Living Green

Living Green

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Living Green means making choices and taking action to lead healthier and more sustainable lives, 365 days a year.

"Nobody can do everything, but everybody can do something."

Living GREEN in Lake City, MN

Save Energy in Lake City - Southern MN Municipal Power

Lake City Garbage and Recycling

[PDF] Lake City Utilities ENERGY STAR Product Rebate Application

[PDF] Yard Compost & Brush Chipping Site Schedule

Lake City Farmers Market

Lake City's Citizens for Energy Awareness (CEA) Group

Bright IDEA #1
Replace standard light bulbs: Energy efficient lighting uses about 75% less energy than standard light bulbs. Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFLs) last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs and can save $30 in electricity costs over the life of the bulb. Start by replacing bulbs in rooms that have the most usage each day.

Your Local link: To help make CFL bulbs more affordable, Lake City utility customers can get a compact fluorescent lamp rebate of 50% of the bulb cost or $2, whichever is greater. Stop by City Hall to pick up a rebate form or access form at the city's web site: www.ci.lake-city.mn.us Link can be found under Lake City Utilities.

Bright IDEA #2
Conduct an energy audit: an energy audit of your home or business takes a close look at your energy use and identifies changes you can make to become more energy efficient. While audits can have an up front cost, the changes you make will quickly recover those expenses and ultimately save you money.

Your local link: Xcel Energy offers home audits for only $35.00 Call 800-895-4999. To conduct your own audit, go to the U.S. Department of Energy, www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_home/energy _audits

Bright IDEA #3
Use Energy Star appliances & save!: Did you know Energy Star dehumidifiers use 10-20% less energy than similarly-sized standard models, while removing the same amount of moisture? You can save roughly $17 a year or $190 or more over the life of the unit-enough to pay for the new dehumidifier.

Your local link: Lake City utility customers receive a $65 rebate by trading in your old, working dehumidifier for a new Energy Star-qualified model, available at Wise Ace Hardware and 7th Street Building Center, Lake City. Rebate form with instructions is available at www.saveenergyinlakecity.com

Bright IDEA #4
Plant trees and save!: Did you know strategically placed shade trees can reduce an air conditioning bill by up to 25%, and a windbreak can reduce annual fuel bills by up to 20%? Shade west and east windows to most effectively reduce air conditioning use. Select a tree that can be planted within 20 feet of the window and will grow at least 10 feet taller than the window.

Your local link: Shade trees that grow well in Lake City include oak, maple, linden, elm, hackberry, coffee tree, walnut, honey locust, and river birch. For more information go to www.dnr.state.mn.us/treecare/energy. Save fuel-shop locally for your trees!

Bright IDEA #5
Plan ahead, save gas, and reduce emissions: Keep a list, bundle errands, and plan your route. Did you know it is most efficient to start at your furthest destination and work your way back home? Remember to use cruise control for longer trips and drive 55 mph. Each 5 mph you drive over 60 can reduce your efficiency-equivalent to adding about $0.21 per gallon. Proper maintenance pays off, too. Keep your tires properly inflated, remember regular oil changes, remove heavy items from the trunk and take off exterior racks that create drag. Want to make an even bigger difference? Leave the car at home and enjoy scenic Lake City as you walk or bike to your destination. Try eliminating one driving trip a week as a way to get started.

Your local link: Our local gas stations have air hoses to keep your tires fully inflated. You can buy a tire gage at local auto supply, auto repair and hardware stores.

Bright IDEA #6
Enjoy local foods: When you choose local foods you are reaping many benefits! Food is fresher (and healthier), transportation costs are lower, and yo are helping our local farmers/producers by keeping the food dollar in the community. Preservation of the family farm is at the center of our heritage. Take time to seek out alternatives to foods produced thousands of miles away. Here are a few suggestions:
• Visit your local farmers market
• Shop at your local grocery and health food stores; ask for local products
• Join a community supported agriculture program
• Grow a garden
• Eat seasonally-grown fruits and vegetables; can, dry, and freeze the excess.

Your local link: Market by the Lake features local foods every Saturday morning, 9am-1pm, on the corner of Center and Washington Street.

Bright IDEA #7
Reduce energy use: Did you know your appliances and home electronics (washers, dryers, computers, water heaters, etc.) are responsible for about 20% of your energy bills? And in the average home, 75% of the electricity used to power appliances is consumed while the products are turned off. How can you reduce your electrical use?
• Purchase Energy Star® products.
• Unplug appliances or use a power strip to cut all power to appliances.
• Use a Kill-A-Watt Meter to determine how much electricity your products consume, and take steps to reduce.

Your local link: Kill-A-Watt Meters are now available for check out basis at City Hall (for Lake City Utility customers) and will soon be available at Lake City Library (for all residents). Take advantage of this FREE service.

Bright IDEA #8
Use a rain barrel: Use a rain barrel to collect and store water from your rooftop using your rain gutters. You can capture 623 gallons of water from a one-inch rainfall on a 1,000 square foot roof.

Conserve water by using your rain barrel to water your plants and fill your bird bath instead of city or well water. By doing so, you reduce your water costs and storm water runoff.

For information on how to build a rain barrel, see You Tube, HGTV video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGFDlkJOdaM

Your local link: Stop by Gerken's Town & Country in Lake City. They can order a rain barrel that is right for you!

