Today is the the 43rd anniversary of Earth Day.

Five Things You Can Do this Earth Day (and Every Day)

1) Go Green When You Clean:

Cleaning products containing chlorine or petroleum distillates expose your family to toxins, which end up in the water system. Consider using nontoxic, naturally derived cleaning products that won’t cause long-term damage to the Earth.

2) Plant a Tree Every Earth Day!

Trees generate oxygen, help with air pollution control, recycle water, and help with soil erosion. They can also provide shade that helps keep homes and our cities cooler!

3) Lighten Your Energy Bill:

Here’s a brighter & cheaper way to light your home: Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs).  Per Wikipedia: “CFLs use one-fifth to one-third the electric power, and last eight to fifteen times longer. A CFL has a higher purchase price than an incandescent lamp but can save over five times its purchase price in electricity costs over the lamp’s lifetime.  A household that invested $90 in changing 30 fixtures to CFLs would save $440 to $1,500 over the five-year life of the bulbs, depending on your cost of electricity.”

4) Reduce, Reuse and Recycle: 

Of course, this is a no-brainer and something many of us have heard since grade school.  Donate clothing and computers to charities,and pack lunches in reusable containers instead of bags. Use reusable bags at the grocery store.

5) Stop the Drip.

Check for dripping faucets in your home.  It doesn’t seem like a dripping faucet could waste that much water, right?  Although, a single drip doesn’t waste much water.  Consider a faucet in your home dripping a little bit all day, all week, and all month.

Another huge water waster is a running toilet:

Do­ It ­Yourself Toilet Assessment

First, check for the most common leak: a deteriorated or defective flush valve(flapper) ball at the bottom of the toilet tank.

Water will leak into the toilet bowl if it does not make a tight seal.  To check for this:

• Take the lid off the tank behind the bowl, flush the toilet, and wait for it to refill fully.

•  Put a few drops of dye or a colored dye tablet (available at some hardware stores) in the tank.

• Wait at least 20 minutes; longer if you suspect it is a small leak.

• If there is any color in the toilet bowl, there is a leak.

The second most common type of leak has to do with an improperly adjusted or broken
fill (ballcock) valve. To check for this, take the lid off the toilet tank, then flush the toilet, and see if water drains into the overflow tubes when the tank is full.