We’ve all heard about “going green” and the importance of reducing our carbon footprint. It’s up to all of us to help maintain the beauty of this planet and to ensure its livability for future generations, and the San Jose Sharks are not taking this responsibility lightly.





Teaming up with OSH, which has generously donated approximately 500 compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), nearly the entire roster of players and their families, as well as members of the front office, have agreed to install the energy efficient bulbs in their homes.

“OSH has been instrumental in donating the CFL’s to the Sharks,” Fan Development Coordinator Jeff Cafuir said. “The players and their families were all very enthusiastic about the prospect of helping the environment while saving some money. It’s a no-brainer and we hope that Sharks fans follow suit.”

By replacing 500 conventional bulbs with the new CFL’s, the Sharks will:
- Save nearly $30,000 in energy costs during the life cycle of the CFLs
- Remove 302,088 lbs of CO2 from the air during the life cycle of the CFLs
- Remove the equivalent of 26 cars worth of air pollution each year
- Save the equivalent of 37 acres of forest each year

For Sharks fans unaware of the benefits of CFL’s—although the initial costs may be a little more expensive—they use 60-70% less energy than normal light bulbs and last 10x longer, lowering electricity bills and ultimately saving more money in the long term. The Sharks and OSH are encouraging fans to do their part by replacing conventional bulbs in their homes with eco-friendly CFL’s, which can be purchased at any OSH location. (For a complete list of OSH locations, please visit www.osh.com).

Residential consumers can take a household quantity of old CFLs and fluorescents to their nearest OSH to recycle and help the environment. Businesses should contact their local household hazardous waste groups for proper disposal information.

In addition to the installation of CFL’s, the team will also be providing other energy-saving tips on the “Sharks Green Zone,” a new page on www.sjsharks.com dedicated to helping fans “Go Green.” On this page, fans will be able to find tips on reducing energy consumption at home and at work, as well as read about upcoming events the Sharks are hosting, including an e-waste recycling collection and beach and park clean ups.

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Saving Energy

• Switch to Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs. You save $30 in energy costs over the life of each bulb.
• Purchase government-backed Energy Star products
• Turn off appliances and lights when you leave the room.
• Unplug. Make morning a routine of unplugging cell phone chargers, TVs, blow dryers, fans and stereos before leaving for work.
• Use the microwave to cook small meals. (It uses less power than an oven.)
• Have leaky air conditioning and refrigeration systems repaired.
• Cut back on air conditioning and heating use if you can.
• Turn Down the Thermostat: It definitely pays to give a thought to your thermostat, since most households shell out 50 to 70% of their energy budgets on heating and cooling. For every degree you lower the thermostat, you'll save between 1 and 3% of your heating bill. Do the same thing in reverse with air conditioning.
• Insulate your home, water heater and pipes.

Conserving Water

• Don't let the water run while shaving or brushing teeth.
• Take short showers instead of baths.
• Keep drinking water in the refrigerator instead of letting the faucet run until the water is cool.
• Scrape, rather than rinse, dishes before loading into the dishwasher; wash only full loads. Remember that you don't need to scald every plate and pot to get them clean, and don't forget to turn the water off when you're scrubbing!
• Wash only full loads of laundry or use the appropriate water level or load size selection on the washing machine.
• Wash full loads of laundry in cool water. If you've just got to use hot, rinse in cold.
• Buy high-efficient plumbing fixtures & appliances.
• Repair all leaks (a leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons a day).
• Water the lawn or garden during the coolest part of the day (early morning is best).
• Set sprinklers to water the lawn or garden only – not the street or sidewalk.
• Use soaker hoses or trickle irrigation systems for trees and shrubs.
• Keep your yard healthy - dethatch, use mulch, etc.
• Sweep outside instead of using a hose.

Reducing, Reusing and Recycling Materials
Practice the three R's: first Reduce how much you use, then Reuse what you can, and then Recycle the rest. Finally, dispose of what's left in the most environmentally friendly way.

• Buy permanent items instead of disposables (Buy a water purifier instead of individual plastic water bottles).
• Buy and use only what you need.
• Buy products with less packaging.
• Buy products that use less toxic chemicals.
• Buy organic and local foods (They conserve fuel, reduce pollution and support the local economy).
• Go paperless. Switch to electronic banking and payments. Read your favorite newspapers and magazines online. Do the planet, and yourself, a favor and get your name off direct mail lists. We use 100 million trees and 28 billion gallons of water to produce junk mail for just one year.

