GO GREEN!!!

The OHCE/4-H Partnership OHCE – GO GREEN 4-H – i-green Goals Create awareness Educate Change behavior Report changes

What OHCE members/groups can do… Volunteer to assist with or teach i-green programs Work with local volunteers, schools, church groups, etc. to establish recycling programs Save aluminum pull tabs for Ronald McDonald House Invite 4-H members to speak at local group meetings Conduct joint service projects

What 4-H members/groups can do… Speak at local and county OHCE meetings Organize & assist with community beautification projects Assist with community recycling programs Organize pull-tab collections for Ronald McDonald House Promote conservation with peers Help the elderly with simple conservation measures Organize school “re-use” projects

About i-green … Youth take one of the i-green surveys Water Energy Resources Recycling Educational programs County Educator Volunteers 6-8 weeks later, youth take surveys again Educator/volunteer tabulate results

Thank You!

Civic Group Presentation OHCE and 4-H members can use the following slides for short presentations to civic/community groups

GO GREEN!!! 4-H Environmental Stewardship Team and OHCE Resource Management Committee

About GO GREEN… Take the GO GREEN survey Evaluate your habits Commit to make changes Share the message with others Increase community awareness Take the GO GREEN survey again Report changes

Green Counties

Make a Difference Use Less… Water Energy Chemicals Disposables Protect … Natural Resources Landfill Space Water Supplies Our future Save Money!

Use Less Water… If we continue to use water at the current rate, 36 states should expect local, regional or statewide water shortages in the next five years US Faces Era of Water Scarcity Circle of Blue

Home Water Use

Use Less Water Indoors Be sure your home is leak-free Fix leaky toilets Repair/replace dripping faucets Turn off water while brushing teeth or shaving Take a short shower, instead of a bath Outdoors Avoid over-watering/over-fertilizing Use drought tolerant plants Water early in the morning

Use Less Energy

Clean furnace/AC filters Turn the heat down in winter Turn the AC up in summer Close drapes to keep heat out in summer and block cold in winter Turn off lights Use CFL bulbs with energy star labels Cut the power to electronics Lower the water temperature to 120°F Install a programmable thermostat Consider a home energy audit

Use Fewer Resources Reduce packaging Dump disposable products Reuse bags, containers, etc. Choose recyclable products (and recycle them) Reduce junk mail Share newspapers, magazines, etc. Look for the ENERGY STAR label

Leave a smaller “footprint” Compost Improve your soil Reduce material sent to landfills by 25% Recycle Recycling aluminum is 95% more efficient than mining and refining new aluminum Every ton of paper recycled saves 60% of the energy, 17 trees, 7000 gallons of water and 60 pounds of air pollution One ton of scrap from discarded computers contains more gold than can be produced from 17 tons of gold ore

Leave a smaller “footprint” Choose Reusable Washing dishes and dishtowels has a smaller impact than putting disposable products in a landfill Use a refillable water bottle Re-chargeable batteries save money and keep chemicals out of landfills Make reusable shopping bags Buy Recycled Plant Trees Use fewer chemicals

Leave a smaller “footprint” Be an eco-friendly traveler Take only the maps/brochures you need Participate in hotel conservation programs – hang up your towels and make your bed Invest in refillable bottles for shampoo and other toiletries Leave unopened bottles of complementary products for the next traveler Electronic check-out reduces paperwork – and uses less paper If the nearest trash can at the rest stop is full, hold onto your trash until you can dispose of it properly

Little changes… Can make a big difference