Use this page to find actions that your household has completed or plans to complete. Browse the categories on the left to find actions for the Power Saver, Green Leader, or Renewable Star Challenge.
Once you have signed in, you can click Add to My Challenge to add an action to your To Do List, Already Completed to mark an action as complete, or Not Applicable if the action does not apply to you.
Once signed in, you can rate each of the actions you have completed.
The highest rated action appear under the Most Popular Actions category.
ACTIONS
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Green leaves denote the number of Green Points earned by completing the action and its relative environmental benefit.
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Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action.
A key denotes a renter-friendly action.Dollar signs denote the relative cost of implementing the action. Free < $100 $100-$500 $501-$2000 > $2000 Use starter fluid alternativesUsing a metal cylinder charcoal chimney starter or an electric charcoal lighter is better for air quality than using starter fluid. Starter fluid is a mixture of highly flammable, volatile chemicals including butane, propane, and diethyl ether. When combustion occurs, the fumes are released into the atmosphere and breathed in by people around the grill. Health effects can include loss of vision, severe throat and esophagus pain, vomiting, dizziness, and breathing difficulties.
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Green leaves denote the number of Green Points earned by completing the action and its relative environmental benefit.
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Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action.
A key denotes a renter-friendly action.Dollar signs denote the relative cost of implementing the action. Free < $100 $100-$500 $501-$2000 > $2000 Reduce light waste and pollution emitted by outdoor lightingThe best way to reduce outdoor light waste and pollution is to turn off lights when not in use, reduce your number of outdoor lights, or install motion sensors. For the lighting that you need, you can reduce glare by positioning adjustable lights downward, reduce spillover by installing fully shielded lights, and reduce sky glow by installing fixtures that have the light bulb tucked into the luminary housing.
Ineffective lighting creates nuisances and safety hazards for the community, drivers, and aviators. In addition, wildlife can experience disorientation from excess illumination and are attracted to or repulsed by glare, which affects foraging, reproduction, communication, and other critical behaviors. To learn more, check out this article on light pollution or watch this light pollution video.
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Green leaves denote the number of Green Points earned by completing the action and its relative environmental benefit.
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Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action. Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action.Dollar signs denote the relative cost of implementing the action. Free < $100 $100-$500 $501-$2000 > $2000 De-chlorinate your swimming pool before discharging the waterChlorinated water can cause serious harm to surrounding waterways by killing aquatic life. Pool water can be de-chlorinated by uncovering your pool, halting the addition of chlorine for about 10 days, and testing for chlorine before discharging. You can also chemically de-chlorinate your pool. When pool water is discharged, it should enter the sanitary sewer system, not the stormwater system. Learn more about proper de-chlorination and discharge techniques.
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Green leaves denote the number of Green Points earned by completing the action and its relative environmental benefit.
1
Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action.
A key denotes a renter-friendly action.Dollar signs denote the relative cost of implementing the action. Free < $100 $100-$500 $501-$2000 > $2000 Use a carwash instead of washing your car at homeWashing your car at home rather than taking it to a car wash can actually be much more harmful to the environment. Washing a car at home tends to use 80 to 140 gallons of water, as compared to a commercial car wash which uses about 45 gallons. Many car washes even have water recycling systems which significantly reduce their water usage. If you do wash your car at home, minimize harmful effects by using phosphate-free soap and washing your car on the grass rather than the driveway. Phosphate is a nutrient that can run directly into drainage inlets connecting to the Chesapeake Bay, resulting in algal blooms and low dissolved oxygen. Washing your car in the grass helps to minimize run-off of gasoline, oil, and exhaust fumes from your car.
To learn more, check out this article on eco-friendly car washing.
Oct 09 Mehron Kugler
I only need to use 1 bucket of water to wash my car. I use a biodegradable soap. I think promoting a carwash is good but I can do better in terms of water use and green soaps.
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Green leaves denote the number of Green Points earned by completing the action and its relative environmental benefit.
5
Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action.
A key denotes a renter-friendly action.Dollar signs denote the relative cost of implementing the action. Free < $100 $100-$500 $501-$2000 > $2000 Pick up litter in your neighborhoodNot only is litter unpleasant to the eye, it also degrades water quality and endangers wildlife. Recycle the materials you pick up when possible, and ask your family, friends, and neighbors not to litter.
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You must be registered and logged in to leave comments