Environmental Tips for Earth Day and Every Day!
| What do I do with this? Find out how to dispose of, recycle or reuse items from A to Z. |
| Do you know how much energy you lose through leaky doors, windows and other areas of your home? Through the Home Energy Solutions program you can receive an energy audit where a professional seals air leaks, installs compact florescent bulbs, provides water conservation devices, offers financial incentives and more. |
| Setting up a gift registry for a wedding, birthday, graduation or other special event? Prioritize connection over consumption with SoKind - the "alternative" gift registry. |
| Get outdoors with your family. Learn to fish, take a walk or a day trip to a CT state forest or park or DEEP Nature Center, letterbox, camp and more. |
| Kick the water bottle habit. Buy a reusable container and fill it with tap water. Learn more about drinking water quality in CT. |
| Idling is "fuelish"! CT law prohibits vehicles from idling for more than 3 minutes. Turn off that engine to keep our air clean and healthy. Learn about anti-idling efforts in CT. |
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Select the best fish to eat and the best fruits and vegetables to eat organic for your health and the environment.
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| Have a painting project in mind? Use paints with low or no volatile organic compounds. Learn about the Product Stewardship Council program on managing leftover paint. |
| Save money and reduce energy consumption - buy Energy Star appliances. |
| Attract bluebirds to your yard. Build or install a bird house. |
| Start a green team at your workplace. |
| Want to learn more about DEEP programs, state parks, home composting and more? Watch a video on-line. |
| Turn your spoils into soil. Compost your food scraps. |
| Flush only human waste and toilet paper in the toilet. Flushing cleaning wipes can cause sewage back-up at pumping stations that pollute our water. |
| Find another home for used clothing, household goods and more. Donate them to a charity or put them up on a website such as Freecycle or Craigslist. ReUse Centers and Material Exchanges |
| Follow these tips for reducing water consumption at home. |
| Do you want to have a healthy, green lawn and avoid pesticides? Learn about organic land care techniques. |
| Pets are susceptible to unhealthy air and water and chemicals, just like humans. Learn how toxic chemicals can affect your pet. |
| Bring insect sprays, de-icers, cleaning products, compact fluorescent light bulbs, mercury thermometers, oil paints and stains and other toxic chemicals to a household hazardous waste collection. |
| Clean up your dog’s waste. It can contain harmful pathogens that can contaminate our drinking water. |
| Looking for a gift for a holiday or special event? Consider food, theatre or sports tickets or a donation to a charity rather than buying the latest fad item or something that will not be used. Become a responsible consumer. |
| The average teen uses 17 personal care products and make-up each day! Educate them to make smarter choices for their health and the environment. |
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Consider solar power for your home.
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| Don’t Trash Grass! Save time and money by leaving clippings on the lawn as a fertilizer. |
| Seal and disguise medicines and over the counter drugs and put them in the trash, not down the toilet or sink. Learn how to disposing of prescription medicines and over-the-counter products safely. |
| Make an important contribution toward the preservation of our environment for future generations. Give your time and talents as a volunteer for the DEEP or some other environmental organization. |
| Renovating or redecorating? Save natural resources and money. Buy good quality, gently used, reclaimed building products at a CT building materials reuse center. |
| Take the clean boater pledge and keep our water in CT clean. |
| Biking and walking are great ways to save energy and get some exercise. Did you know some CT buses have bike racks? Learn more about biking resources in CT. |
| Bats love insects like mosquitoes! Keep them in your yard for their excellent insect control abilities. |
| Plant native species. Non-native plants are aggressive and can't compete with native plants. Learn about invasive species. |
| Prevent water pollution and conserve water by washing your car on your lawn rather than your driveway. The better solution is to take it to a car wash. |
| Are you concerned about your kid’s exposure to pesticides on the grounds of their school or day care? Learn more about a CT law that protects them. |
| Looking for an alternative to buying water but don’t like the taste of your tap water? Install a filter. |
| Each CT resident generates an estimated 5 pounds of garbage every day. Look for ways to reduce the amount of trash you produce. |
| Beware of phantom loads! Computers, TVs, and cell phone chargers use electricity even when off. Plug them into a power strip to save energy. |
| Get outdoors and play! Learn about CT’s No Child Left Inside program. |
| Set an example and talk to your kids, neighbors and friends about habits that are good for the environment like recycling and buying locally-grown food and products. Learn how to talk to a climate change skeptic. |
| Recycle right! Visit your town’s web site or find your town's recycling contact to learn what is currently accepted. |
| Conserve water in your yard. Collect rain water in a barrel and use the water on your garden and lawn. Plant a rain garden to collect run-off from driveways and sidewalks. |
| Go native! Purchase Connecticut grown local food and support local farms and farmer's markets. |
| Hang your wash outside to dry. You’ll save lots of energy and wear and tear on your clothes and bedding. Project Laundry List |
| Take action to make your town more sustainable by urging your town manager or governing board to participate in Sustainable CT - a voluntary certification program that recognize Connecticut municipalities for making their communities more vibrant, resilient and livable. |
Content last updated April 2018