By Randy Tuchtanhagen, Solid Waste Officer

Energy savings and cleaner air are a high priority lately, and I researched some interesting information about how each of us can participate. If everyone took some action to reduce energy, the cumulative result could be huge.

Go peat free

Peat is a common ingredient in potting soil. Millions of cubic yards of peat are harvested each year from virgin land for landscapers and homeowners. By harvesting peat, we consume a one-of-a-kind ecosystem and is very damaging to insects and migratory songbird populations.

England has run out of peat for horticultural use and their industry is going &8220;peat free&8221; by the year 2010. Much like the old growth forest, peat is harvested from virgin land and shipped thousands of miles requiring hundreds of gallons of diesel fuel.

Look at the label of the product. Was it shipped from Canada or another state or produced locally or regionally? Did the potting soil you purchased use huge amounts of energy to put it on the consumer shelf?

When shopping for potting soil, look for bags of &8220;peat free&8221; product. Compost can be used for potting soil and is a natural biological process where waste organic matter is recycled and decomposed by microorganisms into a dark brown biologically-rich materials. Compost is a sustainable, renewable resource used to improve soils and conserve environmental resources.

Compost potting soil can be put into your flowerbed along with the plant when you move it outside. Compost provides beneficial microbes, increases water-holding capacity, improves porosity of garden soils and helps reduce soil compaction. Use of compost can also increase nutrient and water retention by building populations of healthy soil organisms.

Another way we can reduce energy consumption in our home and save money is to reduce electrical consumption. Do this by using power strips to switch off televisions, stereos, chargers for PDAs, digital cameras, and cordless tools when not in use. Even though you think these products are off, together their &8220;standby&8221; consumption can be equivalent to that of a 75-watt light bulb running continuously. Set your computer to &8220;hibernate&8221; automatically after a period of inactivity.

Another easy savings is to just &8220;unplug&8221; electrical items that are little used. That extra refrigerator in the basement or garage could save you $10 a month. Shutting off lights when leaving the room has been controversial. Still all sources I checked are saying if you leave the room for more than a half minute, shut the lights off. The newer style fluorescent lighting is not harmed by turning them on and off, unlike the old lighting fixtures. In fact, new studies show a fluorescent bulb actually takes less electricity for the initial &8220;startup&8221; than a conventional bulb.

Some household appliance recommendations that will save energy are cleaning the lint filter in the clothes dryer each time you use it. If you set your clothes washer to the cold rinse setting you save an entire load of heated water. Before starting your dishwasher, run a small amount of hot water in the nearest sink to bring heated water to the dishwasher instead of using electrical heating units in the washer. When the load is finished, open the door and let the dishes &8220;air-dry.&8221;

Set your refrigerator temperature at 38 to 42 degrees and your freezer between 0 and 5 degrees. Make certain the power-save switch is on if your have one and the door seals tightly. You can check the seal by sliding a dollar bill closed in the door gaskets and determine if it is difficult to pull out. If it pulls easily through the gasket with the door closed in the normal position, replace the unit or seals.

If we pay attention to little things in our home and purchases at the store we can save unnecessary energy consumption money at the same time. Purchasing products made or grown locally reduces energy for transportation and multiple little savings in the home can add up to big annual savings.

Randy Tuchtenhagen is the Freeborn County solid waste officer.