Get involved

We’ve said before and we’ll say it again: sustainability is a call to action for every human on this planet. Since we all stand to lose from negative environmental impacts to our planet and its abundant natural resources, we must all stand up in the fight for its health. ACCIONA addresses all aspects of sustainability, from water conservation and green infrastructure to renewable energies.

But sustainable living isn’t just about corporations changing the way we do business. It isn’t just about building better farms and freeways, hospitals and water plants. It’s about changing the way we live our lives at home. Be it something as small as turning off the lights when we leave a room to something as big as becoming a community activist for clean water technology, we all need to do our part in securing a healthy future for our planet.

That’s why ACCIONA is asking individuals, as well as businesses and governments, to join us on our journey toward sustainability. As a starting point, we’ve supplied a list of tips, tricks and tactics that will reduce our collective carbon footprint. Let’s make it a goal to implement one, a few or all of these in our daily lives. Let’s just make it a goal to do something today. After all, the quality of our lives and the lives of our children and our children’s children depend on it.

How can I…
Tip of the Day

Run my business more sustainably?

Buy ink-jet printers. An ink-jet printer has an operating energy 90 percent less than a laser printer, which uses considerable energy to produce the heat and pressure needed to affix toner to the page.
Go paperless. Print documents only when absolutely necessary. Add a line at the bottom of your e-mail signature asking users to consider the environment before printing. It serves a constant reminder to others not to waste paper.
Keep a plant on your desk. House plants can abate rising levels of indoor air pollution at the office. Research from NASA shows that many plants are useful in absorbing harmful gases and cleaning the air in modern buildings.
Shut down your computer. Contrary to office legend, turning off your computer when you go home at night does no harm. The good it does, according to a study from Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, is substantial—one workstation (computer and monitor) left on all night for a year is responsible for one ton of carbon dioxide emissions. Switching that same computer off at night and setting it to sleep when idle during the day can reduce energy use by 80 percent.
Use laptop computers. A desktop computer may use nearly 110 watts to do its work. Laptops, with their flat liquid crystal display (LCD) screens, are much more efficient, consuming 15 to 45 watts when fully on. Choose the laptop for everyday computing chores, and save space on your desktop, too.
Turn off the scanner. Scanners have become common appliances, but in many offices, they are used only occasionally. Switch yours off when it’s not in use. Scanners in networks can be switched off outside working hours.

Make my home more efficient?

