Earth Day is more than a day. It's our commitment.
We’re taking weekly steps to improve the environment across New Mexico. We also have dozens of ways you can choose to make a difference. Together, we can help make our corner of the planet a little greener.
Learn more about our sustainability story and plans for the future.
The links to the left provide in-depth information on steps we’re taking to be emissions free by 2040 and the energy efficiency programs that PNM customers can take advantage of now.
PNM Sustainability Story: Community Crew Volunteers
Across New Mexico and Texas, crews of hundreds of employees work year-round to help schools and a wide variety of nonprofit organizations make our communities safer, stronger, smarter, and more vibrant. Last year, 850 PNM and TNMP employees and retirees contributed over 13,300 volunteer hours to support more than 250 organizations.
In 2019, PNM Resources was named Top Corporate Group for Philanthropy. The award included recognition of outstanding volunteerism by our Community Crew. Some of our current projects include sending letters and books to nursing homes during COVID-19, restoring parks and nature centers, building wheelchair ramps and judging science fairs to name a few. Many employees also serve as active members on the board of directors of community organizations. Yep, we get around.
Earth Day 50 Tip #36: Raise money or awareness for a local Environmental group. Go to their social media pages & give them a shout out. For your birthday, ask your buddies to donate to them, instead of giving you a gift. Give some love now.
Earth Day 50 Tip #37: Collect rainwater. Collect rainwater run-off from a structure or surface in order to store it for later use with a rain barrel collection system. Teach students about water conservation with a rain garden at school.
Earth Day 50 Tip #38: Fix that leak. A leak of one drip per second can waste 2000 gallons of water annually. Do a water audit with your kids and teach them how to tighten up the faucet. It’ll save money and precious water.
Earth Day 50 Tip #39: Fall in love with our flora. Feeling cooped up? Get enchanted with all the native flora and natural habitats that bless our state. Check out this app to identify plants with a quick click of your smart phone.
Earth Day Tip #40: Plan a Zero Waste event. You can significantly reduce waste at any event, from a birthday party to a 60,000+ person litter-free Zozobra event. Check out this step-by-step plan.
PNM Sustainability Story: The New Horizon of Electrification
To create a cleaner world, we need to have cleaner electricity. PNM is already on track to provide 100% emissions-free energy by 2040. The next major step is moving the transportation sector from oil as fuel to fueling up with electric resources!
As we transform PNM’s generation resources, customers and employees can feel good about charging their vehicles on the PNM system. We’re cleaning our own fleet with 46 electrified vehicles, including hybrids ranging from passenger cars to heavy duty trucks on the road now.
We have also installed an additional 32 charging stations at company locations in 2019.
PNM is on-target to amplify its emissions-free resources to meet the demands of the transportation sector which include:
- EV adoption by our residential and commercial customers.
- Travel, transport and logistics industries using electrified trucks (medium duty and heavy duty) and last-mile delivery with electrified vehicles.
- Partnerships with city and state governments for charging infrastructure.
Last year, PNM issued a Request for Information to explore new and emerging technologies that will help us power homes, businesses and cars into the next century. Electrification is the new horizon and PNM is at the forefront of this compelling, near-term opportunity!
Earth Day Tip #41: Join a CSA. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs deliver ultra-fresh, vitamin-rich, super delicious food to your door. Thank you farmers!
Earth Day Tip #42 : Use a dishwasher instead of handwashing. Hand washing typically uses 5 times as much water as an efficient dishwasher and 3.5 times more water as an average dishwasher. The more dishes you wash by hand, the more water you waste.
Earth Day Tip #43: Adopt pets instead of buying them from a breeder. There are so many orphaned pets in New Mexico that need a family. Rescue one and they’ll love you forever.
Earth Day Tip #44: Use organic fertilizers. Organic fertilizers improve the structure of your soil and increase its ability to hold water and nutrients. Over time, they will make your soil and plants healthy and strong.
Earth Day Tip #45: Save gift bags and boxes for future use. Gently-used gift wrapping, bags and boxes can last several rounds of giving. If you’re careful, you may never have to buy any of these again.
