Green tips for all of us!
In honor of Earth Day, I want to share practical tips for living a more “green” life that will not only benefit the environment, but can also have a positive affect on your checkbook. I don’t consider myself to be an environmental activist, and honestly am not sure if I believe in global warming. But even I can see the need to take care of the planet we live on to ensure its longevity. Last I checked we weren’t ready to colonize the moon.
I hear lots of stories about ways people have made big changes in their lives in order to be more environmentally friendly, but for those of us not quite ready to give up our cars or eat only food grown/processed within 100 miles of our home, here are some practical and easy to implement tips for living a greener life:
1) Take Your Own Bags to the Store:
Taking your own bag to the store may seem inconvenient at first, but there are a number of benefits. First and foremost it reduces the number of plastic bags going to the landfill, which is good for everyone. Second it can help de-clutter your home. If are like me, you probably already have a seemingly never ending pile of plastic bags hidden somewhere in your house waiting to be recycled. By taking your own bags to the store, you are not only stopping the flow of new bags but also finding a use for those bags you have laying around. Third a lot of grocery stores, Meijer for sure, offer a bag credit of $.05 per bag you bring from home. This is money back in your pocket each time you shop simply for bringing your own bag. Lastly for those fashion conscious among us, designers are now making reusable shopping bags that are in-style and good for the environment.
2) Carpool
If you are like me, the idea of car-sharing, where you don’t actually own a car but have access to a community car, sounds scary and overwhelming. Carpooling, on the other hand, is a great way to get where you are going, be it work or play, and save yourself gas at the same time. Find someone else who is going to the same general location you are, and plan to travel together. This can provide entertainment for a boring car trip, decrease your carbon emissions, cut your gas bill, and reduce wear and tear on your vehicle.
3) Unplug Electronics When You Aren’t Using them
Electronics in your home use energy even when they are turned off. This wasted energy is known as phantom energy, and it accounts for up to 5% of your electric bill each month. Electronics, such as cordless phones, cell phone chargers, digital cameras, music players, power tools, DVD players, microwaves, and computers, continue to draw electricity once you have shut them off or the battery is fully charged.
Unplugging these devices when they are not in use eliminates all potential of lost energy. A quick and easy way to do this is to plug your electronics into a power strip, which you unplug when you are not using your electronics. This ensures they are not drawing any unnecessary electricity and may help lower your electric bill noticeably. See my husband’s blog for more ways to make your computer environmentally friendly.
4) Install an Programmable Thermostat
Installing a programmable thermostat is one of the simplest ways you can reduce energy consumption in your home, and it can shave up to 10% off of your monthly heating and cooling bill. A programmable thermostat allows you to set your system to use less heat or air conditioning when you are going to be out of the house for long periods of time or sleeping. It also helps reduce the number of cycles your heater or air conditioner goes through because it is more accurate than older thermostats.
5) Eat Less Red Meat
I personally could not give up all meat. I am a meat lover, but I realize that eating red meat is not always good for the earth or my checkbook. Not only is red meat generally more expensive that chicken or pork, but it also has a much larger impact on the environment. Raising beef cattle inherently takes up more space and resources than raising smaller animals, such as chickens, and is, therefore, less environmentally conscious and sustainable.
Trying eating lower on the food chain, i.e. eating more chicken and pork. It will not only decrease your grocery bill, but it will also ensure that the resources for raising livestock are available in the future.
6) Recycle
This is pretty basic, but it has taken me many years to get started. Recycling is a great way to cut down on unnecessary waste in landfills and reduce the amount of carbon dioxide used to create new plastic goods. Most towns have recycling programs that you can participate in either for free or for a small fee. In Richmond, IN, participants receive a “trash-can” specifically for recyclable goods that is picked up every other week at no cost.
If you, like me, aren’t ready to make a total lifestyle change, try some or all of these tips to live a greener life and help ensure we have an earth to celebrate in the future.
HAPPY EARTH DAY!