Adjust the thermostat. Every degree you lower the thermostat in winter and raise it in summer can reduce your heating and cooling bills by 1 percent or more. Install an automatic programmable thermostat that allows you to set specific temperatures for different times of day. For example, in winter you don’t need it as warm when you’re sleeping, and in summer, you don’t need to cool the house while you’re at work.
Air-dry your clothes. If it’s feasible where you live, a clothesline is a good alternative to your energy-hungry dryer. Our dryers are often used as much as 28 hours a month, consuming up to 140 kilowatt hours. That is roughly the equivalent of leaving two 100-watt light bulbs burning for a solid month.
Avoid bottled water. Opt for filtered water from the tap in a Nalgene bottle. You’ll be saving thousands of bottles from the landfills and putting a lot of money in your pocket. Americans purchased 28 billion single-serving water bottles in 2007 and recycled only 20 percent of them.
Avoid cardboard. The cardboard tubes at the center of toilet paper and paper towel rolls may have some uses in home craft projects, but for the most part, they wind up in the trash. Look for paper products without cardboard cores.
Avoid using disposable products. Paper plates, plastic utensils, napkins, paper towels, paper cups—these items might save a few minutes on clean up, but they add huge amounts to our landfills. If you must use paper/plastic products, make sure you recycle!
Buy in bulk. This is an easy way to cut down on packaging. Buy dog food in 50-pound bags and store in a garbage can or storage bin. Bonus: Buy Fido chew toys and bones without any packaging at all!
Consider water- and energy-efficient appliances. The USEPA reports that EPA-certified Energy Star washing machines may use 35 percent less water per load. Water-saving shower heads, toilets and faucet aerators can also help cut your water usage.
Eliminate junk mail. Save paper by having your name removed from junk mail lists. You can have this done for free at DMAChoice.org.
Eliminate paper trails. Every electronic transaction you make—direct deposit, automatic bill paying, online banking, e-marketing purchases and online portfolio management—is a paper saver.
Finish your meds! The old recommendation that leftover and expired medicines be flushed down the toilet has been superseded. The EPA says many drugs are unchanged by wastewater treatment, so they may harm fish and encourage development of drug-resistant germs. Finishing all of a medicine eliminates the issue, and it’s almost always recommended by the prescribing doctor. You can also check whether your local hazardous waste program will accept expired medicines.
Fix leaks ASAP! Regularly check your toilet, faucets and pipes for leaks. Fixing what appears to be a small leak could save you up to 140 gallons of water a week.
Fix thermal leaks. Look for places around the house where pipes and ducts penetrate walls or attic floors. These are chronic spots for thermal leaks, and they are often easy to fix. Just pack the gaps tightly with flexible insulation.
Give your dishes a bath, not a shower. Running hot water in a sink for five minutes uses the same amount of energy as burning a 60-watt light bulb for 14 hours. So soak your dishes instead of letting the water run as you clean them.
Install door sweeps. They’ll close off that energy-leaking gap between the door and the floor. Even using a draft blocker or a rolled-up towel can help.
Insulate doors and windows. Applying caulk or weather stripping to gaps around doors and windows can reduce energy loss, save costs on heating and cooling, and make your house a more comfortable place to live.
Let in the fresh air. Sweet spring days are made for open windows, so save your air conditioners for the really hot days when you need them most. On average, cooling accounts for 7 percent of household’s energy use (even more in hotter climates). Fans are an energy-thrifty alternative, using a fifth or less of the wattage needed for a window A/C unit. Juice up your fan’s performance by placing a pan of water in front of it.
Make older water heaters more energy-efficient. If your tank is hot (warm) to the touch, it needs more insulation. A jacket or blanket that wraps around the appliance can be purchased from most home centers for under $20. The wrap will pay for itself in a year and save you 4 to 9 percent in water-heating costs.
Recycle appliances. Cell phones, computers, TVs, MP3 players—a newer version arrives every minute. If you have to replace your devices, remember to properly recycle the old ones. Most computer manufacturers or cell phone providers have a recycling program. Bes sure to recycle ink cartridges too!
Run your washing machines and dishwashers only when full. If your machine has a water-saver cycle, be sure you use it. You could save up to 1,000 gallons of water a month!
Switch to a water-efficient showerhead. They’re inexpensive, easy to install and can save you up to 750 gallons a month.
Switch to reusable bags. Make meals on-the-go more eco-friendly by switching to reusable bags, re-sealable containers or even a cartoon lunch box.
Turn off the water while you brush your teeth. This is an easy habit to get into and one that could save 4 gallons of water a minute. For a family of four, that means a savings of up to 200 gallons a week.
Unplug appliances and electronics. About 75 percent of energy consumed by home appliances occurs while they’re turned off but still plugged in. Unplug everything in your house that doesn’t need to be connected full-time or plug cords in to surge protectors, which can be flipped on as needed.
Use energy-efficient light bulbs. About a quarter of the energy needed for our homes goes toward keeping on the lights. According to Energy Star, if every U.S. household replaced one traditional light bulb with an energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamp (CFL), we would save $600 million in utility bills and enough energy to light 3 million homes each year.

Sustainably garden my way to curb appeal?

