{"id":2741,"date":"2011-04-24T05:46:31","date_gmt":"2011-04-23T22:46:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/?p=2741"},"modified":"2011-04-24T05:54:09","modified_gmt":"2011-04-23T22:54:09","slug":"earth-day-save-the-earth-and-money-at-the-same-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/earth-day-save-the-earth-and-money-at-the-same-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Earth Day: Save the Earth and Money at the Same Time"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Lori Cunningham<\/span><\/p>\n

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Credit: woodleywonderworks<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

There is no doubt that we are depleting our Earth’s resources. \u00a0According to the Living Planet \u00a0Report\u00a0report by WWF,\u00a0“if\u00a0our demands on the planet continue to increase at the same rate, by the mid-2030’s we would need the equivalent of two planets to maintain our lifestyles,” said WWF International Director-General James Leape. 1<\/p>\n

The report continues “the world’s global environmental “footprint” or depletion rate now exceeds the planet’s capacity to regenerate by 30 percent. The countries with the biggest impact on the planet are the US and China, together accounting for some 40% of the global footprint.”1<\/p>\n

The year 2030 is not far away. \u00a0For \u00a0an eye-opening good read, check out the WWF’s Living Planet Report <\/a>to see, amongst many things, how the number of freshwater species are decreasing in vast numbers as our fresh water resources deplete.<\/p>\n

In the meanwhile, electronics devises in the home are thriving. \u00a0In 2009, the average family owned 2.5 TV’s. \u00a0Nearly 1\/3 of all households had at least 4 devices connected (cellphones, Bluetooth products, etc.). \u00a0With the introduction and rise of the tablet in 2010 you can be sure that this number has risen.<\/p>\n

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Save the Earth<\/span><\/h2>\n

With the celebration of Earth Day this week, there are tons of resources available to help you reduce your environmental footprint:<\/p>\n

Calculate Your Footprint<\/a> (let me warn you, you’re likely to get depressing results)<\/p>\n

Tips for Going Green <\/a><\/p>\n

50 Green Tips for Earth Day and Beyond<\/p>\n

Environmental Tips from the EPA<\/p>\n

Save Money<\/span><\/h2>\n

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photo credit: Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

Utilizing the tips above, you are certain to save money. \u00a0The less water and electricity you use, the less you need to pay. \u00a0 There are many visible things we can do to reduce our consumption. \u00a0But what about the things we can’t see?<\/p>\n

Vampire power is probably a term you haven’t heard of before, but you’re most likely familiar with the definition. \u00a0Vampire power refers to the electricity used by plugged-in devices that use energy even when they are not in use. \u00a0Surprisingly, vampire power is estimated to attribute to 1% of global CO2 emissions! 2<\/p>\n

Other interesting vampire power facts:<\/p>\n