Seas the Day!

Saving Energy Helps Save our Seas

"Never mistake motion for action"

- Ernest Hemmingway

Following a few easy steps can help save energy, save money and save the ocean.

Generating electricity by burning coal and other fossil fuels results in vast amounts of pollution, contributing to acid rain, poor water quality and global climate change, which is rapidly altering and destroying ocean ecosystems.

Even small changes can make a big difference, both for your budget and our ocean.

Three for me...

Unplugged! Do more than turn off electronics and appliances when they are not in use - Unplug them!
- All those gadget chargers - like for your cell phone - suck energy, which is why they are often called "vampires." So only plug them in when you are actively charging a device.
- Unplug or power down idle computer peripherals like monitors, scanners or printers when they're not in use. Consider energy-saving "smart power switches" which can cut off juice to everything plugged into them - like your computer peripherals - when your machine is shut down.
- And even better, challenge yourself to do more activities that do not require electricity. Enjoy the outdoors, learn to knit, read more, play an old-fashioned board game, and more.
Be a Star! Upgrade your appliances, electronics, and other products to those with an Energy Star label. With the help of Energy Star, in 2006, Americans saved enough energy to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 25 million cars - all while saving $14 billion on their utility bills.

Cook with Less! This Thanksgiving give thanks to our blue planet by remembering these energy saving cooking tips:
- There's little need to preheat your oven, even when the recipe suggests it, unless you're baking breads or pastries.
- Don't open the oven door to take a peek at what's cooking inside! Instead, turn on the oven light and check the cooking status through the oven window. Opening the oven door lowers the temperature inside - by as much as 25 degrees - which increases cooking time and wastes energy.
- As long as your oven is on, cook several items at the same time. Just make sure you leave enough room for the heat to circulate around each casserole and pie plate.
- Don't overlook the other cooking appliances at Thanksgiving. For smaller portions, the same meal can consume less than 1/5th the amount of electricity if cooked in a microwave rather than a conventional oven. Bake your yams, steam your favorite fresh vegetables, or heat up leftover turkey and gravy for a midnight snack in the microwave.

...and three for the seas

Green for the Blue. Most utility companies offer the option of buying "green", electricity produced from renewable energy sources like wind, solar panels, and hydropower. Contact your local utility, or look at the guidance from the EPA, to find out what clean, safe, and affordable choices you have in your community.

Take Action with Apollo. The Apollo Alliance is dedicated to advancing a broad strategic agenda for energy independence. Apollo's ten-point plan for energy independence calls for diversifying our energy sources, making America less dependent on imported oil, and making energy less polluting.

Become Informed! Learn about renewable energy options and become an active participant in energy policy debates. Tell friends and family about what you've learned.

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