MINNEOTA - When Jennifer Mahan-Deitte received an e-mail promoting a project to save money and help the environment without sacrificing daily comfort, she wanted to be part of it.
"I thought it was important to try to learn more about living green," she said.
Now, she, her husband, Dan Deitte and their three girls, Ivy, Sienna and Olivia, are involved in the Biggest Reducer Project and learning a lot.
On Thursday, three members of Youth Energy Summit (YES!), Adri DeBoer, Emily Bot and Emma Hoversten, visited the family and showed them examples of what can be recycled and what is not acceptable.
The Deittes were surprised to learn that yogurt containers, and bottles from medicine and vitamins were not acceptable. They had been putting those items in the recycling.
"This was very educational," said Mahan-Deitte. "I think a lot of people are throwing in things that can't be recycled."
"The recycling will definitely change," Deitte said.
The high schoolers said to look for the recycling numbers on the bottoms of containers. Those with Nos. 1 or 2 are recyclable; No. 6 is not.
Other things that are not recyclable are glossy cardboard, pop boxes, fogged glass, and tinted plastic. Food containers like pop bottles, vinegar and milk bottles are recyclable, but need to be washed out first.
"With the new recycling, you don't have to organize them," DeBoer said.
The girls also had other tips.
"Unplug cell phone chargers and radios during the day because those do suck up a lot over time," DeBoer said.
"I'm gonna unplug our chargers. We have three cell phone chargers all plugged in," said Mahan-Deitte.
"Turn off lights when you leave the house," DeBoer said. "Just saves a lot of energy for you in the long run."
Take a look at the extension cords you use, she suggested.
"Use a shorter cord if you can," said ag/FFA adviser Eric Sawatzke, who accompanied the girls. Shorter cords save money, he explained.
The YES! members also left the family with information and some products to use, like CFL light bulbs, a Smart Strip, and Kill A Watt.
"I think we'll learn a lot with the equipment they gave us," said Mahan-Deitte. "Is it worth the cost to put it toward green equipment?"
She was interested to find out if the low-flow showerhead would save money, admitting she likes to take long showers.
"I've heard mixed reviews on the showerheads," Deitte said.
"We'll give it a try," said Mahan-Deitte.
They've already experimented with the CFL bulbs. When they first moved into the house, they were going through regular bulbs very quickly, but since they switched some to the CFLs, she thinks the bulb turnover had "slowed down."
The family has already had their home inspected by Chuck Swanson of Western Community Action, who tested the home for heat leaks.
"That was fun to see," said Deitte.
Even though they found out they don't have as much insulation as they maybe should, the test revealed "the house is very tight," Deitte said.
"It'll be interesting to see the energy audit; the top 10 suggestions," Deitte said.
"I'm looking forward to those. That will be good for us," Mahan-Deitte said.
They have three important reasons to try to conserve and save the environment: their daughters, who sat and listened to the YES! presentation with their parents.
"The girls are learning about this," Mahan-Deitte said. "That may be the most important thing."
