Every person on our planet has a responsibility for helping to conserve the environment. It’s important that we all work together to help combat climate change by lowering our carbon footprint. Thankfully, making the switch to environmentally-friendly or “green living” is becoming simpler. Consider these ten tips for greening up your life this upcoming week.

(1) Become a diligent recycler. Recycle all newspapers, junk mail, envelopes, used office paper, aluminum cans, glass bottles, plastic bottles and cardboard boxes. Go beyond basic recycling and make sure that you recycle batteries, cell phones and unusable computers.

(2) Pursue organic gardening and purchase plants, flowers, and shrubs that are native to your geographical area. Organic gardening is becoming increasingly popular, as people become more aware about the destructive effects of pesticides and insecticides. Think about growing your own organic vegetables and herbs.

(3) Conserve water. When you are brushing your teeth, turn off the water. Purchase a water-saving toilet. Buy your family a water-efficient shower head.

]]>

(4) Conserve considerable amounts of energy in your kitchen and laundry room by purchasing an energy-saving, sometimes labeled as “Energy Star” dishwasher, refrigerator, microwave, oven, washer and dryer.

(5) Be careful about turning off the lights when the room is not being used. Teach your spouse or partner and children to get into the healthy habit of turning off the lights when they leave a room, too.

(6) Change the temperature settings of your refrigerator and freezer. Many families consume untold amounts of energy and money by leaving their refrigerator and freezer at temperatures that are colder than necessary.

(7) Purchase organic fruits and vegetables whenever you can to help reduce the amount of pesticides and herbicides that your family unintentionally consumes. Aim to shop at local farmers’ markets, as they often sell wonderfully fresh, high-quality organic produce. Shopping locally is very important in helping to reduce your carbon footprint. An additional benefit is that you are supporting local small businesses.

(8) Think about slowly converting to a more plant-based, vegetarian diet. Many vegetarians cite environmental reasons as primary motivating factors for their animal-friendly lifestyle. Eat vegetarian at least one day per week. Tremendous amounts of water, grain and land are used to graze cattle. An alarming percentage of rainforests are destroyed by companies to graze livestock.

(9) Purchase eco-friendly, reusable cotton grocery bags. Many grocery stores are selling fashionable reusable bags for only a few dollars each. The problem with plastic bags, and all plastic products, is that they do not biodegrade in landfills. The problem with paper grocery bags is that is requires more trees to be cut down.

(10) Convert your home from traditional light bulbs to compact fluorescent light bulbs, commonly known by the acronym CFLs. Although the cost more than regular light bulbs, your family will end up saving money on your electricity bills. A plus is that CFLs usually last ten times longer than traditional bulbs.
Suzanne Bucciarelli is the owner of Green Living Ezine and writes articles and tips on how to save money and go green at the same time. Read Over 125 Ways to Go Green and Save Money at Green Living Ezine.
Article Source

Please Note... All links within articles are placed by their author-owners and not by this blog.Products with in those links may or may not be the best in the world.If it sounds too good to be true it could be a scam.Articles are posted for their info,ideas and or entertainment value only.

Powered By WP Footer

More and more households today are finding ways to “go green.” These measures can range from the labor-intensive installation of expensive solar panels and remodeling to simple, inexpensive, every day changes that anyone can do. Below are some easy and hassle-free tips to “green-it-yourself” that will help the environment – and your budget.

Energy Efficiency

You can easily and simply reduce energy expenditures by choosing Energy Star when it is time to buy or replace an appliance. Energy Star appliances – such as refrigerators, dishwashers, and washing machines – consume 10-50 percent less energy. Energy Star brand users will see the difference in their electrical bills each month.

Replace regular incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent bulbs. Fluorescent bulbs now come in different shapes, wattages, and colors for a softer look. Finally, consider which appliances are necessary. In warm weather, dry clothes outside on a clothing rack rather than in the dryer. Using a drying rack saves money and energy, and your clothes come inside smelling fresh.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

This motto of the environmental movement is as important as ever. The facts are in on recycling: with the amount of aluminum cans discarded, every three months a commercial air fleet could be built! And with the electricity saved by recycling a stack of newspapers one-foot high, your home could be heated for 17 hours!

Most municipalities offers extensive recycling services that make recycling one of the easiest steps you can take toward a green home. Just fill your blue box with magazines, newspapers, plastic #1 and #2 bottles, aluminum cans, glass bottles, and beverage containers, and let the waste department do the rest.

You can also extend the lifetime of most products by reusing them. Reuse aluminum foil and plastic bags for food storage. Empty plastic containers and glass bottles can be used to store bulk food or leftovers. Many waste products make good art projects, too.

Carbon-Neutralize Your Home

A growing trend in green living is carbon neutrality. Carbon dioxide is emitted every day through heating, cooling, electricity usage, driving, and more. Your daily expenditure of carbon dioxide – a major contributor to global warming – can be offset by contributing small donations to companies that work toward environmental clean-up, reforestation, or alternative energy. Although it doesn’t generate savings, calculating daily household carbon use through online calculators, and purchasing offsets to make your home carbon neutral is a growing trend in green living.

Harvest the Rain

Rain barrels are a feature of green homes, especially in warm, low-rain climates. A rain barrel can be a regular or homemade barrel or one bought for this purpose. It is best placed under a rain spout, and the collected rainwater can then be used to hydrate parched gardens and lawns, or even to wash the car. Rain collection barrels are an effective way to preserve a natural resource and lower the water bill.

Compost and “Grasscycle”

Households throw out 20 million tons of grass clippings and dead leaves each year, yet they will spend millions on lawn and garden care. Green your own grass by spreading glass clippings over the lawn after mowing. This will reduce the need for watering, and the decomposing clippings will fertilize the new grass.

Composting food waste is another way to reuse, recycle, and save. Proper composting will result in waste reduction and healthy, vibrant gardens and yards. If you’re planting vegetables, composting is a way to close the loop for a sustainable table.

Going green is easier than every before. Take control of your impact on the environment, your home, and best of all, your wallet, with these simple adjustments to daily living.

Calum MacKenzie is Broker Owner of Tampa Homes 24-7 LLC a leading Wesley Chapel real estate company serving communities like Seven Oaks in Wesley Chapel and specializing in Wesley Chapel Homes.

Please Note... All links within articles are placed by their author-owners and not by this blog.Products with in those links may or may not be the best in the world.If it sounds too good to be true it could be a scam.Articles are posted for their info,ideas and or entertainment value only.

Powered By WP Footer