|
|
Another Earth Day is over – and this year, there’s a big difference. This is the year that green is going mainstream, with renewed personal and national commitments.
And in times that seem to demand frugal living, going green can have a double impact on your home life – you’ll save a little cash, along with a little bit of the planet.
Here are some of the easiest ways to get your family started on a truly green way of living.
- Unplug. More than 40 percent of the electricity used by home appliances is consumed while they’re not being used. If you’re not using the computer, hairdryer, lamps, or cell phone (and other assorted) chargers – unplug them. You’ll save the equivalent of 1,000 pounds* of carbon dioxide.
- Reuse. Besides filling the recycling bin, remember what your mom said – waste not, want not. Take your shoes to the cobbler for new heels or soles at least once before you decide to throw them out. Invest in a reusable water bottle, reuse plastic bags (if you must use them to begin with), and remember that thee is no such thing as a leftover – it’s a new dinner waiting to happen.
- Reduce water use. Even in the water-conscious southwest, there are more simple things we can all do. Take shorter showers, run the dishwasher only when it’s full, turn the water off while brushing your teeth, use only cold water for washing clothes and water outdoors only during early morning hours. Check lawn sprinklers to be sure they’re throwing big drops (little misty drops evaporate in our dry climate) and that they’re watering grass and plants – not the sidewalk or street.
- Use cloth where you can. Recycle old tee shirts and towels to use as cleaning rags. Carry a canvas or cotton bag to the grocery – and the drug store and hardware store and every other store you shop in. Use cloth napkins in lunch boxes and at home - a family of five could go through nearly 6,000 paper napkins in a year.
- Use green lights. Eco-friendly bulbs consumer up to 75 percent less energy that standard bulbs. Try the newer versions of the compact-fluorescent and look for other Energy-Star qualified lights, too.
- Eat green. Literally. First, review your organic options at local supermarkets and assess what you can add to your market basket in place of standard products or produce. Then, visit or revisit your local farmer’s markets. Explore the local options in community-supported agriculture (CSA) and Bountiful Baskets. Add at least one vegetarian dinner to your weekly menus. Reducing your family’s intake of red meat has a significant impact on energy and water consumption; buying locally reduces shipping and other costs. You’ll save money and eat more healthfully, too.
- Clean green. Mix your own green cleaning solutions, or seek out eco-sensitive cleaners at your local stores.
- Rethink travel. If you can drive instead of fly, consider it. If you can carpool or share rides with neighbors, initiate the idea. Consider public transport for at least part of your daily or weekly commutes (for instance, drive to a lot near the bus stop. Try Phoenix’ new light rail system to get around town).
- Reduce what you use. Remember, bigger isn’t always better. Boil just enough water for the cup of tea you want. Rent a DVD instead of buying one. Join the library instead of buying a book. Share old magazines and books with local retirement or nursing centers.
- Share more. Not every garage in the neighborhood has to have a nail gun. Or the largest set of pruning shears. Talk with your neighbors about developing a coop arrangement to share larger tools and workshop appliances.
www.ecologicmedia.org
www.greenerchoices.org
www.gardens.org
www.bountifulbaskets.org
*Figure is based on annual emissions saved for a home of 2.6 people and 330 square feet with major appliances unplugged. Producing less carbon dioxide helps lower the amount of gases trapped in the atmosphere that cause extreme temperatures, higher sea levels, and major storms |
ROC172120 Residential