Welcome to our Monthly Newsletter!

Welcome to the fourth issue of our monthly newsletter! We are thrilled be able to share what we are doing at the Athens-Clarke County Sustainability Department with you. Join us each month as we explore all things sustainability and how you can get involved!

In this newsletter you will find: Latest projects, free resources, and upcoming events!

Tips for a Greener Lifestyle!

In this series we explore how we can be sustainable together, right here in Athens-Clarke County! 

This Month's Topic: 

Sustainability in the Kitchen

        A reused tub of butter filled with blueberries. Houseplants watered with runoff from washing rice. Air Condition set at a balmy 80 during the heat of the summer. Your grandma is doing sustainability better than you and her Orchids look amazing .... unlike the succulent you killed last week. Let’s face it, your grandparents aren’t behind the times —they’re in front of them, pleasantly smiling while waving back at you. What’s worse? It turns out your mom was right: you should close the fridge door, because every second it’s open, it uses 40% more energy!

        Are you or someone you know at risk of not being as cool as your secretly sustainable grandparents? Do you find yourself wishing you could remember that cooking advice you were told in your 20's that you ignored and rolled your eyes at?

        Well, fear not! Today we are exploring sustainability in the kitchen. We’ll equip you with some tips and tricks that even your mom might not know. You'll still not be as cool as your grandparents, but hey- we’re not miracle workers!

Tips for a Sustainable Kitchen

TRY REUSABLES INSTEAD OF PAPER TOWELS: Washable rags can get the job done and save you money. Many of them can be rolled around a cardboard tube just like paper towels for easy access!

DITCH PLASTIC BAGS: Try out washable silicone baggies for to-go snacks. Bring your own bags when grocery shopping but if you forget, no worries: you can recycle plastic bags at CHaRM!

MEAL PLAN LIKE THE ADULT YOUR COWORKERS THINK YOU ARE: Save time and money during the week and avoid food waste while enjoying your self- congratulatory lunch. Look at you go!

USE BEESWAX WRAP TO STORE FOOD: Beeswax wrap can be washed and dried and used again and again. It’s perfect for storing that fickle other half of your avocado!

DON’T FORGET THE DISHWASHER! Using a dishwasher is more energy efficient than hand washing! But remember to fill up your dishwasher all the way up (without over filling it) before running it and remove food scraps from dishes (but avoid pre-rinsing for optimum efficiency).

CLEAN YOUR FRIDGE COILS: Dust and dirt builds up over time decreasing the efficiency of your fridge. Experts recommend cleaning them every 6 months (SOURCE)

ON THE STOVETOP: Don’t let energy go to waste. Use pots that are the right size for burners. Pots that are too big will take more energy to heat up and those too small will let heat escape from the edges of the burner that aren’t covered.

TO COOK OR NOT TO COOK? Microwaves use around 80% less energy than conventional ovens. What a great excuse to have a microwave dinner! (SOURCE: ENERGY STAR)

Photo credit: Justin Ellis, UGA Sustainability

ACC and UGA employees at the EV Demo Day

Putting Energy into Greener Space

Athens-Clarke County Sustainability Department

www.accgov.com/green

706-613-3838