Earth Day Tip #46: Buy better quality garments that last longer. As the saying goes, cheap is dear – meaning something that is cheap will not last as long and be more expensive in the long run. Want high-quality garments at affordable prices? Try your local vintage clothing store!
Earth Day Tip #47: Invest in a pressure cooker. Reduce your cooking time and energy output by 70% with a modern-day pressure cooker. They’re lightweight, convenient and don’t emit that annoying high-pitched screeching sound.
Earth Day Tip #48: Use your phone, tablet or computer for note-taking. Not only will you save trees, but with the help of an app, it will automatically recognize and digitize your handwriting.
Earth Day Tip #49: Ditch disposable cutlery and napkins. The vast majority of plastic utensils cannot be recycled so they end up in a landfill. Use metal utensils or invest in reusable cutlery so you have it wherever you go.
Earth Day Tip #50: Create a video, slideshow or blog post implementing your favorite Earth Day tips. Tomorrow is Earth Day. Post your creation on social media so you can inspire others to do the same!
PNM Sustainability Story: Protecting Our Birds Preserving the wildlife that inhabits the beautiful rivers, mountains, and skies of the Land of Enchantment is something we strongly believe in. Certain electrical facilities or structures may experience more bird/wildlife-related outages than others. So, recently we completed an extensive bird guarding project on a switching station in Las Vegas, NM. We invested additional upgrades to our system to help mitigate electricity-related bird deaths and outages. And that’s just the beginning. Learn more how we’re protecting wildlife here.
Earth Day 50 Tip #1: Building a community garden will not only spice up your salad but your life as well by relieving stress, increasing your well being and making some friends along the way.
Earth Day 50 Tip #2: Use cloth towels instead of paper ones. You’ll not only save our trees but some cash as well by using and reusing cloth or linen towels.
Earth Day 50 Tip #3: Take a shorter shower. Every time you take a shower you use about 5 gal. of water per min. Shorten your shower by 2 min and cut your water use by 10 gal.
Earth Day 50 Tip #4: Keep your tires properly inflated and get better gas mileage. Improve your gas mileage by 0.6%-3% by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure.
Earth Day Tip #5: Turn off lights when you leave a room - The 15-minute rule. Here’s the general rule-of-thumb: If out of a room for 15 minutes or less, leave the lights on. If out of a room for more than 15 minutes, turn them off,
PNM Sustainability Story: Saving Lives with Animal Safety Ladders. We are blessed in New Mexico to be surrounded with an abundance of wildlife. So knowing that water containment in arid locations can be attractive to wildlife and other critters, our Afton Generating Station in Southern New Mexico recently installed animal safety ladders in the north evaporative lagoon. This allows animals that may accidentally get into the ponds, despite fencing, to get back out. This is just one of the many efforts that we embark on to protect New Mexico’s wildlife. To learn more about the many conservation and preservation efforts by PNM, click here.
Earth Day 50 Tip #6: Track your foodprint. That’s everything it takes for food to go from the farm to your plate. Track your foodprint to know how much your food choices impact the planet.
Earth Day 50 Tip #7: Eliminate Single-use Bottled Water in your life. For every six bottles we buy, only 1 is recycled and it takes up to 1000 years for every single bottle to decompose. Instead use a reusable bottle. You’ll save money and the planet.
Earth Day 50 Tip #8: Use eco-friendly, non-toxic cleaning products. Gone are the days when eco-friendly cleaning products don’t work. Today there are many to choose from so here’s a Healthy Cleaning Guide to know which ones are effective.
Earth Day 50 Tip #9: Replace inefficient incandescent light bulbs with efficient LEDs. Locate your home’s 5 most frequently used light fixtures/bulbs and make the switch to LEDs or Energy Star fixtures. You’ll save up to $45 each a year and reduce your carbon footprint.
Earth Day 50 Tip #10: Recycle that clunker refrigerator or freezer and earn $50 for PNM. Learn more about PNM Refrigerator Recycling Program here.
