EPA’s 15 hot tips for a cool summer at home and in the great outdoors
Save money, water,
energy while protecting
health, encouraging
environmental learning
2.
WASHINGTON -The U.S. Environ-
mental Protection Agency (EPA) recently
released a list of 15 tips for the summer
season, which kicked off June 20.
Whether relaxing at home or off
exploring the great outdoors, there are
many ways people can save money, cut
energy costs and continue to protect the
health of their families while still enjoying
the summer.
3.
Tips for a safe and enjoyable
summer
1.
Energy Star savings for your home:
The average home spends almost 20
percent of its utility bill on cooling.
These cooling bills can be lowered
simply by changing out incandescent
light bulbs with EPA’s Energy Star-
qualified lighting, which use less
energy and produce approximately
75 percent less heat. Raising your
thermostat by only 2 degrees and
using your ceiling fan can lower
4.
5.
cooling costs by up to 14 percent.
energystar.gov/index.fm?c=products.
es_at_home
Increase your gas mileage: Obey the
speed limit, go easy on the brakes,
avoid hard accelerations, reduce your
time idling and unload unnecessary
items in your trunk to reduce weight.
If you’re not using your removable
roof rack, take it off to improve your
fuel economy, fueleconomy.gov
Prevent skin cancer and be Sun-
Wise: Skin cancer is the most com
mon form of cancer in the U.S.
and is the most common cancer
among 20- to 30-year-olds. Remem
ber to practice safe sun habits.
epa.gov/sunwise/actionsteps.html
Heading to the beach? Check the
water: Americans take almost 2 bil
lion trips to the beach every year.
Beaches are a place to play, watch
wildlife, fish and swim. Learn more
on how to plan a safe trip to the beach
and check out state-specific beach
advisory and closing notifications.
water.epa.gov/type/oceb/beaches/
whereyoulive_state.cfm
Take EPA’s apps with you on your
smart phone: The AirNow app gives
location-specific current air quality
information to use to protect your
health when planning daily activi
ties. The Ultraviolet (UV) Index app
provides daily and hourly forecasts
of U V radiation levels from the sun so
you can better prevent overexposure
to the sun. m.epa.gov/apps/index.html
6.
Enjoy the outdoors and capture the
State of the Environment: Almost 40
years ago, EPA’s Documerica project
captured thousands of images across
the nation as EPA’s work was just
beginning. Now it’s your chance
to mark the progress and submit
environmental photos to EPA’s State
of the Environment photo project.
blog.epa.gov/epplocations/about/
7.
Protect yourself with insect repellents:
Mosquitoes and ticks can carry dis
eases but you can protect yourself by
choosing the right repellent and using
it correctly. Read the product label
before using, apply just enough to
cover exposed skin and clothing, and
look for the protection time that meets
your needs. Children can use the same
repellents as adults unless a restric
tion message appears on the label.
epa.gov/pesticides/insect/safe.htm
8.
Water wisely: A large percentage
of the water we use at home is used
outdoors. As much as 30 percent of
that outdoor water use can be wasted
because of evaporation caused by
watering in the middle of the day.
Water in the morning when winds
are calm and temperatures are cool.
Look for the new WaterSense-labeled
weather-based irrigation controller
that uses local weather data to deter
mine whether your sprinkler system
should turn on. epa.gov/watersense
9. Clean greener: If you’re going to
wash the car, deck, boat or RV, be
sure to look for the Design for the
Environment (DfE) label to quickly
identify and choose cleaning products
that are safer for families and also
help protect the environment. Look
for the DfE label on grill cleaners as
well, epa.gov/dfe
Over a hundred years ago 'Black Elk
had a vision of the time 'when
Indian Eeople would heal from the
devastating effects of European
migration. In his vision the Sacred
Moop which had Been broken, would
be mended in seven generations.
Photo used with permission
of Sacred ground Outreach
___________________________
The children bom into this decade
wid be the seventh generation.
10. Improve your indoor air: About 90
percent of people’s time is spent
indoors. While inside this summer,
make sure to free your house of mold,
test your home for radon, check your
carbon monoxide detector and ask
There are many ways to fight to protect our children ~ one of
those ways is by being a foster parent.
The Siletz Tribal Indian Child ^Welfare Department is accepting
and recruiting foster homes on behalf of our Tribal children,
for more information, cad Christy Murt, foster care certifier,
at 800-922-1399, ext. 1338, or 541-444-8338.
18
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Siletz News
•
July 2012
More local information from MyEnviron-
ment: epa.gov/myenvironment/
More hot tips for a cool summer: epa.gov/
epahome/hi-summer.htm
All year long you can Pick5 for the Envi
ronment: epa.gov/pick5/
STBC sets RV park pricing, Tribal
member discounts now available
Logan Road RV Park
Daily:
dm ChUw Gro* QU—
W* W-tTI— to IG m . We roofer Tl—*
those who smoke to go outdoors.
epa.gov/iaq
11. Check into an Energy Star hotel: On
average, America’s 47,000 hotels
spend more than $2,000 per available
room each year on energy. Look for
an Energy Star-certified hotel - they
perform in the top 25 percent of
hotels nationwide, use an average of
35 percent less energy and emit an
average of 35 percent fewer green
house gas emissions than their peers.
energystar.gov/buildinglist
12. Waste less and remember to recycle:
Each year, Americans generate mil
lions of tons of waste in homes
and communities but it’s easy to
reduce, reuse and recycle. Recycled
items such as glass can be used in
roadway asphalt (glassphalt) and
recovered plastic can be used in
carpeting and park benches. Learn
what you can do to waste less.
epa.gov/waste/wycd/summer.htm
13. Season firewood: Summer is a great
time to season firewood in prepara
tion for fall and winter. Remember
to split firewood to the proper size
for your wood stove or fireplace, but
no larger than 6 inches in diameter;
stack firewood to allow air to circulate
around it; cover the top of the stack
to protect it from the rain; and store
your firewood for at least six months
before using it. epa.gov/bumwise
14. Looking for a summer project and
tired of the heat? Try composting:
Composting can be a fun and edu
cational summer project that saves
landfill space, helps feed the soil and
prevents methane, a potent green
house gas. epa.gov/waste/conserve/
rrr/composting/basic.htm
15. Let summer inspire you and sub
mit Six Words for the Planet: Keep
the creativity flowing beyond the
school year and into the summer by
submitting a meaningful story or
idea in just six words, blog.epa.gov/
blog/2012/04/six words/
Back-in $32 + tax
Pull-thru $38 + tax
Monthly: Back-in $700 + tax
(summer rate)
Pull-thru $700 + tax
(summer rate)
Hee Hee lllahee RV Resort
Daily:
Back-in $32 + tax
Pull-thru $34 + tax
Weekly:
Back-in $170 + tax
Pull-thru $180 + tax
Monthly: Back-in $430 + tax
Pull-thru $440 + tax
Members of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians receive a 15 percent
discount on their stays, including monthly stays. Utilities, cable TV and Wi-Fi
included. Rates subject to change.