Can You Do One Thing Green Today?

Can you do one thing green today?

Ready to get your green on? Today Governor M. Jodi Rell announced the launch of a brand new website, statewide marketing effort and advertising campaign that will help Connecticut residents save money on their energy bills and make a positive contribution to the environment: OneThing.

OneThing builds on the enormous impact that could be achieved if every person in Connecticut did one thing, every day, to help conserve all forms of energy – from electricity and gasoline to natural gas and renewable resources.

“Energy is a global issue and sometimes we have trouble getting our arms around it – not just the ‘we’ of policy-makers but the ‘we’ of you and me.”

“Think about it: If everyone in Connecticut did one thing that would be 3.5 million OneThings. If everyone in the state did one thing a day, every day, that would be more than a billion OneThings over the course of a year – a billion ways to reduce greenhouse gases, save energy and save money. That’s enough to have a truly profound impact, to make a real difference. OneThing really can change everything,” the Governor said.

If every household in the nation replaced just one incandescent bulb with a CFL it would save enough energy to light 3 million homes, save $600 million in energy costs or remove the equivalent of 800,000 cars’ worth of greenhouse gas emissions, according to Energy Star estimates.

“Of course, this is just the first of the OneThings I plan to do,” Governor Rell said. “I will also be advocating this program on a regular basis, including publicly recognizing those who have firmly demonstrated a commitment to OneThing and working with state lawmakers to foster their commitment to the idea. I truly believe that all of our OneThings will add up to thousands of things that will save money for consumers and business alike, reduce energy consumption and protect our earth – and ultimately, these are the things that matter the most.”


The OneThing campaign comprises several elements, including print, radio, television and outdoor advertising as well as a spectacular event planned for fall 2008 at the Connecticut Convention Center: the OneThing Expo: Home of a Million One Things. The Governor said more details of the planned Expo will be released in the coming weeks.

Among the website's suggestions for "OneThing" that you can do are:

• onething your utility company is doing to help you conserve energy is giving you a reward for saving! If you use less electricity this summer than you did last summer, you can earn a credit on your electric bill.
• onething one CFL can save enough to buy 35 ice cream cones.
• onething take a 10 minute shower in 8 minutes, you'll save energy and get just as clean.
• onething wash clothes in cold water, and dry in the air outside.
• onething Try a solar iced-tea. Take a 1/2 gallon pitcher or jar and fill it with water and 6 tea bags. Put it in a sunny spot for several hours and let the sun do its thing. Add ice and a slice of lemon and sit back and think about how much energy you saved by not boiling water.
• onething buy locally-grown food if possible. It saves a truckload of transportation fuel.
• onething go outside and play more. It uses less energy than tv and video games. Install a pool timer to run your pool pump or heater only when you need to.
• onething keeping your tires properly inflated saves lots of gas.
• onething Turn off a light when the day is bright.
  

A couple more suggestions:

• Recycle. Anything and everything. Cans, bottles, paper products, clothes and shoes (donate or resell)...
• Ride the bus, a bike or walk whenever and wherever you can...
• Turn the air conditioner up in the summer, and the heating down in the winter....
• Unplug cell phone chargers and other items when not in use...
• Pick up trash when you come across it instead of walking by.
  
• Use the re-useable canvas bags at the grocery store instead of paper or plastic. They're surprisingly sturdy, and can carry just as much as the plastic ones, and they look good! Green goes with everything!!

One wise lady once said to me "We can make a difference if we try".

For more information, and to submit your own OneThing ideas please visit:
http://www.onethingct.com/