Earth Day 50 Tip #11: Donate your old clothes and home goods instead of throwing them out. Nearly 100% of the textiles in your home can be recycled or donated. It’s better for the environment, it helps people in need of clothing and you’ll feel great giving.
PNM Sustainability Story: Power to the Pollinators! When PNM comes across beehives that have made a home in our equipment, we call out beekeepers to capture and relocate these important pollinators. You never know what a bee is up to when it disappears in a crack. Power to the pollinators! Learn more how we’re protecting wildlife here.
Earth Day 50 Tip #12: Compost leftover food & yard trimmings instead of throwing them away. 40% of our food is uneaten and ends up in a landfill. Composting reduces your food waste by 25% and creates rich soil for your veggie or community garden.
Earth Day 50 Tip #13: Turn off the water while you are brushing your teeth or shaving. You can use up to 4 gallons of water per person per day brushing your teeth. That’s 1000 gallons a year. Does your toothbrush really need all that water?
Earth Day 50 Tip #14: Turn your car engine off instead of idling. An idling car can release as much pollution as a moving one. Turn your car engine off and reduce the amount of CO2 & exhaust particulates added to the atmosphere and save 0.8 gallons of fuel an hour.
Earth Day 50 Tip #15: If You Have to Fly, Fly Direct. If your only option is to fly, then opt for the direct route. This can reduce your emissions by up to an impressive 50% compared to changing flights.
Earth Day 50 Tip #16: Buy products made from or packaged in recycled materials. Look for products with a minimum amount of packaging or ones that are using recycled materials to reduce waste, lower carbon emissions and keep plastic out of the ocean.
Earth Day 50 Tip #17: Read the ingredient list on products. If you really want to know what’s in the product you are about to buy, read the ingredient list. The first 3 on the list make up what’s mostly inside.
PNM Sustainability Story: Reduce, reuse, and upcycle! Delivering electricity to your homes and businesses requires supplies such as wire that is packaged for use on reels, which may be made of wood, plastic or metal. PNM and our sister company, Texas-New Mexico Power (TNMP), have an employee-led program focused on diverting used materials away from landfills. What’s in your backyard that you can upcycle?
Earth Day 50 Tip #18: Buy food in bulk wisely. Foods in bulk cost up to 89% less. Why? Less packaging. Larger amounts. Efficient to ship. However, buying in bulk is not to be confused with hoarding. We’re all in this together right?
Earth Day 50 Tip #19: Turn down the temperature of your water heater. Water heating can be 15%-25% of energy consumption in your home. Turn down the temp on your hot water heater is eco-conscious and reduces monthly energy bills. Click here for more Energy Efficiency Tips.
Earth Day 50 Tip #20: Minimize use of aerosols. Aerosols can present significant environmental and safety hazards because of the compressed gas used as a propellant. Try an alternative approach and avoid ozone-depleting halons or CFC’s.
Earth Day 50 Tip #21: Support a local store or restaurant. Create jobs and nurture your community by buying local. For every $100 you spend at locally-owned businesses, $68 will stay in the community. What's not to love?
Earth Day 50 Tip #22: Be an eco-driver. Accelerate gently, Coast to decelerate, Avoid high speeds, Anticipate traffic, Maintain a steady speed, Keep your vehicle tuned up, Go electric!
Earth Day 50 Tip #23: Spend at least 10 minutes in nature every day. Spend 10 minutes of contact with nature each day to significantly decrease cortisol, the stress hormone, in your body. It’s free and abundant in NM!
PNM Sustainability Story: Our Environmental Management System How do we achieve our environmental goals? PNM operates under an Environmental Management System (EMS) which provides the framework to achieve environmental goals and regulatory compliance through consistent review, evaluation, and improvement of our environmental performance. The more we do, the better it gets.
Earth Day 50 Tip #24: Before you throw away plastic six-pack holders, cut each ring with scissors. Cutting the rings of the holder can reduce wildlife entanglement calamities that result in exhaustion, starvation or death. It takes less than 10 seconds.
