15 green living tips that will help us make every day Earth Day.
Posted On Saturday, June 11, 2011 at at 12:59 PM by Owner
Say no to bottled water. Water is an excellent, healthy drink but drinking bottled water creates an extraordinary amount of waste. Did you know that it takes more than 17 million gallons of oil each year just to produce bottled water? That’s enough oil to fuel a million cars for an entire year. Instead, get a filter installed on your tap at home and buy a reusable jug to carry with you.
Get active. Instead of driving to your usual destinations, try walking, taking the bus or riding your bike. For every 4-mile trip you avoid taking you in your car, you can prevent approximately 15 pounds of air pollution from entering our atmosphere.
Green your clean. Many store-bought cleaning supplies contain harsh chemicals that aren’t good for you or for the planet. Did you know that baking soda, vinegar and lemon juice can be just as effective as store-bought cleansers? Try using some homemade green cleaners in your home today.
Get e-friendly. Most companies now have an online option for paying bills these days which creates a lot less paper waste. If every household in the US paid bills online, we could save 18 million trees each year.
Use cloth over paper. Instead of using paper napkins and towels, try cloth instead. It’s gentler on the environment and on your grocery budget too!
Power down. It’s hard to believe, but lighting alone consists of 5-10 percent of total energy use. Save energy by turning off lights when you leave a room.
Make a light bulb switcheroo. By switching to fluorescent bulbs, you can dramatically reduce your energy needs. Did you know that if every family in the United States changed to fluorescent bulbs it would be equivalent to taking a million cars off the streets?
Get energy efficient. The next time you need to buy a household appliance make sure to purchase one that has the Energy Star label and you can reduce the amount of energy your family consumes dramatically.
Plant a tree. Trees produce oxygen, absorb carbon dioxide and help clean the air and the soil of our planet. Without trees, we humans would not be able to exist here on Earth. Give a little something back to the planet by planting a tree in your backyard.
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Eat local. Organically grown food may be healthy, but the environmental damage caused by transporting food long distances leaves a large and unnecessary carbon footprint. Studies show that a regional diet consumes 17 times less fossil fuels than a typical diet which includes foods shipped across the country. Try shopping at your local farmer’s market for some fresh and in-season goodies. Or better yet, plant a garden in your own backyard!
Conserve water. Did you know that for every minute you spend in the shower, you use 5 gallons of water? You can reduce your totally water usage dramatically by simply turning off the faucet while you brush your teeth and shortening your daily shower.
Recharge. Instead of buying lots of conventional batteries, switch to rechargeables and you will save the planet from a lot of hazardous waste.
Ditch the disposables. Sure, disposable packaging makes life easier in the short run, but unfortunately it creates a tremendous amount of unnecessary waste. Try buying reusable bags and containers to carry your lunch, groceries and other daily items.
Get creative. Before you throw anything away, think hard about how that item might be used again. Could you give it to a friend? Could it be repurposed into something else? Turn old maps and kids’ artwork into eco-friendly wrapping paper. Old T-shirts make great cleaning rags. Cereal boxes and egg cartons can be turned into arts and crafts supplies. Fill up your empty spaghetti jars with rice or other bulk grains. Old cards can be transformed into beautiful gift tags. The possibilities are endless!
Source : http://dailydelights.sheknows.com/articles/823899/15-ways-to-go-green-in-your-daily-life