Avoid harmful chemicals. If possible, stay away from commercial herbicides to get rid of weeds awakened by warmer spring weather. Instead, try squirting them with lemon juice or vinegar, or scald them with boiling water. Tougher weeds may require additional applications, but you’ll be saving your lawn and garden from harmful chemicals.
Avoid paving with asphalt. Using porous pavement (gravel is a good example) for driveways and walkways means rain can soak into the soil instead of running off and contributing to erosion.
Be prudent about watering. Water your lawn only when necessary. An easy way to tell if your lawn needs water is to simply walk across the grass. If you leave footprints, it is time to water.
Make the most of your watering. Quench your lawn’s thirst in the early morning. As much as 30 percent of water can be lost to evaporation by watering during midday.
Plant appropriately for your local climate. Check with local nurseries for non-invasive, drought-tolerant plants.
Replace your outdoor lights. Switch to self-charging solar lights. They are ideal for garden path luminaries, security, floodlights and patio lighting.
Up the lawn mower ante. Set your lawn mower one notch higher to make your lawn more drought-tolerant.
Use the gardener’s gold. According to the EPA, yard trimmings and food residuals constitute 24 percent of our solid waste stream. So instead of sending it to the landfill, turn it into delicious, nutritious lawn compost. Not only is it great for growing plants, it will save you money on chemical fertilizers.

Dress sustainably?

Become a fixer-upper. Keep older clothes and shoes out of the trash by sharpening up your sewing skills or taking a trip to a local shoe repair shop. It’s a simple solution that gives your old favorites a new life.
Donate, donate, donate. Instead of tossing the crop of old clothes yielded by spring cleaning, donate them. Contributions to thrift shops and other donation centers cut solid waste and may be tax deductible.
Go for “green” fibers. Many designers are now making eco-friendly fashion using hemp and organic blends.
Go organic. While organically produced cotton clothes command a premium price, their benefits are substantial. Conventionally grown cotton is drenched in pesticides and other chemicals; an average acre of California cotton receives 13 pounds of pesticides and herbicides, plus hundreds of pounds of synthetic fertilizer. Growing organic cotton, on the other hand, eliminates this kind of agricultural runoff.
Host an exchange party. Kids grow out of clothes and toys faster these days. A new trend in hand-me-downs is holding exchange parties with friends and family. Not only will you find great bargains while keeping your kids in the latest fashions, but you’ll be saving these items from years in the landfills.

Travel more sustainably?

Avoid gas guzzlers. If you are not ready to choose a hybrid car, there are several attractive alternatives: VW Rabbit, Honda Fit, Dodge Caliber, Toyota Yaris, Nissan Versa and Mazda5 are stylish little numbers that get 35 to 40 miles per gallon. Compare that to a big SUV, which gets about 15 miles to the gallon.
Check your gas cap. Around 17 percent of the cars on the road have gas caps that need attention, and the evaporation from the tanks of those autos accounts for 147 million gallons of wasted gas a year and a lot of air pollution. If the gas cap on your car is damaged, loose or missing, visit the auto parts store and fix it.
Cruise on control. Traveling at a constant speed can produce a fuel savings of 5 to 10 percent, so when you drive on an un-crowded highway, set your cruise control. This mid-1940’s invention is a boon to poor knees and an energy-conscious choice.
Fly greener. If your schedule permits, avoid flying at night. Aircraft condensation trails contribute to global warming, but in the daytime, these ‘contrails’ exert a cooling effect by reflecting the suns’ rays back into space, as do other high, thin clouds.
Pack what you need. When traveling, bring your own toiletries with you in reusable containers. Avoiding the miniature assortment provided by your hotel could save hundreds of half-used containers of soaps and shampoos from filling local landfills.
Put air in your tires. Making sure your car’s tires are properly inflated can improve your gas mileage by up to 3 percent. If you drive 15,000 miles in a year and get 25 miles per gallon, a 3 percent improvement will save about 17.5 gallons of gas, which at $3 a gallon is about $53.
Recycle old tires. Americans generate 290 million scrap tires a year. Ask tire retailers, auto mechanics or your local recycling center if they accept tires for retreading or recycling. Some towns and cities hold amnesty days when you can bring a limited number of tires to a drop-off site free of charge. Recycled tires turn into paving materials, fuel and rubber mulch used under playground equipment.
Reuse sheets and towels. Many hotels ask guests if they want fresh sheets and towels each morning. If you can, make do with a change every other day. You’ll save water and energy while also reducing the wastewater treatment stream. In one linen reuse program, about 70 percent of guests participated, enabling a 100-room hotel to reduce its monthly water usage by 48,000 gallons and its detergent usage by 320 gallons.
Slow Down! Driving at 65 miles per hour instead of 75 miles per hour can improve fuel economy by up to 15 percent.

