I am not an expert on living green by any definition. And I am going to go out on a limb here and say that there are more than a few out there that are a lot like me. We go about our daily lives, working, raising our children, dealing with the home, work and all of the other stress of daily life. We don't stop very often to think about whether we are living green. In fact, until recently, we probably didn't even know what that term meant. But now there is so much talk about "going green", "living green"; it's everywhere you turn.
So I thought I would put together my own list of ways to make your life just a little greener. These are easy to implement and won't cost you much money. So take a look at my suggestions. Implement the ones you can live with and then you can say that you are living at least a little bit greener than you were before.
- Use re-fillable water bottles.
Drinking water is great for you! But have you ever stopped to think what happens to those plastic water bottles when you are done with them? I send my children to school every day with a bottle of water. And now the bottles they carry are re-usable. They are easy to find at almost any store at almost any price. Just make sure you keep them clean to keep those germs under control.
- Set up recycling services with your garbage collection company.
Just contact your local garbage collection company and ask them to tell you about their recycling program. What days do they pick up? What items do they recycle? Set up a separate container in your house or garage to collect all those items that used to go strait to the landfill.
- Don't let the water run when brushing your teeth.
I've been hearing this one since I was a kid. That's what happens when you grow up in a desert. Set a good example for your children. So turn off the faucet! It's good for the environment and for your water bill.
- Start using re-usable shopping bags.
I keep them in my trunk so they are always handy. You can find them in pretty much every grocery store now days. If you don't want to run out and buy enough bags to cover your weekly grocery trip, buy one or two at a time. After a few trips you will surely have enough. There are also many places to recycle your plastic grocery bags. My son's school in the Marana School District has a collection site right on campus.
- Recycle electronics like cell phones & computers.
It takes a little research for this one. But look through the phone book or online for companies in your area that accept electronics for recycling. I recently found a place right here in Tucson that I can take my old printer to. Companies like these have environmentally friendly ways of getting rid of everything from computers, cell phones, televisions to VCRs. Or if they still work, donate them to a charity.
- Start a school carpool in your neighborhood.
My sister-in-law and I have our own little carpool. I drop them off in the morning and she picks them up in the afternoon. In addition to being better for the environment, we both save on gas and time. Ask around at your child's school or in your neighborhood. I bet there are a lot of people willing to give it a try.
- Try to use less paper towels & paper plates.
My sister recently vowed to stop buying paper plates which is what gave me this idea. I haven't taken it that far yet. But I am trying to use a lot less of them. Just think of all of the waste that's created every time a family of four sits down to a meal using paper plates, plastic utensils and paper napkins or towels.
- Combine your errands into fewer trips.
A lot of us started doing this when gas prices sky rocketed. But it's not only good for your wallet but also for the environment. It takes a little planning ahead but I bet you could easily reduce your trips if you give it a try.
- Read the newspaper online.
This is an easy one. You can read not only your local paper, but papers all over the country right on your computer. No papers to gather up all over the house and dispose of. I still get the Sunday paper because of the coupons and the comics! But that's only one paper a week.
- Change those light bulbs to CFL bulbs.
CFL bulbs are compact fluorescent bulbs. You know, the coiled ones. They are more expensive but they last up to 10 times longer. Change a few at a time and soon your whole house will be using less energy. In fact CFLs use approximately 75% less energy than standard incandescent bulbs. And by the way, they now have some on the market that look more like the bulbs wer are used to.
- Try a vinegar and water mixture for your household cleaning.
I've been using this cleaning solution for years now. I started it because I hated the toxic fumes from the other cleaners I bought. Vinegar is a natural disinfectant and when you mix it with water the odor is cut quite a bit. It works in the kitchen, bathroom, floors and on windows. Another great all natural cleaner is baking soda. It makes a great scouring powder.
These are just a few that I came up with and do in my every day life. I bet you can come up with many more. It doesn't take much effort for all of us to make some small changes to our lives and make this world a little bit nicer!
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