Chicago - 8pm March 29, 2008

 

DO Turn off your lights from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, March 29, to celebrate Earth Hour!

DON'T Turn off emergency or safety lights or disconnect power to elevators.

DO Use flashlights or battery-powered candles during Earth Hour to celebrate safely.

DON'T Use candles, and never leave an open flame unattended.

DO Enjoy the time with your friends and family: play flashlight games, visit neighbors under a streetlamp, look at the stars or enjoy the quiet.

DON'T Unplug refrigerators or major medical equipment.

DO Make changes in your everyday routine to make your house more environmentally friendly:

• DO Replace standard incandescent light bulbs in high-use areas with compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs to cut energy use up to 75 percent. The CFL bulbs also last up to 10 times longer.
• DON'T Throw away old light bulbs, batteries, cell phones, appliances and computer and other equipment. Most can be recycled. Visit the City Department of Streets and Sanitation Recycling web page for a list of recycling centers.
• DO Place lights on timers to operate fewer hours a day.
• DO Turn lights off when you leave the room.
• DO Turn off the desktop computer and monitor when not in use.
• DO Unplug appliances and chargers when they aren't in use so they don’t continue to draw power.
• DO Raise the air conditioning and lower the heating thermostat, and replace the air filter monthly to save up to 3 percent on the annual electric bill.
• DO Replace old ceiling fans, window air conditioning units, refrigerators and other appliances with Energy Star labeled appliances to save up to 7 percent annually on the electric bill.
• DO Replace old windows with new, insulated windows that hold heat inside in the winter and the cool air inside in the summer. If you can't afford new windows, consider clear plastic insulation covering available at major hardware stores.
• DO Walk, ride a bike, use public transportation, and carpool when you can.

DON'T Leave your car idling. Automatic transmissions do not need to be "warmed up" and an idling car releases unnecessary emissions into the atmosphere.

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