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.
Protecting streams from yard waste CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The warmer weather is enticing many of us to spending time outdoors. There are some things you need to know when it comes to mowing your grass.
Jennifer Krupowicz, Water Quality Educator with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Service, says when you mow your lawn, leave the grass clippings on the grass or you can put them in a clear plastic bag.
“When they are blown out onto the street they can actually cause blockages. And then when they make their way into the storm drain it eventually goes into the creek or lake. It can super-fertilize the water, something the aquatic habitat can’t handle” Krupowicz says.
You can also compost the clippings. Grass clippings will break down so you can turn them into a use for gardening.
