Simple Things New Yorkers Can Do
Smokestacks and tailpipes are the two main sources of global warming pollution. New Yorkers' share comes mostly from the energy we use to run our office and city buildings, stores, homes and apartments (about 79 percent). The rest largely comes from cars, trucks and other vehicles.
By using energy more efficiently, you can save on utility bills and will need to fill up less frequently at the gas pump. But making smart choices also means fewer polluting power plants in our communities and less traffic pollution on our sidewalks and streets.
On the move
Transportation is the fastest-growing source of global warming pollution, and emissions from traffic harm the health of millions of New Yorkers. Living and working near busy roadways can significantly increase the risks of asthma attacks, heart disease, poor childhood lung development and other diseases.
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Keep living in the Big Apple, and walk, bike or take mass transit! Living in a densely packed, walkable city with excellent mass transit is a good way to go easy on the environment.
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Use car services with hybrid cars. If you use a car service, choose ones that have hybrid cars in their fleet and ask your current car service to switch to hybrid cars.
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If you must drive, do it efficiently. Combine errands into one trip. For better fuel economy, accelerate and decelerate gradually, and turn off your engine if stopping for more than 11 seconds. Also, check your car's tires’ air pressure regularly and keep the engine well-maintained.
At home and at the office
About half of the greenhouse gas pollution from buildings in New York City comes from the electricity used inside (appliances, lights, electronics, cooling and sometimes for electric heating). In the average apartment, the main energy hogs are appliances such as air conditioning, dishwashers and lighting. In offices, they are air conditioning, electronics and lighting.
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Run your appliances efficiently.
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Washing: Run the dishwasher and washing machines with a full load. Avoid heated drying for the dishwasher. Wash clothes in cold or warm water, not hot. Run your appliances in the evening or at night when electricity is cheaper. High demand during peak hours in the city can trigger the use of dirty sources of backup energy.
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The fridge: Check whether you can turn down the temperature in your refrigerator and freezer (the ideal temperature setting for refrigerators is 38º F (3º C) and for your freezer -4º F (-20º C).
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Turn off and unplug whenever you can. Even when chargers or hair dryers are turned off, they still make up 5-10 percent of your electricity bill. So unplug your chargers and other energy drainers when not in use. With the help of a power strip, it’s easy to turn off a bunch at once. Turn off computers and monitors you won’t be using for at least 20 minutes and avoid using screen savers. Lights, TVs, stereos and air conditioners should be turned off when leaving a room and especially when leaving home. At the office, motion sensors can detect when you've left the room and automatically turn out lights.
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When it’s time to buy a new appliance, be sure to choose an energy-efficient one. Choose appliances, home electronics and office equipment that have earned the ENERGY STAR® label. Energy Star appliances include refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, clothes washers, air conditioners and dehumidifiers). For example, a new refrigerator can save you about $90 in electricity costs a year.
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Change your light bulbs to energy-saving bulbs and light fixtures. Compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) use a fraction of the electricity and last up to 13 times longer. Also choose light fixtures that have earned the ENERGY STAR® label. If all New York households replaced three-quarters of their standard light bulbs with CFLs, the energy savings would be enough to run all the subways and light all the stations. Remember to dispose of burned-out bulbs properly because they contain small amounts of mercury. (For more information, see our CFL guide.)
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Get the most out of your heating and cooling systems. Did you know that as much as half of the energy used in your home goes to heating and cooling? New York apartments are notorious for having too much or too little heat in winter. If yours is too hot (or too cold in summer), take these steps or talk to your building manager about doing them:
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Install a programmable thermostat, which automatically switches to pre-set nighttime, daytime and vacation temperatures. In your own home, these can save you about $150 every year. (More information.)
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If your apartment is heated and cooled by a heating, ventilating and air conditioning unit (HVAC), clean or change the filter at least every three months. A dirty filter slows down air flow and makes the system work harder — wasting energy. New HVAC units are more energy efficient than older models. Look for ENERGY STAR. (More information.)
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If your apartment is heated by steam/hot water radiators, install steam control valves on each radiator to control the heat. The costs are minimal (about $50 per radiator) and can substantially reduce the building’s heating bill. You can also ask your landlord, co-op or condo managing agent to install these valves.
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Insulate your home. Caulk or replace your windows, insulate spaces around pipes, ducts and air conditioning units and weather-strip your doors. Check for places where air may be leaking out of your home, causing drafts. Plugging air leaks can increase your energy efficiency as much as 30 percent. A home energy audit can show you how to reduce energy use.
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Choose clean, renewable energy via your ConEd electric bill, such as wind, solar or hydropower. You can opt for green power through New York State power suppliers (more on green power). You can also petition your building managers to install rooftop solar panels.
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Set your printer and copy machine to print double-sided by default. Whenever possible, save and send materials electronically to reduce your printing needs.
At the market
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Buy reusable and recycled over disposable goods. Instead of using paper towels, use dishtowels, sponges or specialty cloths (such as micro cloth). Avoid using disposable utensils, paper plates and cups. Bring your own backpack or canvas bags to the grocery store. Look for goods containing recycled materials such as paper towels, paper napkins, facial tissues and bathroom tissue.
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Eat less meat, and choose your food thoughtfully. Raising meat contributes more global warming emissions than raising crops. Cutting back on meat even once a week can make a difference (get details on meat and global warming). With our farmers markets, it's easy to eat locally produced food, which is often better for the planet (more on food miles).