GOING GREEN TIPS: Take Baby Steps To Help Our Planet and Save You Money
70GOING GREEN essentially means altering your activities in such a way that you are helping the environment rather than hurting it.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the talk about GOING GREEN. But you can make a positive impact by making quick and simple changes. BABY STEPS!
The intent of this article is to keep it simple and uncomplicated! It is my hope that many of these ideas will easily stick with you and truly make a difference. Here we go:
GET INVOLVED IN EARTH DAY ACTIVITIES April 22 annually
MAKE YOUR OWN NON-TOXIC EARTH-FRIENDLY HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS and save money too
WRAP GIFTS IN NEWSPAPER, reuse gift bags or simply don’t wrap them at all
USE YOUR COMPUTER ENERGY SAVING FEATURES whenever possible
USE A DISHWASHER instead of hand washing dishes, run it only when it is full, and turn off the "heat dry" cycle
LET YOUR DISHES AIR DRY by opening your dishwasher at the end of the washing cycle
ELIMINATE USING DISPOSABLE PRODUCTS that end up in our landfills
CHOOSE ENERGY EFFICIENT LIGHT BULBS for all your lighting needs
SET YOUR CLOTHES WASHER TO COLD WATER or warm only if necessary, not hot
LINE DRY YOUR CLOTHES instead of using the clothes dryer
UTILIZE REUSABLE BAGS for all your shopping needs
TURN OFF THE LIGHTS when leaving a room
RECYCLE PAPER, GLASS, PLASTIC and anything else you can
TURN DOWN YOUR THERMOSTAT just a couple degrees in Winter
TURN UP YOUR THERMOSTAT just a couple degrees in Summer
UNPLUG APPLIANCES that are not in use
GO PAPERLESS by paying your bills on-line
TURN THE WATER OFF while brushing your teeth
TAKE COOL, QUICK SHOWERS not as often
BUILD YOUR OWN RAIN BARREL to conserve water
START A CAR POOL or use public transportation
RIDE A BIKE or WALK instead of drive
PLANT A TREE in your yard
ADOPT A PET and have them spayed/neutered
USE BIODEGRADABLE BAGS for your pet waste
USE ECO-FRIENDLY CAT LITTER for your feline friends
BUILD A COMPOST in your back yard
BUY REFURBISHED ELECTRONICS from trusted manufacturers
STOP SMOKING cigarettes and anything else that ads pollution to our air
BUY A HYBRID CAR the next time you need to purchase a vehicle
DONATE ITEMS that may be useful to others
VOLUNTEER FOR YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY to help with their reduce/reuse and recycle programs
CONTINUE TO EDUCATE YOURSELF on ways to GO GREEN
Embracing a greener lifestyle isn't just about helping to preserve our planet earth. Taking baby steps to GO GREENER means improving your health, adding more to your savings account, and ultimately, improving your overall quality of life.
What other "easy to go green" ideas do you have?
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Hi Harlan,
Thanks for reading and commenting. I do have wash your clothes in cold water toward the top of the list. I'm glad to hear that you do most of these things already. So many ideas on this list are easy to do and a simple reminder for all of us. Thanks again!
Sorry, I read it to mean wash your clothes the old fashioned way with a wash board in cold water... my bad. I misunderstood lol. Cute avatar pic too btw.
P.S. we have a Parma, Idaho not far from where I live here.
- Harlan
Gosh Harlan, no need to be sorry. I do think it could be misunderstood. But I really am not trying to tell people to wash all their clothes by hand -ha! Anyway, that would be wasting water, right? I think I'll re-word it a little thanks to you.
Re: Parma - It's a strange name and yet I have heard of it as a city name in several states -wierd!
Have a good nite!
Up and useful! I can use some help going green:) I know I can adhere to some of this! Lol
Cool ~ Thanks Kelly for your support!
Hello Sharyn,
This has become such a passion of mine the last few years. I am excited to do more as I retire. I just used up the last of our paper napkins and have a basket full of cloth ones. Thanks for a wonderful hub with great ideas.
Sunnie
Hey Sunnie,
Cloth instead of paper napkins - another good idea! Hmmmm, that would go for baby diapers too :)
As always Sunnie, thank you for your support!
This is a very useful hub, because when people see that there are small steps they can take it feels possible. I think a lot of people think it’s too much bother and so they don’t even try but if they can see that even small things make a difference they are more likely to make a start. I certainly began going green in small steps 20+ years ago, recycling paper and buying a few organic vegetables, and gradually increased till I do almost all of these. Living in chilly Scotland there is no need to turn the thermostat up in summer because we don’t have air conditioning!
Hi Yvonne ~ I agree. It's the small steps that get us to begin to make a difference. Eventually, it just becomes a way of life. I didn't realize that there is no need for air conditioning in Scotland. For me personally, I don't know what I'd do without it when the temps get up in to the mid 80's and beyond. Thanks so much for stopping by!
Sharyn
Harlan Colt Level 3 Commenter 14 months ago
I do most of these. I would add however, if you wash your clothes in a machine, use luke or cold water. This saves energy too. The one thing I don't to is go out to the Earth Day celebrations. Too many7 Socialist Leftist arm-chair environmentalists there to drink the daily mantra right or wrong. I hate when people are mindless sheeple to be cool.
Good hub tho,
- Harlan