Green Challenge #6 – No Television for One Week per Month

Today is March first, meaning, it is Green Challenge Day! And we have another good one for you!

Challenge #6 – March 1, 2011 – March 1, 2012

No Television for One Week Per Month. Simple enough, right? For this challenge, I’m going to be turning off my T.V. for a week during each month, so I can 1) have quiet time spent reading, studying, and getting work done; and 2) use less electricity!

It is obvious that cutting down your electricity usage helps the planet. According to ThinkQuest, “Many things cause global warming. One thing that causes global warming is electrical pollution. Electricity causes pollution in many ways, some worse than others. In most cases, fossil fuels are burned to create electricity. Fossil fuels are made of dead plants and animals. Some examples of fossil fuels are oil and petroleum. Many pollutants (chemicals that pollute the air, water, and land) are sent into the air when fossil fuels are burned. Some of these chemicals are called greenhouse gasses.”

Not only will keeping the television off help the planet, but it will reduce your energy costs as well.

Some other things we can do to reduce our energy usage:

• Unplug appliances like microwaves and coffee makers when they are not in use. Believe it or not, they still use energy when they are not turned on but plugged in! According to smartmoney.com, “Gadgets like a cellphone charger or microwave suck energy — and generate heat — as long as they’re attached to a power source.”

• Hang up our laundry outside on a nice day (or even inside) rather than put it in the dryer

• Make sure lights are turned out when you are not in a room

• Use a fan instead of AC in the summer to keep yourself cool

The list could go on and on, but these are just a few things I’m going to be doing along with my No Television Challenge. So, who’s joining me? Leave me a comment letting me know–and also tell me some other tips we can do to cut on energy usage!