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Tips for Greening Your Environment

BYOB:  Bring Your Own Bag

When the clerk at the grocery store asks “Paper or Plastic”? say “Neither”.  Fewer than 5% of the estimated 380 billion

plastic bags consumed in the U.S. each year are recycled.  Plastic bags are not biodegradable and are making their way

into our waterways killing wildlife and contaminating the food chain.  Although paper bags will eventually biodegrade

millions of trees are cut down each year to manufacture them.  If only 5% of the population purchased re-usable bags

and refused both paper and plastic bags at the checkout counter, we could save nearly a million trees annually and over a

half million barrels of oil.

  

Go Paperless

Before recycling the unwanted catalogs and junk mail you receive, find the contact

information and request to be removed from their mailing list.  Also, find out if

your creditors offer a paperless statement option where you can view your

statement and pay your bills online.  If all households in America paid their bills

online and received paperless statements we would save over 18 million trees each

year and over 2 billion tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

Buy Local Whenever Possible

An large amount of pollution is created to get food from the farm to our dinner

tables.  Support your local economy by purchasing from local farmers and farmer’s

markets.  Doing so will reduce the amount of greenhouse gases which are created

when foods are flown or trucked in.  Also, consider joining your local

community garden to grow your own vegetables.  It’s a great way to meet neighbors.  You’ll also receive added benefits

when you share and trade items with others as you’ll be increasing the variety of fresh fruit and vegetables in which

your family can enjoy.

Switch to Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

Replacing traditional incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent ones will save both money and energy. 

Changing just one 60 watt incandescent bulb with a 14 watt CFL bulb can save you up to $40 a year in energy costs. 

CFL bulbs last up to 13 times longer, produce 1/4 less heat as their predecessors and save you 1/4 of operating costs.

Invest in Water Filters and Rethink Purchasing and Consuming Bottled Water

Install a faucet filtration system or purchase a pitcher filtration for drinking and cooking.  Fill reusable water bottles

with filtered tap water as just an estimated 15% of water bottles purchased are actually recycled taking thousands of

years to decompose.  It’s a great choice for the environment and your bank account.  Filtered tap water literally pays

for itself in less than a month’s worth of usage.  It’s also a healthier alternative as the FDA’s standards for tap water

are more stringent than their standards for bottled water.

Recycle Old Cell Phones and Batteries

The average life cycle of a cell phone is a mere 18 months which equates to nearly 130 million phones being retired

each year.  Almost half of the U.S. population uses cell phones today.  These devices often contain lead and mercury

making the proper disposal of them very important.  When they are placed in our landfills they introduce toxic

substances into the environment.  There are numerous resources available to help people recycle or donate their old

phones to worthwhile causes.

Install a Programmable Thermostat

Electronic thermostats are more accurate than manual thermostats, contain no mercury and are better for the

environment overall.  Programmable thermostats can be set to automatically adjust the temperature of your home

allowing you to save energy while you’re away or sleeping.  Proper usage of pre-

programmed settings can save you nearly $150 in energy costs annually.

Plant Trees

Planting trees on the south and west sides of your home will provide both shade in

the summer and wind blockage in the winter as well as save you anywhere between

$100-$250 in energy costs annually.  Planting evergreen trees on the north side of

your home can help block winter winds.  Although you should opt for deciduous

(leafy) trees on the south and west sides of your home because they’ll shade your

home in the summer and allow light and heat to penetrate through in the winter.

           

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Use a Dish or Face Towel In Place of Paper Towels

If the idea of giving up your paper towels seems too daunting of a task, at least

consider purchasing recycled paper towels.  As a nation, we could save millions of

trees and millions of cubic feet of landfill space by purchasing 100 % recycled paper towels.  These products are made

from a minimum of 80% post consumer content which means recycled paper that would otherwise likely end up in our

already over-crowded landfills.  An added benefit is most of the recycled paper towels are whitened without the usage

of chlorine bleach.  Chlorine releases sand toxins which can cause cancer and other health hazards.  All natural grocers

sell recycled paper towels today.  Naturally, the best alternative is to use a damp dish or face towel instead as the

manufacturing process to create recycled paper towels does unfortunately cause greenhouse gas emissions.

Ditch Your Shoes At the Door

Leaving your shoes at the door can help keep your home cleaner and greener.  Everything you walk in throughout the

day will be tracked into your home if you keep your shoes on indoors.  Leave them at the door to prevent these toxins

from contaminating your carpets, floors and indoor air.  To prevent clutter and help make things easier for your guests

come up with a smart solution at your home’s entry way.  Keep a pair of slip-ons available for quick trips outside to take

out your trash or check your mail so you can avoid having to lace up each time you step outside.