Five Steps to Going Green
Most people today have a favorable impression of those who change their lifestyles to protect the environment. And a whole lot of those people are trying the green lifestyle themselves.
Naturally, this doesn’t mean we can actually stop consuming all together. All of us need certain things.
We have a need for things such as clothing, food, shelter, plus we need to have certain “extras” to make life a bit more pleasurable. However, all of us can make better choices on what things to use and how to use them.
So what are the things you can and should do to protect the environment? Fortunately, it’s easier than ever to do so. Here are five easy things you can do to go green in your own life.
Number one, you can pull the plug. Have you heard of “phantom energy”? This is actually one of the biggest wastes of energy throughout the world.
Phantom energy refers to energy that is used even when you’re not actively using an item. Mostly this means electronic devices such as TVs, computers, cell phone charges, appliances. Even when you’re not aware of it, these things all absorb energy.
So unless you absolutely have to keep something plugged in (For instance, even if you’re not actively using your refrigerator, it needs to be plugged in), then unplug it. If you need a bit of motivation, consider this: Phantom energy is responsible for about 5% of the average home’s total energy bill.
Secondly, when feasible, choose organic foods. Most supermarkets have an entire organic section now. Next time you’re shopping, look for that particular aisle.
Surprisingly, organic food isn’t always that expensive,and is often competitive with their non-organic counterparts.
Our third tip is to buy food locally. The produce stand you see while you’re out driving with the fresh berries and corn is a good investment in your health and in the environment.
Remember that there aren’t any fuel costs involved in getting this food from its point of origin to you. Furthermore, in most cases, these local farmers haven’t polluted their food with pesticides.
Our fourth tip for “going green” is to be smart about lighting. Every time you look at your energy bill and cringe, you should remember this tip. There’s something you can do about it and help the environment at the same time.
It’s quite simple: Buy energy-efficient light bulbs. They’re cheaper than regular light bulbs when you consider that they last as much as 10 times longer. Your wallet and the environment will both thank you.
And our fifth tip: Always look for ways to re-use items. Probably as much as 80% of the items that you normally throw away could be re-used.
You could re-use egg cartons by turning them into seed planters. You could re-use wine bottles by turning them into rolling pins. You could create plant fertilizer from old coffee grounds. Use your imagination and you’ll see just how fun it can be to re-use, and to help the environment!