I have been thinking of ways on how I can contribute to energy reduction and greening efforts to save the world. It sure is difficult to start preaching about it when you yourself don’t practice. So I listed some ways I will be doing to help save energy and help in the greening efforts.

1. Use Blackle instead of Google

The two search engines are almost just the same. Blackle is powered by Google Custom Search. Blackle saves energy because the screen is black and the a monitor with a white (light) screen requires more power than a black (dark) one. See Blackle for more details. So I also encourage my readers to use Blackle.

2. Always have a mug/plate/utensils ready at work or here at home.

Filipinos love eating. At work, my colleagues and I always organize small salu-salos in our department table. Usually, we all chip in. People are assigned to bring food and utensils. We normally buy styro and/or plastic cups and utensils. I realized it’s such a big waste on our part. If we can only set aside our individual plates and mugs/glasses then we won’t have to spend money to buy plastic cups and utensils. We can save not only our money but the environment, too. My former boss, Dr. Bopeep, told me that in Germany this is what they practice. They bring their own mugs at work so that during coffee breaks they won’t have to go to the nearest coffee vending machine and generate more wastes.

3. Recycle shoeboxes/boxes.

I have this habit of recycling shoeboxes. I place supplies and my accessories in them rather than buying a plastic containers or a new container for them. I think I must continue doing this. Perhaps I can also use shoeboxes and/or other types of boxes at work for storing papers, documents and folder files. I can decorate them, too. That enhances self-creativity, too!

4. Recycle papers.

I ask my students to submit their reaction papers to me using recycled papers. When they need to use a short bond paper for submission, I tell them they can make use of one-sided short bond papers that have previous prints on so we can save more papers. Saving on paper means saving on trees. They save money because they no need need to buy new ones and they help save the environment.

I guess that’s it for now. I will add more if I remember what I actually practice and/or if I can add more to the list.