City of Columbus

At Home

Wash laundry in cold water

Save money – cold beats hot every time! Modern detergents use enzymes that kick into effect at 60°F. For even more savings, toss a couple of tennis balls in your dryer to reduce drying time, line-dry when possible and run machines outside of peak energy hours of 4-6pm. GreenSpot qualifying tip! 

Switch to LED bulbs

LED bulbs should be every homeowner’s best friend. They last 25x longer than traditional bulbs and save over $1000 over a 10 year period. GreenSpot qualifying tip! 

Compost

Composting your food, paper towels, coffee grounds, yard waste etc. will not only reduce methane-buildup in our landfills and free up our shrinking landfills, but it will also reduce energy costs associated with treating city water for food dumped in your garbage disposer or transporting it to landfills. For a collection program, please visit Compost Exchange. GreenSpot qualifying tip! 

GreenSpot Community Backyards for available rebates on native trees, plants, and rain barrels.

Let the air flow

Clean or replace air filters on your refrigerator, exhaust fans, HVAC and all other systems a few times a year. Dirty filters make your systems work harder and longer. A clean filter will also prevent dust from entering and damaging the unit, avoiding costly maintenance or repairs.

Upgrade to ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR products are designed for performance at peak efficiency, bringing homeowners 10-50% savings in energy costs. For product and rebate information, visit ENERGY STAR.  GreenSpot qualifying tip!

Dial up the fanfare

Using a ceiling fan in the summer will allow you to lower your air conditioning temperature by 4°F with no reduction in comfort. GreenSpot qualifying tip! 

Skip handwashing dishes

Running a full dishwasher uses less energy (and water) than washing by hand. Use the air dry setting instead of heat, and leave the door open after the final cycle to get rid of any residual moisture.

Recycle!

Columbus and recycling were made to go together! Learn more about RecyColumbus, the city’s residential recycling program here. GreenSpot qualifying tip!

Work it!

Let it sleep
Leaving for lunch or home? Put your computer in “sleep” mode to reduce consumption by a whopping 80%.

Print easy

Save energy, ink, water, trees and avoid paper cuts by printing only when absolutely necessary. Then go double-sided. Commercial printers will draw 30 to 50 watts on standby and 300 to 500 watts when printing. And be sure to turn on the automatic stand-by feature. Calculate how much your office is spending to print here. 

Upgrade to a programmable thermostat
A programmable thermostat will automatically adjust the temperature in your workplace to minimize output when no one is around.

Get out of your car.
Use an alternative mode of transportation at least once a week. Catch up on emails while riding the bus or plug in some exercise by biking to work. Maybe scooting is your thing? There’s lots of options to try. GreenSpot qualifying tip!

Get advanced
Want to do even more? Join Green Spot and form an office Green Team to create an awareness program and advance sustainability at work. 

On the move Walk, bike, ride, scoot.

Leave your car behind and enjoy one of the better options for commuting. Check out how our city is offering residents alternative ways to go, here. Bikers: Be sure to Bug your Bike and help your bike find its way home in case it ever gets lost or stolen, here. 

Take the bus!
Learn more about the Central Ohio Transit Authority and leave the driving to them. Also learn more about the free CBUS service that operates in and around downtown and the shuttle from Downtown to the airport and the CPASS program that employers can use to provide a bus rider benefit to employees downtown. 

Plan errands
Reduce your commute costs and save time by grouping errands together and when possible, during non-peak traffic hours.

Smart tires
Low rolling resistance tires are designed to reduce the energy loss as a tire rolls, increasing your car’s fuel efficiency anywhere from 5-15%.

Ready! Set! Stop your engines!
Turn off your car and save. Idling for 10 seconds uses more fuel than re-starting your engine.

Travel light
Whether you are driving or flying, every pound of extra luggage you carry increases the demand for fuel.

Travel with a purpose
When making travel plans, save money by choosing an adventure with low impact and high value. Many communities, local and abroad, depend on tourist dollars to maintain their local biodiversity and natural habitats. Explore ecotourism here.

Stay at a LEED Certified hotel
This is a win-win: Often for the very same price as an equivalent-starred hotel, support a business that’s taken the extra step to reduce its footprint on our earth while reaping the benefits of a healthier environment.

Lifestyle

BYOB.
The average Columbus resident can save $200 per year by not buying disposable water bottles. So shop around for a water bottle that sparks joy, and drink on! And, it’s best to avoid reusing disposable water bottles. They are designed for single-use purpose and will leach harmful chemicals into your water.

Stop junk mail

The majority of the 4 million tons of junk mail Americans receive ends up in the landfill. Use this free service to cancel specific catalogs and paper mail. To order another blue cart for Columbus’ curbside recycling, go here. GreenSpot qualifying tip! 

Comb through your cosmetics
Microplastics are tiny plastic pieces that are used in cosmetics and personal care products as cheap ingredients. When we use these shampoos, lotions, or other cosmetics, the plastics are washed down our drains and eventually find their way back into our bodies. Until the industry is better regulated, comb through your cosmetics and personal care product labels and avoid buying microplastics. Here’s how. 

Buy better, buy less
The easiest way to save money and be kinder to our planet is simply by buying better products, less often, and fewer “stuff”. Here’s a fun look at examining our disposable economy and our habit of buying more than what we need.