Earth Day 50 Tip #25: Hug a tree, not your neighbor. In this time of social distancing, having a connection to living things cannot be understated. Trees, with their roots, branches and spring buds, can provide a strong connection moment for you to take a deep breath and calm your mind. Evidence shows that hugging a tree increases levels of the hormone oxytocin. This hormone is responsible for feeling calm and emotional bonding. It’s way better than an elbow bump.
Earth Day 50 Tip #26: Reading instead of streaming. Don’t assume that just because something doesn't have a physical format, that it has no carbon attached to it. Take a break with a book (or e-book) instead.
Earth Day 50 Tip #27: Eat a plant-based burger. Get a blindfold and compare veggie burger newbies like Impossible Burger or Beyond Burger to beef. You might not be able to tell the difference and you’ll reduce your carbon foodprint.
Earth Day 50 Tip #28: Dare to share. Consider sharing or renting items you don’t use every day. In addition to the environmental and economic benefits, you’ll have a lot less stuff to sell at your garage sale.
Earth Day 50 Tip #29: Make your own disinfectant Many ingredients for DIY disinfectants are probably in your pantry. Search online for recipes but just make sure your mix is 70% alcohol and leave it to dry on its own.
PNM Sustainability Story: Malcolm’s Wild Adventure
PNM employees are proud to serve their communities in New Mexico, and we take environmental stewardship very seriously. Recently, Malcolm, a craft supervisor at Reeves Generating Station in Albuquerque, noticed a barn owl who was stuck inside a facility in Algodones. The owl was having a hard time finding his way out and Malcolm was worried about him. Malcolm worked with Hawks Aloft, Inc. to do everything they could to coax the owl to leave the building and continue his life in the wild. Eventually, the owl flew out safely.
To express their gratitude for Malcolm’s compassion for our feathered friend, Hawks Aloft brought Celeste, a barn owl ambassador, over to Reeves for a fun photo op. Great job everyone!
Earth Day 50 Tip #30: Start a garden swap. Swap dirt, seeds, wood or anything needed for your garden by posting on neighborhood apps such as Nextdoor, OfferUp or Facebook. Send a thank you photo when in bloom.
Earth Day 50 Tip #31: Volunteer for a digital Earth Day event. In-person Earth Day events will not happen this year. That’s why Earth Day is going digital! Sign up to volunteer with your favorite environmental org or on Earth Day Network’s volunteer page.
Earth Day 50 Tip #32: Reduce your pet’s carbon pawprint. Cats and dogs account for 25-30% of the environmental impact of meat in the US. Switch to a quality protein such as chicken, turkey or sustainably-harvested fish and lighten Fluffy’s carbon pawprint.
Earth Day 50 Tip #33: Make a homemade bird feeder. Make a fun, one-of-a-kind bird feeder that reuses materials and helps our fine feathered friends. Check out this slide show for creative ideas for your feeder and don’t forget to retweet here! #birdfeeder
Earth Day 50 Tip #34: Experiment with new, nutritious, planet-loving recipes. Serve up an Earth Day meal using only plant-based foods such as vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, legumes & fruits. Check out One Green Planet’s vegan recipe database.
Earth Day 50 Tip #35: Have a No TV Day. Do wonders for your mood and state-of-mind and pull out a board game, listen to your favorite music from your teen years or make those super fudgy brownies (healthy version, or course).
PNM Sustainability Story: Community Crew Volunteers
Across New Mexico and Texas, crews of hundreds of employees work year-round to help schools and a wide variety of nonprofit organizations make our communities safer, stronger, smarter, and more vibrant. Last year, 850 PNM and TNMP employees and retirees contributed over 13,300 volunteer hours to support more than 250 organizations.
In 2019, PNM Resources was named Top Corporate Group for Philanthropy. The award included recognition of outstanding volunteerism by our Community Crew. Some of our current projects include sending letters and books to nursing homes during COVID-19, restoring parks and nature centers, building wheelchair ramps and judging science fairs to name a few. Many employees also serve as active members on the board of directors of community organizations. Yep, we get around.
