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          Listen to Your Mother

          • "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."
          • "Waste not, want not."
          • "Use it up, wear it out, do without."
          • "You're not finished until you put everything away."
          • "A place for everything, and everything in its place."
          • "Don't forget to turn out the lights."
          • "A penny saved is a penny earned."
          • "Watch the pennies, and the dollars will watch themselves."

          Some helpful advice for National Pollution Prevention Week

          From Mother Nature.


          Lower your energy bills:

          • Turn down your water heater to 130 degrees Fahrenheit. For every 10 degrees you reduce the temperature, you can save 6 percent in energy used.
          • Save up to 10 percent a year on your heating and cooling bills by adjusting your thermostat up or down 10 percent to 15 percent for 8 hours daily.
          • Plant a tree. Carefully placed trees provide shade, potentially saving up top 25 percent of the energy used for ehating and cooling.
          • Caulking and weatherstripping can save you at least 10 percent on your heating and cooling bill by reducing air leaks.
          • Replacing 25 percent of your lights in high-use areas with compact fluorescents can save you up to 50 percent on lighting.
          • Purchasing an energy efficient washer and dryer will save you $30 to $70 annuall, compared to 15-year-old models.
          • Use a "solar clothes dryer" (clothesline), which uses no electricity or fuel.

          Reduce your water bill:

          • Install a faucet aerator. This can reduce usage by as much as 280 gallons per month for a family of four.
          • Washers use 32 to 59 gallons for each cycle. Make sure you have a full load before doing laundry or adjust the water level on your washer to match the load size.
          • Repairing a leaky faucet can save you as much as 2,400 gallons of water a year.
          • Xeriscape. Landscape using native drought-resistant plants.
          • Water infrequently, but thoroughly. According to water conservation programs, lawns should be watered every 5 days or so.
          • Water early in the morning or in the evening, minimizing water loss due to evaporation.

          Detailed information obtained from the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission. For more information on Pollution Prevention Week, visit Texas Natural Resource Conservation Web site or call 1-800-CLEANUP. Fore more information on ways to reduce your energy and water costs, visit the U.S. Department of Energy Web site.
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