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Refer 5 Frederick County households to the Green Homes Challenge

Help spread the word by referring 5 of your friends, family members, co-workers, or neighbors to the Green Homes Challenge.

Click here to invite them to sign up for the Green Homes Challenge.

Install low-flow showerheads

You can reduce the amount of energy used for water heating by needing less water when you shower. Federal regulations mandate that new showerhead flow rates cannot exceed 2.5 gallons per minute at 80 pounds per square inch. A low-flow showerhead can achieve water savings of 25-60%. Learn more about low-flow showerheads from EnergySavers.gov. Check out this video to learn how to install a low-flow showerhead.

Potomac Edison customers with electric hot water can receive a low-flow showerhead with a no-cost Energy Conservation Kit.

Choosing a low-flow showerhead does not mean that you have to sacrifice the great feeling of a therapeutic shower. There is a wide variety of showerheads available to suit your specific needs. Look for products at your local hardware store with the WaterSense label to ensure maximum water savings.

Install low-flow faucet aerators

Aerators cut water use by 30% or more and save money on water and energy bills. By installing faucet aerators, the average household can save over 500 gallons of water per year. Learn more about low-flow aerators from EnergySavers.gov. 

Low-volume faucet aerators are very inexpensive and can be installed without replacing the entire faucet. Look for products at your local hardware store with the WaterSense label to ensure maximum water savings. A newer kitchen faucet usually comes with a low-flow faucet aerator that restricts flow to 2.2 gpm, but should you need to replace it, or install one on a bathroom faucet, be sure to select one with a flow rate of no more than 1.0 gpm.

Potomac Edison customers with electric hot water can receive a low-flow aerator with a no-cost Energy Conservation Kit.

Use reusable bottles while on-the-go

Disposable plastic water bottles are one of the most common forms of litter, and the plastic bottle industry consumes a huge amount of energy and resources.

Instead of using disposable bottles, take a travel coffee mug to cafes and a reusable bottle to the gym, to work, on walks, and on drives. There are several options for water bottle materials, including glass, aluminum, and plastic. If you choose plastic, make sure that it is BPA-free. BPA (bisphenol a) is a potentially harmful organic compound that can leach from certain plastics. Many containers provide information on their product’s BPA content.

To learn more about the impacts of drinking bottled water, watch “The Story of Bottled Water” or this Ecobold video.

Use tap water instead of purchasing bottled water

Many people believe that bottled water is safer than tap water. In reality, tap water is more tightly regulated than bottled water. When you take into account the additional trash problems that disposable plastic bottles create and the resources required to produce them, tap water is the obvious environmentally-friendly choice. You can even buy a water filter that fits on your tap or a filtering pitcher if you want to improve the taste of your tap water. Check out this useful comparison on water filter types.

Shop with reusable bags

Each year, the United States consumes about 100 billion plastic bags made from approximately 12,000,000 barrels of oil. Most of these bags end up in landfills or in the environment, causing pollution and endangering wildlife. Reusable bags can cut back on this waste. To help yourself remember to take them to the store, try leaving a few in your car or by your front door. If you have plastic bags to get rid of, stuff them in one or more bags and tie them up. Then drop them in your recycling bin or the plastic bag recycling bins provided by many local grocery stores. For more information, check out the trailer for “Bag It,” a movie about the harmful effects of plastic on the environment.