Easy, Affordable Ways to Go Green

October 07, 2014

Do the planet and your wallet a favor, go green with easy steps like using a reusable coffee mug, buying local produce, or joining a carpool.

Everyone is trying to go green these days.  More and more people are learning the importance of protecting the planet and ourselves from waste and harmful products.  While recycling is at the top of the list of sustainable practices, there are many other easy and cheap ways you can go green.  Try adopting a few of these into your lifestyle and see what it makes a difference the little things can make.

1. Buy a refillable water bottle and coffee cup.  This is one of the easiest, most effective ways to reduce waste and go green.  You may even want to buy a few spares to keep in the office and car so you always have one around when you need.  Most coffee shops offer a small discount when you use your own cup so you’ll save money too.
2. Eat locally grown food.  This not only supports your local economy, it cuts down on the amount of fuel used for transportation.
3. File paperwork and pay bills electronically whenever possible.  Rather than wasting paper and fuel for mail delivery trucks, file your taxes and other paperwork and pay your bills online.
4. Patronize businesses with green practices or those that offer green products.
5. Walk or ride a bike whenever you can, especially on short trips.  It’s good for your health and the planet!
6. Use reusable grocery bags.  Like coffee shops, pretty much all grocery stores are now giving a discount for using your own bags.
7. Upgrade to cloth napkins and kitchen towels rather than using paper.
8. Carpool.  Most of us are pretty attached to our vehicles but carpooling even one or two days a week can help you go green and save a lot of money on gas.
9. Re-use office paper.  If you just printed a draft on one side of the paper use the other side or save it for scratch paper for things like grocery lists.
10. Stop junk mail.  Subscribe on-line when you can, ask for your name to be removed from mailing lists, and always choose the “don’t mail me information” option when possible.  Visit the Direct Marketing Association online to learn how to stop receiving junk mail from their members and you can also be removed from the lists of credit card applications (the largest creator of junk mail!) by visiting optoutprescreen.com
11. Clean your refrigerator coils.  Removing all that dust and buildup will help your refrigerator to run more efficiently.
12. Buy rechargeable batteries.
13. Start using eco-friendly cleaning products in your home.
14. Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs.  They use about 75% less electricity and last up to 10 times longer.
15. Conserve water.  An estimated 50% of household water use is wasted.  Turn off the faucet while you’re brushing your teeth, shave a few minutes off your showers, fill the sink with water to wash dishes rather than running it for long periods, and if you’re waiting for the water to get hot or cold run it into a jug and save the it for watering plants or another use.

 

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