Montshire Minute: Biodiversity II

Originally aired during the week of February 24, 2002

Monday

Among the most fuel efficient cars out there are hybrids that run on electricity and gas. The electric motor shares the work with the gas-powered engine. Some of these cars get 70 miles to gallon! (How does that compare with your mileage?) The electric battery of the hybrid doesn't need to plugged in to recharge - the energy created when the brakes are applied is transferred right back to the battery. Hybrid vehicles generate a lot less carbon dioxide and burn less fossil fuel. If you aren't ready for a hybrid, here are a few simple things you can do with your current vehicle to cut down on gas consumption - keep the vehicle tuned up and the tires properly inflated. Avoiding jackrabbit starts and long idling times will also result in less CO2 output and more gasoline savings. These tips brought to you by Montshire Museum's new exhibit Biodiversity 911!

Tuesday

So you want to start a compost pile? Great! You'll be doing the environment a favor by reducing the amount of garbage you lug to the landfill. And your lawn and garden plants will also benefit from composted soil. So how exactly do you go about doing it? It's a little more complicated than spreading garbage all over the garden. If you have a small yard, you can use a plastic, preferably insulated bin (remember, you want the mixture to stay warm). You can jump-start the decomposition process by adding a bit of old compost or leaf mould. You can also buy manure if you're starting it for the first time. Dead leaves serve as a good source of carbon; add to it some "green" stuff like grass clippings. Mix thoroughly, and add water. Then you can start regularly adding table scraps. The bacteria in the compost will also need air, so turning the mixture and providing some ventilation in the container will be important.

Wednesday

Are you "in the dark" about energy savings? Remembering to switch off the lights before you leave a room only makes sense when you consider the savings on your electricity bill. But maybe you haven't considered the energy savings you could be getting if you switched from incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs. It costs more, but the fluorescent bulb will last 10 to 13 times longer and consume about a quarter of the electricity. The World Wildlife Fund says that if you replaced just four indoor and outdoor incandescent bulbs in your home with fluorescent ones, you could save up to 800 pounds of carbon dioxide per year! Hey, browse through Montshire's new visiting exhibit Biodiversity 911: Saving Life on Earth, and you'll learn about lots of other simple things you can do to help the environment!

Thursday

Hey, you don't need to move into a cave and burn candles to live a environmentally guilt-free existence. But there are lots of little things you can do in your home that add up to a lot. Yesterday we looked at the benefits of buying compact fluorescent bulbs to replace less efficient incandescent ones. If you button up your house, you'll also save money and reduce the amount of energy you consume. Start with caulking and weather-stripping around doorways and windows. Wrap your water heater in an insulation jacket (available at most hardware stores). Installing low-flow showerheads and faucets mean you could use less than half the water without decreasing performance. Keeping your furnace inspected and cleaned every year helps it burn cleaner and consume less fuel. And you can really increase your refrigerators' performance by cleaning the coils and making sure the door is sealed tightly.

Friday

This week on the program, we've been looking at a few simple things we can all do to consume less energy and help the environment. For instance, we can all keep in the mind the three "R's" - reading, writing, and... oops, wrong program. I meant to say: Reduce! Reuse! Recycle! Producing new paper, glass, and metal products from recycled materials saves 70-90% of the energy needed to make the same product from virgin materials. Making products from recycled materials also means less pollution, including greenhouse gases like CO2. If you really want to save a tree, bring that pile of newspapers to the recycling center near you. Recycling a 4-foot high stack of newspapers means one less tree will have to be cut down to make paper products. Hey, browse through Montshire's new visiting exhibit Biodiversity 911: Saving Life on Earth, and you'll learn about lots of other simple things you can do to help the environment!