Bright IDEA #9
Compost it: It is estimated that about 50% of our total waste could be composted. When we reduce the amount of waste going into landfills, we save costs on trash collection and improve the health of our gardens. Composting improves soil fertility, plant health and vitality, and water storage and purification. What can be composted? Fruit and vegetable peelings and scraps, egg shells, tea bags, grass cuttings, coffee grounds and filters, and autumn leaves.

Your local link: If you want to learn more about how to compost, go to our local library to find print and online resources. If you don't want to make your own compost, yard waste can be dropped off at the Lake City Yard Compost and Brush Chipping Site at the old Lake City Landfill off Goodhue Cty 5, adjacent to the Old Territorial Road.

Bright IDEA #10
Deck the halls with LED lights: They use up to 95% less electricity and could more than pay for themselves in a single season. Save up to $21 per month by using LED holidays lights. LED holiday lights can last up to 50,000 hours or mroe outdoors, and twice as long indoorsl LED holiday lights are cool to the touch and are more durable, so they are safer than incandescent lights. Use a timer on your LED holiday lights to further reduce energy cost.

Your local link: LED holiday lights are available at Wise Ace Hardware Store and Gerken's Town & Country. Lake City Utilities and People's Cooperative provides rebates on LED holiday lights.

Bright IDEA #11
Use Reusable Bags!: "Plastic or Paper?" is a trick question because the answer is... reusable! By purchasing a reusable bag, you help reduce the energy needed to produce, ship, and dispose of one-use bags. You also reduce impacts related to paper production, eliminate the cost of recycling, and keep fly-away plastic bags from causing harm to wildlife.

For a few dollars, you can purchase a sturdy, reusable bag. Use it for your local errands and out-of-town shopping trips. To further reduce the impact of holiday gift giving, reuse last year's gift bags, wrap presents in calendar pages or fabric, or create your own decorated cloth bags for a lasting gift-giving tradition.

Your local link: CEA and ELP are distributing Lake City's own organic cotton, reusable shipping bags. Look for them in stores and at events, or contact Joanne 651-345-5204 or Jennifer 651-345-4829 for more information. Fiesta Foods and Hope's Harvest also sell and encourage use of reusable bags.

Bright IDEA #12
Drive Green!: Reduce the time your engine runs. Idling your engine generates more pollution than actually driving. Today's cars no longer need to be "warmed up" in cold weather as they are designed to operate effectively soon after start-up.

Plan your trips. Take care of several errands in a row and park where you can visit multiple places without having to drive a short distance.

Slow down. Increase your speed gradually and avoid "jack-rabbit" starts.

Maintain your car. Cars with poorly maintained engines are usually the worst polluters on the road. Check the pressure on your tires monthly. Low tire pressure wastes about two million gallons of gasoline er day. Also make sure to have your wheels aligned annually.

Your local link: Check out local auto dealers and repair shops for resources and maintenance assistance.

Bright IDEA #13
Save heating & cooling costs! Stay comfortable, save energy, and reduce your energy costs with a programmable thermostat.

According to ENERGY STAR, homeowners can save about $180 per year by using a programmable thermostat.

You set the times and temperatures that work best for you. To get the most savings this heating season set the temperatures at least 8 degrees lower when no one is home and when you are sleeping. A small investment up front will easily pay for itself in energy savings.

Your local link: Find an assortment of programmable thermostats locally at Wise Ace Hardware.

Bright IDEA #14
Enjoy local foods: When you choose local foods you are reaping many benefits! Food is fresher (and healthier), transporation costs are lower, and you are helping our local farmers/producers by keeping the food dollar in the community. Preservation of the family farm is at the center of our heritage. Take time to seek out alternatives to foods produced thousands of miles away.

• Visit your local farmers' market.
• Shop at your local grocery and helath food stores, ask for local products.
• Join a community supported agriculture program.
• Grow a garden.
• Eat seasonally-grown fruits and vegetables, can, dry, and freeze the excess.

Your local link: The Lake City Farmers Market features local foods every Saturday morning, 8:00A-Noon. at the end of South Washington Street, near McCahill Play Park.

Bright IDEA #15
Breathe Easy: Reduce air pollution.
Don't idle. Except at a traffic signal or in slow traffic, turn off engine if you are going to be stopped for more than 10 seconds. Idling your engine for more than ten seconds uses more gas than turning off your engine and starting it again.
Reduce small engine use. Mow your grass less often, try an electric mower, or reduce total lawn area by installing native palnts, rain gardens, or vegetable gardens.
Use less electricity. We burn coal or natural gas to make most of our electricity.
Reconsider the campfire. Keep recreational fires small and use only clean, dry wood. Stop burning wood during air pollution health alerts and never burn garbage.
Fuel up carefully. Don't top off the fuel tank beyond where the automatic nozzle clicks off. It forces vapors out of the tank and potentially leads to spills.

Bright IDEA Tips that help our planet and your pocketbook!
Brought to you by: Citizens for Energy Awareness

Citizens for Energy Awareness Press Releases: [PDF] CEA | [PDF] Market by the Lake (Lake City Farmers Market)

Expos, Workshops, Seminars and Conferences

Public Television and Radio

Resources

Low Impact Living

US Environmental Protection Agency

Recycling and Salvage Stores

Minnesota Materials Exchange

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Green Building

Recycling Association of Minnesota

Minnesota Energy Challenge