In Our Back Yard
Courtesy of the state Department of Environmental Protection
Now that the tree has been mulched, the wrapping paper recycled and the organic free-range holiday goose carcass composted, it’s time to not only look forward to a new year of living lightly on the planet, but also take stock of the year that has just passed.
Why not start this New Year out by testing your knowledge of eco-tidbits from In Our Back Yard past?
1. You have an old TV or computer monitor gathering dust in your garage. Should you:
a. Put it out by the end of your driveway and hope it “disappears.”
b. Take it to your town’s transfer station or universal waste disposal site.
c. Take it to Goodwill store or an office supply store.
d. Throw it down the ravine out back
Answer: Either b or c. TVs and computer monitors are full of toxic nasties like lead and cadmium. Maine has a tough electronic waste law that makes it illegal to throw out old TVs and computer monitors with the household trash.
2. The wind whistles over your toes when you sit on your living room couch in the evening. Should you: a. Put on another pair of socks.
b. Stuff a draft snake along the crack at the bottom of the door.
c. Move to Florida.
d. Get a home energy audit from a certified professional.
Answer: While all of the above options may be effective, to find the most cost-effective way to draft-proof your house (and save money) is through a home energy audit. Find a listing of certified Maine auditors at http://www.mainehomeperformance.org/.
3. Before you head out to exercise or play, you want to know if the air quality is safe and healthy. Should you:
a. Dial-a-Psychic.
b. Stick your head out the window and sniff.
c. Go for a run and hope for the best.
d. Sign up for EnviroFlash and get air quality forecasts delivered right to your email or cell phone.
Answer: d. EnviroFlash is an automated, zip code based, electronic alert system that warns people when air quality is likely to be poor in their area. Go to www.MaineDEP.com and click on the EnviroFlash logo to sign up.
4. Your refrigerator is the color of moldy guacamole and has been around since the Nixon era, but it’s still running strong. To find out how much electricity it uses, should you:
a. Call the power company.
b. Stay up all night with a stop watch and time how long it runs.
c. See if you can find the original owner’s manual in the back of your filing cabinet.
d. Go to the library and check out a Kill A Watt meter.
Answer: d. Last spring, Efficiency Maine equipped Maine’s public libraries with Kill A Watt meters. To find out how much electricity your refrigerator – or any other appliance – uses just plug it in to the offending appliance and multiply the read-out by the number of hours a day your appliance runs. It might be time to trade in the big green monster for something more energy-efficient.
How’d you do? If you got three or more answers right, you’re right on track. If not, remember to read future In Our Back Yard columns.
This column was submitted by Andrea Lani, an environmental specialist with the Maine DEP Bureau of Air Quality. In Our Back Yard is a weekly column of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. E-mail your environmental questions to infodep@maine.gov or send them to In Our Back Yard, Maine DEP, 17 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333.