• Repair items as much as possible.
• Bring your own canvas grocery bags to the store. If you have to choose between paper or plastic, opt for paper.
• Use durable coffee mugs.
• Use cloth napkins or towels.
• Clean out juice bottles and use them for water.
• Use empty jars to hold leftover food.
• Reuse boxes.
• Purchase refillable pens and pencils.
• Participate in a paint collection and reuse program.
• Donate usable items to people you know or to charity instead of throwing them away.

• Recycle paper (printer paper, newspapers, mail, etc.), plastic, glass bottles, cardboard, and aluminum cans. If your community doesn't collect at the curb, take them to a collection center.
• Choose stationery and other supplies made from recyclable materials.
• Recycle electronics.
• Recycle used motor oil.
• Compost food scraps, grass and other yard clippings, and dead plants.
• Close the loop - buy recycled products and products that use recycled packaging. That's what makes recycling economically possible.

Pollution Reduction

• Drive Less: A daily car commute of 20 miles round trip can add up to more than $2,000 per year, parking not included. Replacing even one or two car trips a week will trim your fuel bill (and probably your waistline), but driving smarter can also help. Combine multiple errands into one trip, frequent nearby shops, and try to group your family's appointments together. Think about the most efficient route before heading out, and try to avoid busier traffic times.
• Stop idling: Every moment you spend idling your car's engine means needlessly wasting gas, as well as rougher wear on your vehicle. Idling for more than 10 seconds wastes more gas than is needed for startup. Overall, Americans idle away 2.9 billion gallons of gas a year, worth around $78.2 billion.
• Plant a Tree: Your tree will convert nasty pollutants to pure oxygen and offer a welcome to wildlife -- and tree roots can help stay erosion. Trees absorb carbon dioxide, helping to reduce global warming.
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Spread the Word!
Tell your friends, family and co-workers about what you are doing and ways they can be more environmentally friendly. Direct them to this page to learn more. Remember, small changes can make a big impact.

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Be Bright About Light
Make it a habit of turning off the lights when you're leaving any room for 15 minutes or more and utilize natural light when you can. If you can, switch to CFL bulbs.

Maximize Computer Efficiency
Computers in the business sector unnecessarily waste $1 billion worth of electricity a year. Make it a habit to turn off your computer when you leave for the day.

During the day, setting your computer to sleep automatically or turning off your monitor during short breaks can cut energy use by 70 percent. Remember, screen savers don't save energy.

Print Smarter
Think before you print! The average U.S. office worker goes through 10,000 sheets of paper a year. Make it a habit to print on both sides and use the back side of old documents for faxes, scrap paper, or drafts. Avoid color printing and print in draft mode whenever possible. Ask yourself, “Do I really have to print this email?”

Ramp Up Your Recycling
Make it a habit to recycle everything your company collects. Just about any kind of paper you would encounter in an office, including fax paper, envelopes, and junk mail, can be recycled. You can also recyle old cell phones, PDA’s and pagers.

Watch What (and How) You Eat
Make it a habit to bring your own mug and dishware for those meals you eat at the office. Make it a policy to provide reusable dishes, silverware, and glasses. Drink filtered drinking water to reduce bottled-water waste.

Rethink Your Travel
Make it a habit to carpool, bike, or take public transportation to work, and/or telecommute when possible.
If you often travel on business, try to take the train, bus, or subway when feasible instead of a rental car. If you have to rent a car, some rental agencies now offer hybrids and other high-mileage vehicles.

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Please check back for a list of potential upcoming events including:

• E-Waste Recycling
• Beach Cleanups
• Park/Neighborhood Cleanups
• Sharks Cowell’s Beach Cleanup – 8/28/09
  

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•   www.surfrider.org (Non-profit dedicated to the protection of the world’s oceans, waves and beaches)
• www.epa.gov (United States Environmental Protection Agency)
  
• Volunteer in your Community (Santa Clara County Department of Parks and Recreation)
  
• Volunteer Opportunities in your Area (Volunteermatch.org)
• http://green.yahoo.com/
  
  
  ***These links will take you away from SJSHARKS.com. The San Jose Sharks are not affiliated with these sites, they are only available as tools for your use.***
  

 
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