Columnist Susan Snyder: Earth Day a study in savings

Friday, April 19, 2002 | 2:32 a.m.

Earth Day turns 32 Monday.

Hurray for life after 30.

The national environmental protest proposed in 1970 by a U.S. senator from Wisconsin has grown into an event celebrated in more than 180 countries. We're either really good at marketing Mother Earth T-shirts in many languages, or we are finally aware that we make significant impacts on the planet no matter where we are standing.

The Earth Day Network says our "ecological footprint" is how much land and water is needed to produce what we consume and dispose of what we produce. The group says Earth offers 5.3 acres of biologically productive space for each person. By 2050, it will be 3.5 acres -- not counting the area needed to sustain the planet's other 10 million species.

In the United States we use 12.5 acres of space per person on average. You can take a look at how other countries stack up and calculate your own ecological footprint by signing on to earthday.net.

Then pick a couple of items off this list and have at it:

Set the refrigerator at 38 to 44 degrees and the freezer at zero to 5 degrees. A setting 10 degrees too cold can result in a 25 percent increase in your energy bill.

Set the water heater on "low"(about 120 degrees).

Install at least one low-flow water fixture.

Check a toilet for leaks by putting some food coloring in the water tank. There is a leak if the color appears in the bowl 30 minutes later. One leak can dribble up to 200 gallons of water a day.

Water your lawn during the coolest part of the day. Southern Nevada Water Authority's recommended watering schedules are at snwa.com.

Replace three non-native plants with three native ones.

Use a bucket and install a spray nozzle on the hose to wash the car.

Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth.

Run dish and clothes washers only with full loads.

Compost garbage a couple of days a week. Garbage disposals use a lot of water.

Walk to the store.

Turn off the television and walk after dinner. You'll expend some physical energy and use less of the energy you pay for.

Check the water meter when no water is being used. If the meter is running there could be a leak somewhere.

Recycle.

Use cloth napkins and cloth towels instead of paper.

Clean windows with old newspapers instead of paper towels.