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Environmental Tips
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Chemical Alert! By reducing the amount of
chemicals we put on our lawns, we can help reduce water
pollution. Instead use compost and grass clippings spread thinly
over grass as a natural source of nutrients.
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Native is Natural! Plants can easily escape
from gardens and spread, very quickly becoming invasive. Species
to watch out for are Purple Loosestrife, Norway Maple,
Periwinkle and Goutweed. Instead choose native plants for your
garden; they are already adapted to our climate!
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If a lawn is mowed or a structure is built
into the edges of town owned natural areas, this can severely
disrupt natural diversity.
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Water is Precious! Watering lawns too much
wastes water and promotes the growth of shallow roots which
reduce your lawn's ability to withstand droughts.
Water Conservation
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Repair all leaky faucets, especially hot
water faucets, as quickly as possible. You'll save water and
energy too. A dripping faucet can use up to 170 gallons in a 24
hour period of time.
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Be sure your dishwasher is full but not
overloaded when you turn it on. An average dishwasher uses 14-16
gallons of hot water per load.
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Washing dishes in running water before
placing them in the automatic washer is an expensive luxury, and
can add dollars to your monthly water bill. Scrape them -- but
do not let the water run.
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Install a flow restrictor in your shower. It's easy to install and saves water by restricting the flow to
4 gallons per minute -- which is adequate for showering. Remember, using more hot water than you really need wastes both
water and electricity -- or gas.
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Don't let the water run while you shave. Turn on the spigot only as needed. This will save from four to
five gallons per day.
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Check your toilets. Does the tank overfill
and waster water through the overflow pipe? Check the seating
valve on the bottom of the flush tank: is it seating completely
to avoid wasting?
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A good test for spills in the toilet system
is to put a little bluing into the flush tank; if it shows up in
the bowl (without flushing), water is being wasted. It is our
estimate that about 90 percent of all high water bills are
caused by malfunctioning commode tanks.
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