To celebrate Earth Month, OUC is encouraging its employees, customers and the Central Florida community to go green by adding simple conservation habits into their daily routines to help make the community and the world better for future generations by living more sustainably at work and at home. In addition to practicing the simple tips listed below, OUC is also inviting its customers to take the “Green Your Routine” pledge, found here. Almost 450 people have already taken the pledge! There’s even a green calendar (below) provided by OUC.
If you’d like to see conservation at work, OUC will be on-site at Central Florida Earth Day on April 25th at Lake Eola Park from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Attendees will be able to take the “Green Your Routine” pledge, tour OUC’s Tiny Green Home for a hands-on demonstration of sustainable practices they can incorporate into their own homes, and pick up a tree from OUC’s tree giveaway.
To “Green Your Routine” every day, and turn conservation into daily habits, here are some easy tips to follow:
Water Conservation
- Keep your shower time to 5 minutes or less.
- Set your irrigation timer according to water district rules. Find yours at OUC.com/water.
- Change high volume irrigation heads to low volume. Claim a rebate at OUC.com/rebates.
Electric Conservation
- Set your A/C to 78 degrees during summer and 68 during winter.
- Wash only full loads in the dishwasher and clothes washer. Hot water can add about 90% to the cost of each load.
- Set your water heater to no more than 125 degrees. Any higher is simply a waste of energy.
Recycling
- Avoid sending unnecessary waste to landfills. Recycle accordingly.
- Use a composter to turn kitchen and yard waste into usable, nutrient rich garden soil.
- Avoid using single-use plastics whenever possible.
Livability
- Consider plating Florida-Friendly landscaping, which needs only minimal water to thrive.
- Use a rain barrel to collect rainwater for no-cost garden irrigation.
- Plant a garden – big or small – and grow your own vegetables, fruits and herbs.
