Top five eco-friendly tips

In case you haven’t heard, people all over the country will recognize Earth Day on April 22 with green celebrations, and by performing special acts of environmental friendliness.

But why not make every day Earth Day?

Here are five easy tips to help make the world a greener place:

1. Vote with your fingers. “Remember that you vote every time you walk by a light switch, whether to conserve or consume,” says City of South Bend Energy Director Jonathan Burke.

2. Buy water-conserving fixtures for your shower. It’s easier than trying to change your behavior.

3. Challenge yourself to fill your car only once a week; make the gas last all week.

4. Don’t use bottled water, which harms the environment at every phase of its production. Buy a reusable water bottle and fill it from the tap.

5. Use a programmable thermostat to adjust times you turn on heating or air conditioning according to a preset schedule. You can save as much as 10 percent a year on your heating and cooling bills.

Want to learn more? Visit www.energysavers.gov/tips.