Governor Blagojevich signs proclaimation for “5 Ton Carbo-Diox Diet Week” in Illinois
SPRINGFIELD – Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today proclaimed March 19 through 24, 2007 as “5 Ton Carbo-Diox Diet Week” in Illinois, based on a program designed by the Rock Valley College Students in Free Enterprise group to address the important and pressing issue of global climate change.
“I commend the students of Rock Valley College for their environmental leadership. Their efforts are perfect examples of how we can take minor steps in our daily lives and still have a major impact in Illinois and around the globe,” said Gov. Blagojevich. “When we do things like turning up the thermostat degrees up a couple of degrees in the summer or walk to the store instead of driving, we make a world of difference in helping solve climate change. I encourage all citizens to join in this program by following this one-week plan to reduce global warming gases.”
The “Carbo-Diox Diet” is a one-week program that outlines how Illinois citizens can reduce their output of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, in both their homes and businesses. The “Diet” consists of the following specific strategies to reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases:
Monday
Lose weight with your Lights
Replace high-use regular incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (cfl)
CFLs use 60% less energy than a regular bulb. This simple switch will save about 300 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. If every family in the U.S. made the switch, we’d reduce carbon dioxide by more than 90 billion pounds!
HOT TIP: BIG LOTS SELLS ENERGY SAVING LIGHT BULBS FOR $0.99!
Tuesday
Lose weight with your Heat
Move your thermostat down 2° in winter and up 2° in summer
Almost half of the energy we use in our homes goes to heating and cooling. You could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple adjustment.
Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner
Cleaning a dirty air filter can save 350 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
Wrap your water heater in an insulation blanket
You’ll save 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple action. You can save another 550 pounds per year by setting the thermostat no higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
Wednesday
Lose weight with your Electronics
Unplug electronics from the wall when you’re not using them
Even when turned off, things like hairdryers, cell phone chargers and televisions use energy. In fact, the energy used to keep display clocks lit and memory chips working accounts for 5 percent of total domestic energy consumption and spews 18 million tons of carbon into the atmosphere every year!
Turn off electronic devices you’re not using
Simply turning off your television, DVD player, stereo, and computer when you’re not using them will save you thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
Thursday
Lose weight with your Car
Get your car tuned up
Regular maintenance helps improve fuel efficiency and reduces emissions. When just 1% of car owners properly maintain their cars, nearly a billion pounds of carbon dioxide are kept out of the atmosphere.
Check your tires weekly to make sure they’re properly inflated
Proper inflation can improve gas mileage by more than 3%. Since every gallon of gasoline saved keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, every increase in fuel efficiency makes a difference
Friday
Lose weight with your Travel Habits
Start a carpool with your coworkers or classmates
Sharing a ride with someone just 2 days a week will reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by 1,590 pounds a year.
Reduce the number of miles you drive by walking, biking, carpooling or taking mass transit wherever possible
Avoiding just 10 miles of driving every week would eliminate about 500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year!
Saturday
Lose weight with your Family
Start your family recycling at home
You can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide a year by recycling half of the waste your household generates.
Plant a tree
A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime. Shade provided by trees can also reduce your air conditioning bill by 10 to 15%.
