We pass the savings on to you!

It’s the second week of March, and that means most of us here in good ’ol North America have just switched over to Daylight Saving Time. According to Wikipedia, this practice of rolling our clocks ahead one hour near the start of spring was first conceived by the English outdoorsman William Willett. Because Willett thought it was unfortunate that so many people slept through the morning of a summer day, and he also hated to quit golfing at dusk, he petitioned tirelessly to get Daylight Saving Time enacted. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_savings_time) The practice did not come into use in Willett’s lifetime, but it was eventually adopted by much of the world, proving that one person’s ideas can make a difference. If Willett can save the hours of a summer day, then we can save the Earth by saving other things. Let’s start saving, savers!

1. Save water! Here in the United States, we have enough water for drinking and washing, and still have enough left over for some pretty awesome water parks. But that is not the case in much of the world, where up to one half of the human population suffers from diseases directly linked to a lack of clean water. (http://whyfiles.org/131fresh_water/2.html) Every drop of water that you save is a drop of water that can be put to use somewhere else, so that’s why we at Tee Hugger encourage you to “Save Water—Shower with a friend.” It’s more than just a catchy slogan, it’s also a 100% organic cotton tee! (http://www.teehugger.com/product_p/thas1004.htm)

2. Save power! If we’re saving water, we can also save power. Heck, a lot of us buy them from the same utility provider. When California’s overloaded electrical grid forced rolling blackouts a few years ago, a collaboration of the state’s utilities, residents, businesses, institutions, government agencies and nonprofit organizations formed an initiative called “Flex Your Power.” “The campaign includes a comprehensive website, an electronic newsletter and blog, and educational materials. Flex Your Power has received national and international recognition, including an ENERGY STAR Award for excellence.” Whether you live in California or not, the “Flex Your Power” website is an excellent resource to find out how you can save power in your own home. (http://www.fypower.org/)

3. Save gasoline! Everyone has heard about the big fuel savings that you can get from buying a hybrid car, but who has the money to drop on a new ride just to increase their gas mileage? The good news is, there are things you can do to up the efficiency of your old jalopy as well. Even better, a lot of them come from just changing your driving habits, which is absolutely free! There is a list of 32 ways that you can save some gas listed here: http://www.opentravelinfo.com/travel-guide/uncategorized/how-to-save-money-on-gas-29-tips.html

4. Save landfill space! Did you know that Americans throw away over 200 million tons of garbage every single day? Sure you can recycle your cans and bottles, but what about your golf balls? Or dishwasher parts? Or pickle vinegar? To keep those things out of the landfill you’ll want to enlist the help of the folks at “How Can I Recycle This?” This web community is dedicated to finding ways to recycle... well... anything! Join in the fun at: http://www.recyclethis.co.uk/

We’ve got more hours of summer daylight thanks to Willett’s ideas, but we’ll have more water, energy, gas, and space thanks to yours. Chew on that, Willett!