Set sprinklers to water the lawn or garden only - not the street or sidewalk.
Use the microwave to cook small meals. (It uses less power than an oven.)
Purchase "Green Power" for your home's electricity. (Contact your power supplier to see where and if it is available.)
Scrape, rather than rinse, dishes before loading into the dishwasher; wash only full loads.
Cut back on air conditioning and heating use if you can.
Turn off appliances and lights when you leave the room.
HOUSTON -- Mayor Bill White is warning residents to start recycling – or else.
Houston has recycling bins and pick up across the city, but many residents aren't taking advantage of the programs.
Because of the lack of participation, some neighborhoods possibly risk losing curbside recycling pickup.
“We're putting our stuff out. It's not fair to lump us with other neighborhoods,” said Garden Oaks resident – and recycling program participant – Peggy McClard.
In a letter to residents, the city said that 43 neighborhoods have less than 10 percent of the households putting their recycling curbside. If those numbers don't pick up, the recycling trucks are going to stop coming through.
“It doesn't justify for us to go down the street, using the diesel (fuel),” said Marina Joseph of the city's waste management department.
If neighborhoods lose curbside recycling service, residents who want to stay green, will have to drive to an area recycling center. You'll also find at those centers people already recycling who would love to have curbside pickup.
Actually, the city said there are 23,000 to 25,000 homes on a waiting list.
