Set sprinklers to water the lawn or garden only - not the street or sidewalk.
Use the microwave to cook small meals. (It uses less power than an oven.)
Purchase "Green Power" for your home's electricity. (Contact your power supplier to see where and if it is available.)
Scrape, rather than rinse, dishes before loading into the dishwasher; wash only full loads.
Cut back on air conditioning and heating use if you can.
Turn off appliances and lights when you leave the room.
ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- Rangers on the Blue Ridge Parkway hope the arrest of 10 people accused of harvesting galax leaves will help deter the illegal practice.
U.S. Attorney Gretchen Shappert said more than 50,000 plants have been seized since mid-February from poachers along the parkway and nearby national forest lands.
The glossy, heart-shaped leaves are sold for use by the floral industry in flower arraignments. Shappert said each leave sells for 1 to 5 cents.
The Asheville Citizen-Times reported Thursday that harvesting galax is legal on private lands, but not on the parkway.
Authorities said the crackdown on poachers is part of an effort to preserve national forests and parks. Six of the 10 people arrested pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 30 days in jail.