Teach my children sustainable behavior?

Garden together. Not only is it a fun activity you can do as a family, but you can teach your children about the earth and the importance of nature. Make compost using your kitchen scraps.
Get them in the habit. It’s never too late, or too early, to teach your children more eco-conscious habits. The more you make simple tasks a part of their daily routine—like shutting off the water while brushing their teeth—the more energy they can save in their lifetime.
Lead by example. Lecturing your children on waste will be a waste if you don’t practice what you preach.
Let them help with the recycling. Teaching kids the difference between trash and recyclables will not only educate them and create a positive habit for their future, but it can also be fun.
Play eco-friendly dress-up. Recycling isn’t just for paper and plastic; let your kids dress up as their favorite character or super-hero by fashioning a cape or even a full costume using old clothes from the back of your closet and a little creativity.
Practice the three R’s. Use arts and crafts to explore reducing, reusing and recycling. Find fun ways to be creative using items you might normally throw out, like popsicle sticks, magazines and paper towel rolls.

Celebrate the seasons sustainably?

Fall: As the days start getting cooler, forego air-conditioning in favor of open windows and fresh air. Also, when it comes to Halloween, skip the one-shot costume that’s doomed to the trash bin in favor of a rental from a theatrical or costume shop. Better yet, recycle the clothes in the back of your closet. Cut an old sweater into a superhero cape, layer various pieces for a vagabond look or vamp it up with an assortment of scarves and sportswear.
Spring: Start the season of renewal by planting a carbon dioxide-consuming tree. Also, be sure to celebrate Earth Day on April 22. A great way to make the celebration your own is to volunteer with one of the many organizations working to safeguard the environment. Or you might use it to set a resolution, such as refraining from driving on Sundays or “greening” a particular habit.
Summer: Save money and energy by turning off your air-conditioning while you’re at work and on days with a nice breeze. Also, ground-level ozone is at its worst in the heat of summer, aggravating asthma and other respiratory problems. If environmental authorities in your area declare an Ozone Alert Day, do your share to help. If possible, avoid refueling your car or do so at night; use an electric starter or charcoal chimney instead of lighter fluid; postpone using oil-based paints, solvents or varnishes; substitute water-based paints; avoid the use of any gasoline-burning equipment.
Winter: Every degree you lower the thermostat in winter can reduce your heating and cooling bills by 1 percent or more. A good time to lower it is while you’re sleeping. Also, when thinking about your holiday packaging, consider going reusable instead of using excess wrapping paper. Reusable totes make a perfect gift-bag and encourage green shopping year round.

Learn more about living sustainably?

A Fresh Squeeze Chicago’s place for information on green living. Visit www.afreshsqueeze.com
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy This website run by the U.S. Depart of Energy aims to strengthen America's energy security, environmental quality and economic vitality in public-private partnerships that enhance energy efficiency and productivity; bring clean, reliable and affordable energy technologies to the marketplace; and make a difference in the everyday lives of Americans by enhance their energy choices and their quality of life. Visit www.eere.energy.gov
Environment Canada Environment Canada's mandate is to preserve and enhance the quality of the natural environment. Visit www.ec.gc.ca
People and Planet This is a unique virtual gateway to environment, sustainability and conservation, across Canada and beyond. Visit www.planetfriendly.net
Recycling Some items are harder to recycle others, but luckily there are websites that can walk you through the process. Learn more about recycling your cell phones www.recyclewirelessphones.com, batteries www.call2recycle.org, electronics www.mygreenelectronics.org and tires www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/tires/live.htm
Sustainable Living Guide This guide to sustainable living focuses on homes, environmental news, green driving, eco-fashion and organic gardening. Visit www.canada.com/topics/lifestyle/sustainableliving/index.html
The Energy Action Coalition This grassroots network helps kids get involved in clean energy. The group has a small staff with a larger council and steering committee that help young people organize rallies and publicity campaigns. Visit www.energyactioncoalition.org
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) This governmental organization lead’s leads the nation’s environmental science, research, education and assessment efforts. The mission of the EPA is to protect human health and the environment. Visit www.epa.gov

