Betina's Green Living Tips#2

Reduce what you consume. Now I don't  mean go on a diet, I mean reduce your households consumption. You can do this in a multitude of ways every day. The little things add up and have a real impact. Here are a few tips to reduce your homes trash and help make the planet a little greener!

•1.      Buy items like dish soap, laundry soap, shampoo, and paper products in bulk. This reduces the amount of packaging you bring into your home.

•2.      Buy products that are made from recycled materials. Paper towels are almost always available made with recycled paper.

•3.      Instead of using disposable items like paper napkins, use cloth napkins/hand towels and simply wash and reuse them.  Cloth napkins will last for several years. Most coffee makers have a copper or gold filter option, which is a better option to using paper ones that are thrown out every day.

•4.      Use rechargeable batteries and buy a battery charger.

•5.      Shop local. When you spend your money with local retailers instead of big box chains, you save the local economy. Local shops that buy items like produce or art or clothing from local sources have a smaller footprint than big box chains that ship the same items made in China all over the USA to be sold.

•6.      If you are getting multiple copies of mail order catalogs call them and ask to stop the paper catalogs. Shop online as an option to save the paper and postage spent on hardcopy catalogs.

•7.      Paper or Plastic....? Neither! Buy cloth shopping bags or ones made from recycled soda bottles.

It's a new year make a resolution to incorporate one or more of these suggestions into your 2010 routine.

If you are in the market for an Austin area home and are not presently working with a Realtor, please call me. I would be happy to help you through the process of buying or selling a home. I specialize in Relocation and I make the process easy to navigate. As your Buyers Agent I will work hard to ensure you find the perfect home. As one client stated "In a world of Walmart Realtors, Betina provides a Nordstom's level of service!" I look forward to the opportunity to earn your business.

Betina Foreman, Realtor

Prospect Real Estate Solutions    9442 Capital of TX Hwy, Suite 500    Austin, Texas 78759

512-771-6318    BetinaForemanRealtor@yahoo.com     www.CentralTexasGreenHomes.com

Member: Austin Board of Realtors, National Association of Realtors, Texas Association of Realtors, ActiveRain.com-RainMaker, Trulia-VIP & Top Realtor Voices, and Zillow-Neighborhood Pros.