Earth Day 50 Tip #36: Raise money or awareness for a local Environmental group. Go to their social media pages & give them a shout out. For your birthday, ask your buddies to donate to them, instead of giving you a gift. Give some love now.
Earth Day 50 Tip #37: Collect rainwater. Collect rainwater run-off from a structure or surface in order to store it for later use with a rain barrel collection system. Teach students about water conservation with a rain garden at school.
Earth Day 50 Tip #38: Fix that leak. A leak of one drip per second can waste 2000 gallons of water annually. Do a water audit with your kids and teach them how to tighten up the faucet. It’ll save money and precious water.
Earth Day 50 Tip #39: Fall in love with our flora. Feeling cooped up? Get enchanted with all the native flora and natural habitats that bless our state. Check out this app to identify plants with a quick click of your smart phone.
Earth Day Tip #40: Plan a Zero Waste event. You can significantly reduce waste at any event, from a birthday party to a 60,000+ person litter-free Zozobra event. Check out this step-by-step plan.
PNM Sustainability Story: The New Horizon of Electrification
To create a cleaner world, we need to have cleaner electricity. PNM is already on track to provide 100% emissions-free energy by 2040. The next major step is moving the transportation sector from oil as fuel to fueling up with electric resources!
As we transform PNM’s generation resources, customers and employees can feel good about charging their vehicles on the PNM system. We’re cleaning our own fleet with 46 electrified vehicles, including hybrids ranging from passenger cars to heavy duty trucks on the road now.
We have also installed an additional 32 charging stations at company locations in 2019.
PNM is on-target to amplify its emissions-free resources to meet the demands of the transportation sector which include:
- EV adoption by our residential and commercial customers.
- Travel, transport and logistics industries using electrified trucks (medium duty and heavy duty) and last-mile delivery with electrified vehicles.
- Partnerships with city and state governments for charging infrastructure.
Last year, PNM issued a Request for Information to explore new and emerging technologies that will help us power homes, businesses and cars into the next century. Electrification is the new horizon and PNM is at the forefront of this compelling, near-term opportunity!
Earth Day Tip #41: Join a CSA. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs deliver ultra-fresh, vitamin-rich, super delicious food to your door. Thank you farmers!
Earth Day Tip #42 : Use a dishwasher instead of handwashing. Hand washing typically uses 5 times as much water as an efficient dishwasher and 3.5 times more water as an average dishwasher. The more dishes you wash by hand, the more water you waste.
Earth Day Tip #43: Adopt pets instead of buying them from a breeder. There are so many orphaned pets in New Mexico that need a family. Rescue one and they’ll love you forever.
Earth Day Tip #44: Use organic fertilizers. Organic fertilizers improve the structure of your soil and increase its ability to hold water and nutrients. Over time, they will make your soil and plants healthy and strong.
Earth Day Tip #45: Save gift bags and boxes for future use. Gently-used gift wrapping, bags and boxes can last several rounds of giving. If you’re careful, you may never have to buy any of these again.
Earth Day Tip #46: Buy better quality garments that last longer. As the saying goes, cheap is dear – meaning something that is cheap will not last as long and be more expensive in the long run. Want high-quality garments at affordable prices? Try your local vintage clothing store!
Earth Day Tip #47: Invest in a pressure cooker. Reduce your cooking time and energy output by 70% with a modern-day pressure cooker. They’re lightweight, convenient and don’t emit that annoying high-pitched screeching sound.
Earth Day Tip #48: Use your phone, tablet or computer for note-taking. Not only will you save trees, but with the help of an app, it will automatically recognize and digitize your handwriting.
Earth Day Tip #49: Ditch disposable cutlery and napkins. The vast majority of plastic utensils cannot be recycled so they end up in a landfill. Use metal utensils or invest in reusable cutlery so you have it wherever you go.
Earth Day Tip #50: Create a video, slideshow or blog post implementing your favorite Earth Day tips. Tomorrow is Earth Day. Post your creation on social media so you can inspire others to do the same!