 

Recycle at Atlas True Value

Now you can recycle your cell phones, cell phone batteries, and other rechargeable batteries at Atlas True Value Hardware, 1871 Centre Street.

 

Borrow a watt meter

Kill-A-Watt meters are available at Atlas True Value (1871 Centre Street) for you to use at no cost. Just ask at the counter, sign one out, and return it in about one week. Use the meter to measure electricity usage in your home so you can save energy—and money!



WRSE gratefully acknowledges NSTAR and National Grid,

our first sponsors, for generous grants toward our operating costs and future programming. Thank you NSTAR and National Grid!


 


starNew!

 

Boston Climate Action community workshop

March 8 in WR

See details and register to attend

 

WRSE "Blower Door" energy audit event Jan. 31

See photos and read Bulletin article

 

CVS "Greenbagtag" saves you money and helps the planet

Here's how it works

 

Help pass the Bottle Bill

How to take action

 

Green link of the month:

planetforward.org

Watch (and submit) entertaining short videos about the environment

 

Solutions to some green dilemmas Click here

 

Recycle your electronics safely and easily—and earn cash rewards

Click here to learn how

 

Reduce your carbon footprint (and save money)

5 easy ways

What does single-stream recycling look like?

10 Easy Actions that Will Save
Money as Well as Energy

Click the $$$$ Signs to Find Out How Much!

1$ Change two household bulbs to compact fluorescent lights (which can be recycled at Whole Foods, Home Depot, and some True Value stores); CFLs use up to 75 percent less energy and last ten times longer

2$On the highway, drive at least 5 miles under the posted speed limit; choosing 55 mph instead of 75 reduces the amount of gas you use by about 25 percent

3$Recycle your wire hangers at Prime Cleaners (651 VFW Parkway) and take $.05 off your laundry bill for each   hanger returned; use Prime's "We Care" bag and take another $.25 off your bill

4$When not in use, unplug any cords connected to electronics or that have power “bricks” (a box on the cord); these items consume energy the entire time they are plugged in

5$Buy a digital tire gauge in order to keep your car tires inflated to manufacturer's recommended level of pressure; underinflated tires increase the resistance on the road, which uses more gas

6$Wash laundry in cold water; 90 percent of the energy used for your clothes washer goes toward heating the water

7$Adjust your thermostat by 2 degrees higher in the warm weather (if you have air conditioning) and 2 degrees cooler in the winter; you'll save 6 percent on your monthly heating bill

8$Use public transportation or carpool at least once a week to get to work; save on gas and save on parking

9$Take your own bags (any kind—plastic, paper, or recycle tote bags) to Roche Bros. to pack your purchases, and you will be refunded $.05 on your order for each one used

10$Use your dishwasher instead of hand washing dirty dishes and save energy and money on both heating and water costs; the dishwasher uses 50 percent less energy to heat the water and 75 percent less water than washing by hand

"Buying locally" saves energy too! Find out here where you can purchase locally grown produce and locally made products and why you should.

Share your two cents' worth on how to save some green by living green. We want to add your energy-saving and money-saving tips to our Web site. Send your ideas to WRSE, and we'll post them as a community resource for West Roxbury residents.

Green-Grabber ALERT! Many video-game consoles don't have a "save" feature, so your children (and maybe you?) often leave them running all day and all night, allowing them to consume energy at full throttle the entire time. They won't shut down automatically like your computer. A new study shows that the United States would have an electricity savings of $1 billion dollars a year if we turned off our game-playing machines when not in use. How much of that $1 billion are you paying?

Green Ideas from You (energy-saving tip from Ann in West Roxbury): "Clothes lines! I use them almost all year and I am not sure exactly what I save in cost from not using my gas dryer but I am sure it is alot. We are a family of 4 and it works out great !" For more info: laundrylist.org.