Environmental Conservation
Tips and resources for reducing your footprint on the environment.
Eliminating A Few Of Life's Annoyances
STOP THE JUNK MAIL - Visit this website to get your name deleted from most mailing lists. This is the Direct Marketing Association Mail Prefernce Service and member companies must purge their mailing lists of people who register with this service. There is a $1 cost.
41 POUNDS - A second website for reducing junk mail. It is estimated that the average adult receives 41 pounds of junk mail a year. This organization contacts companies on your behalf for five years and estimates they reduce 85 - 90% of your junk mail. There is a $41 fee of which a third goes to a charity of your choice.
CATALOG CHOICE - This is a free service that allows you to decide what gets in your mailbox. Use it to reduce your mailbox clutter, while helping save natural resources. Their mission is to reduce the number of repeat and unsolicited catalog mailings, and to promote the adoption of sustainable industry best practices.
STOP THE ANNOYING PHONE CALLS - Put your name on the National Do Not Call Registry to stop most telemarketing calls. You can't stop calls from charities, politicians or companies you've done business with in the past 18 months. Call (888) 382-122 or visit their website. Your number stays in the registry for five years.
GET A HUMAN - Tired of the telephone maze and companies that hide their phone numbers. This site decodes how to quickly get to a human being at hundreds of companies.
THE CT CLEAN ENERGY OPTION - CTCleanEnergyOptions is a Department of Public Utilities Control (DPUC) approved program that allows any CL&P customer the opportunity to support clean energy made from approved renewable resources such as wind, small hydro and landfill gas. Customers who enroll continue to receive electric delivery service from their utility and pay a small clean energy surcharge. You have probably seen this offer with your electric bill. Take a close look as this is one place your choice makes a difference. You'll have the option of receiving 50% or 100% clean power from either Sterling Planet or Community Energy. Visit CL&P's clean energy website for more information and to sign up.
The Connecticut Clean Energy Communities Program is a partnership involving the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund, SmartPower, Community Energy, Sterling Planet, the Department of Public Utility Control, and the Office of Consumer Counsel. The program provides Connecticut communities an opportunity to support clean energy alongside its local residents, businesses, and institutions. By joining this program towns make a commitment to using 20% clean energy by 2010 and can earn free clean energy systems ($10,000 minimum value) each time they achieve certain goals. One important way of achieving goals is for residents to sign up for the CT Clean Energy Option as described above.
There are five towns in our region currently participating in the program. They are Glastonbury, Manchester, Vernon, Enfield and South Windsor. If your town is not participating encourage your elected representatives to get involved.
National/International
THE GLOBAL ACTION PLAN FOR THE EARTH helps you set up 6 month support groups to learn how to be more environmentally responsible. Known as Household EcoTeams this is a program for turning your good intentions into action and save you money at the same time. Contact GAP at 84 Yerry Hill Road, Woodstock, NY 12498 or call (914) 679-4830.
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