At Home

image of home How you address air pollution in your home can have a big effect on the environment and on you and your family's health. The choices you make at home affect the amount of pollution outside your home as well as inside. Here is what you should do to pollute less and all the while save some money.

Use compact florescent lights with energy-efficiency lighting and other energy-efficient appliances. To learn more about energy-efficient appliances visit the Energy Star web site.
Turn off appliances and lights when you leave the room.
Use the microwave to cook small meals. (It uses less power than an oven.)
Plant deciduous trees in locations around your home to provide shade in the summer, but to allow light in the winter.
Recycle paper, plastic, glass bottles, cardboard and aluminum cans. (This conserves energy and reduces production emissions.)
Reuse materials like paper bags and boxes when you can.
Properly dispose of household paints, solvents and pesticides. Store these materials in airtight containers. For information on handling solid waste visit the Office of Solid Waste Concerned Citizens webpage at http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/citizens.htm For questions about solid waste management call 1-800-424-9346.
Paint with a brush, not a sprayer.
Keep woodstoves and fireplaces well maintained.
Purchase "Green Power" for you home's electricity. (Contact your power supplier to see where and if it is available.)
Have leaky air conditioning and refrigeration systems repaired.
Cut back on air conditioning and heating use if you can.
Turn thermostat down in the winter and up in the summer.
Insulate your home, water heater and pipes.
Have air conditioning systems checked in the Spring and heating systems checked in the Fall.
Follow professional advise on how to check filters monthly. These tips can save money from more serious repairs down the road as well as insure cleaner air.

For additional information relating to air pollution at home, please see these documents:

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