Many students using our footprint calculator said that they could not pledge to reduce their home footprints because they were not making the decisions for the household. Here is your chance to design your own sustainable virtual household!
If you had your own home, what would you do to make it more energy efficient? Where would you get your electricity from? Where would your house be? Would you live near to your school or work or local transit options? Where would you get your food from?
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Some ways to make my house more energy efficient
If I were to design my own home to be more energy efficient, I would install as much water-efficient fixtures and appliances as possible. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, people can use up to 30% less water if water-efficient appliances are installed. I would also reuse as much water as possible. I would put a bucket under the shower to save the water as it heats up and reuse it for watering plants. I would also do this with my cooking water (if boiling). In addition to saving as much water as possible, I would also install solar panels. Not only would this help save energy, but also money.