Eliminate junk mail at your business. The EcoLogical Mail Coalition will eliminate the junk that former employees receive at work.
Allow grass clippings to stay on the lawn, instead of bagging them. The cut grass will decompose and return to the soil naturally.
Don’t fertilize before a rain storm. Your fertilizer - along with your money - washes away down the storm drains.
Avoid buying bottled water.
Be creative about reducing waste. Give pet hamsters or gerbils paper towel and toilet paper cardboard tubes with which to play. Use an egg carton to plant seedlings.
Buy a programmable thermostat.
Buy compact fluorescent light bulbs.
Buy in season food products.
Buy locally made products and locally produced services.
Buy or switch to energy efficient lighting fixtures and bulbs.
Buy products that use recyclable materials whenever possible.
Buy rechargeable batteries or take your standard batteries to a recycling center.
Buy water-efficient fixtures and products.
Consider a car sharing service like Zipcar or iGo.
Consider buying a fuel-efficient car or a hybrid.
Consider organic cleaning products like vinegar, borax, and baking soda.
Consider reading your newspaper and magazine subscriptions online.
Don’t run the water while brushing your teeth.
Encourage your hometown/state to spend road construction money on the cleanest equipment for air quality.
Find local farmers’ markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food near you.
Find your local watershed and learn how to protect it.
Fix that leak! Leaky faucets can waste thousands of gallons of water each year.
Get creative and try to reuse everything at least once, especially plastics.
Go to your local library instead of buying new books.
If you don’t bring your own bags to the grocery store, choose paper over plastic when given the choice.
If you have a baby, consider using cloth diapers. You can find a diaper service, like National Association of Diaper Services, to do the dirty work.
If you use plastic grocery bags, recycle them for doggie waste bags or for small trashcan liners.
Keep appliances well maintained in order to see maximum efficiency.
Landscape with native plants. Chances are that they’re grown locally, meaning less transportation is necessary to get them to you.
Leaving your car at home twice a week can cut greenhouse gas emissions over 1,500 pounds per year.
Limit the length of your showers. Or even better, turn off the water while soaping up and shampooing.
Lower your thermostat two degrees during winter months.
Only do laundry when you have a full load. The average washing machine uses 40.9 gallons of water per load.
Purchase a reusable water bottle.
Recycle your newspapers.
Remind your bus driver to turn off the engine when the bus is parked to eliminate harmful pollution.
Run your dishwasher only when it's full.
Start a compost in your back yard or on your rooftop.
Switch to electronic banking and credit card statement and payment options.
Take showers instead of baths. A full bath tub requires about 40 gallons of water, while taking a five-minute shower uses 10 to 25 gallons.
Take your old computers or other electronics to a local recycling center to help keep lead, cadmium, and other substances out of the landfill.
Teach kids to pay attention to preservation & consumption and how the two impact the environment.
Turn off energy strips and surge protectors when not in use, especially overnight.
Turn off lights and electronics when you leave the room.
Turn your car off if you’re going to be idle for more than one minute.
Unplug your cell phone charger from the wall when not using it.
Urge your condo or neighborhood association to provide a recycling program.
Use low-flow faucets, showerheads, and toilets.
Use public transportation, carpool, walk, or bike whenever possible to avoid using your car.
When doing laundry, set the rinse cycle to cold.
When properly composted, wastes can become natural soil additives for lawns and gardens, and used as potting soil for house plants.
When renovating your home, build with designs and materials that conserve energy and materials, and save money in the long run.
When you travel, stay at hotels that use less water or energy. Unplug your VCR or other electronics that use electricity even when "off."
Whenever possible, distribute company information and post company material online.
Whenever you can, use eco-friendly cleaning products.
You can reduce polluted storm water runoff -- simply pick up your pet’s waste; don't leave it to wash away after a rain.
Your junk might be someone else’s treasure- instead of throwing away goods you no longer want, donate them.