Solar Kids - Solar from a Smart Kid's Point of View

This series of posts is my Top Ten List of Things To Do to be green even if you don't have solar. Read the previous post. Here are 10, 9, and 8.

10. Drought? OK

Not everyone has a yard, but some people do. If you are one of those people with a yard, and you are planting in your garden, try getting drought hardy plants. By drought hardy I mean plants that are fine with not getting a lot of water; succulents are a good example. Plants that are native to California (because most folks reading this are likely from California) are also a terrific choice since a lot of California is a desert (some places are mountains or beaches however).

9. Unplug it

You aren't always using small appliances like  chargers, printers, laptops,  and DVRs. They all have things called "phantom loads". Spooky, right? They can continue to "eat" power even when they are turned off! They best way to combat these phantom loads is to simply unplug the appliance when you aren't using it.

8.  Down the Drain

Saving water is a good idea. You use it every day. Flushing, drinking, washing hands, taking baths, brushing teeth, watering plants...its important to everyone. Lots of people have faucets that spurt out water - way too much, more than what is needed! Stop water wasting by making sure that there are aerators on faucets (a faucet with an aerator is probably on your kitchen sink, one without is the hose outside). When taking showers, use a low-flow water head, and, if possible, use a water monitor. They check the amount of water or time you are taking, and at a certain point tell you to turn the shower off.

Next week's will be even more useful!