As defined by GreenerLivingGuide.com, Green Living is an attempt to carry out your life in an eco-friendly, environmentally responsible manner, an attempt to minimize the size of your ecological footprint. Green Living concerns itself with a range of topics and practices including conservation of resources, recycling, sustainability, green construction, alternative energy, organic food choices, and other environmental topics.
How Can I Choose To Live Green?
There are many different "shades" of Green Living. Many people think they can't live Green because there are too many "rules and restrictions"- NOT TRUE! You just have to choose the Green Lifestyle options that match your budgetary and environmental views. If everyone contributes to the Green Lifestyle in some small way, we can all help to make the world a better place for our children. It's better to start small and get used to just one or a few Green Living options at a time, rather than trying to Green your whole life in one swoop. Once you master those few, move on and increase your "shade" of Green a few more notches by incorporating more Green methods.
Where Do I Start?
Here are some of the easiest ways to start a Green lifestyle:
1. Recycling- Even if recycling is not mandatory in your area, there may be recycling receptacles available for you to drop off your materials (Escambia drop off sites / Santa Rosa drop off sites). I keep small bins for paper, plastics & metals in my kitchen pantry, and then I transfer them to larger bins in the garage when they are full, or place them in the outside recycling container for pickup. We have curb-side recycling for paper, plastics, and metals, so that makes it a little easier. Since we don't have mandatory recycling for glass in my area, every week or two I drop them off at one of our local drop-off sites. I also take certain items that are not accepted for curb-side recycling to the local schools- the art departments are always looking for things like egg cartons, styrofoam trays (from meats), and lots of other things that you would otherwise have to place in the trash. Call your local schools to see which items they can use. Just be sure to rinse everything before you place it in the recycling bins so things don't get smelly or attract bugs. Also, make sure you check to see what types of items are accepted at your recycling drop off site.
2. Buy reuseable grocery bags!!! The less plastic we bring home, the better! Since I started using my recyclable bags, I'm in HEAVEN! They hold so much more than the plastic bags that I take fewer trips back and forth to the car, and I can sling a couple on my shoulders so I can still carry the kids. Try that with a plastic bag! The only problem that I've had to get used to is to REMEMBER to take them into the store, so I've started keeping them on the front seat of my car, and as soon as I unpack one load of groceries, I put them by my purse to take them right back to the car. If you forget every now and then, don't beat yourself up over it- just make sure to recycle the plastic bags when you do forget (usually recycle these at the store, as most recycle sites won't take them). And even if you only buy a few recyclable bags, every time you use them, you are NOT using plastic! Every little bit helps.
3. Compost- Composting is one of the easiest ways you can help to reduce landfill waste. And, if you are a gardener, it's one of the best ways to provide your plants the nutrients they need without using chemical fertilizers (which can runoff and contaminate water supplies). Composting can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. Since my husband didn't want a large compost heap in the backyard, I bought a large Rubbermaid tub (with lid), drilled some holes in the side for ventilation, and I toss all my food scraps, lint, hair, and other organic waste into the tub. To start your own compost, follow the tips found here: Backyard Composting
4. Turn off unused lights & appliances - This hint may be kind of a "duh..." no-brainer, but I think we all forget to turn off lights on occasion when we leave a room. Not only should you turn off appliances (TV's, stereos, etc) and lights when not in use, but don't forget to upgrade your light bulbs to Compact Flourescent (CFL) bulbs (or LEDs) wherever possible. I have them in all my nighstand lights, ceiling light fixtures, etc.. Just be sure to place the proper wattage bulb in each location. These bulbs last up to 10 times longer than standard bulbs, and use about 75% less energy than standard bulbs (according to EnergyStar.gov). " What about Mercury in the bulbs?" you ask... While it is true that the bulbs contain mercury, the amount is less than that found in a mercury thermometer and poses no more risk than that of a thermometer. According to EnergyStar.gov, the amount of mercury in CFL bulbs actually amounts to less than the naturally occuring mercury produced in the lifetime of a standard incandescent bulb (most mercury is produced as a by-product of electricity use- incandescent bulbs use more electricity, therefore they make more mercury). For information on proper disposl of CFC bulbs, visit www.epa.gov/bulbrecycling .
5. Drive a fuel efficient car, carpool, walk or bike - This is one that's a little trickier for some people, due to budgetary or other reasons. It's just not economical for everyone to go out and buy a new car, and not everyone lives close enough to work to be able to walk or bike, or maybe you have kids to take to school so it's just not possible. Again, living a Green Lifestyle doesn't mean you have to become Green in every aspect of life at the snap of your fingertips- you just do what you can, when you can. So, maybe you can't afford to buy a more fuel efficient car right now... at least make sure to keep your tires properly inflated, keep up with routine maintenance on your car, and try to combine trips when possible. Instead of going to the grocery store three times a week, try to go just once a week. Later, when it IS time to get a new car, try to buy the most fuel efficient/cleanest emmissions car that your budget can afford and that fits your lifestyle.
6. "Green-Up" Your Home - This is another tricky one, as it can be expensive to remodel an existing home to fit a Greener Lifestyle, and not everyone can afford to sell their current home to build a truly Green Home. Again, you just do what you can, when you can. Since Greening a home is a rather broad subject, I've created another webpage just for that subject. Click here to see what you can do to Green an existing home: "Green-Up" Your Home
There are so many more things that we can all do to our homes, and to our lifestyles to make the world a Greener place. I can't list them all here, but you can feel free to browse my Blog or subscribe to my newsletter for more updates. You can always feel free to email me at Trish@Eco-LogicalRealty.com or call 850-449-0908 if you'd like to share information on your Green Lifestyle.