Almost everyone has heard the phrase "go green." If you haven't, 'Where ya been?' You don't have to be a "tree hugger" to go green and make our planet a healthier place to live. Here are just a few ways to go green that don't take a lot of effort.
1. Don't waste. Turn off the lights, TV or radio when no one is in that particular room and save energy. Cook the right amount of food or be sure to use leftovers to cut down on food waste. Take shorter showers and don't let water run unnecessarily.
2. Recycle. Reuse shopping bags. The plastic kind can be used as small trash can liners. If you shred documents, use the shredded paper as packing material when shipping things. Reuse partially used notebooks - just rip out the used part and use the rest. Instead of throwing away printer paper that has been botched on one side, cut it up and use the front as scratch paper.
3. Buy in bulk. It's less expensive than buying single items and there is less packaging going to landfills.
4. Buy organic. Food grown organically is free of pesticides and, therefore, less toxic and healthier for humans and animals and better for the environment.
5. Buy eco friendly cleaning products. Better yet, make your own from ingredients you already have. Most cleaning products are toxic to humans and animals and not good for the environment.
6. Drive less. Plan out errands to be done all in one day and make one trip do it all.
7. Use disposable containers less often. Use regular dishes and silverware. If using a dishwasher, make sure it's full before running it. Buy cloth napkins instead of using paper towels and paper napkins.
8. Use the clothes dryer less. Hang clothes on a line outside to dry. Some of the benefits are less static cling, fresh smell and disinfection from the sun, not to mention saving money on your electric bill.
9. Use natural and organic fertilizers and natural pesticides. Start a compost pile and use that when planting flowers and gardens. Put dead leaves on gardens in the fall to make soil richer. Natural pesticides can be purchased or made from scratch.
10. Buy products that are made from recycled items. Many companies are now making products from recycled materials, including furniture, clothing, flooring, packaging materials, stationary and even dog beds, dog toys and dog clothes. The various materials used for recycling include aluminum, plastic soda bottles, reclaimed cotton, reclaimed wood, rubber and paper.
There are actually many ways to go green and make our planet less toxic. If every person would make a conscious effort to do just one thing to go green, the impact would be huge.
by: Anita Funkhouser
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment