What better time to begin taking a few steps toward a greener life than in conjunction with Earth Day. Going green doesn’t mean giving up your luxuries, but it might just mean embracing a few new and innovative alternatives. Here are 10 small things you can do today to help Mother Earth in her fight to stay green.
- Educate Yourself
The first step to living a green lifestyle is doing your research and educating yourself on the various options, products, and resources available. A useful site offered by Consumer Reports,www.greenerchoices.org, can help you make greener product choices. It offers tools and calculators that can assist with purchase decisions for several product categories, including autos, appliances, and electronics. - Green Your Home
Using all-natural cleaning products, detergents, and energy efficient lighting is a simple way to put a healthy spin on your home. Seventh Generation, (www.seventhgeneration.com), and Clorox, (www.cloroxgreenworks.com), are among several manufacturers that have all-natural cleaning product lines.Energy efficient light bulbs might initially cost more, but will last up to 10 times longer than other bulbs. According to Energy Star, an environment program for businesses and individuals backed by the government, if every American home replaced one regular light bulb with an energy-efficient bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, save more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars. - Spend Green
Be particular where you spend your money. Patronize businesses that have green practices and initiatives. Recognize your spending power and put it toward a worthy cause. If you’re dealing with major companies, look for a statement of the company’s environmental policy on its Website. - Teach Your Kids
It is never too soon to introduce your kids to green living. From eco-friendly toys, birthday parties, bedrooms, and summer camps, teaching your children green habits early is possible. Try the Nature Mom’s Blog, (www.naturemoms.com/blog), for tips and ideas on how to green your family. - Carbon Offsetting
Make up for your effect on the earth by purchasing carbon offsets. Carbon offsets are financial instruments representing a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and can be bought as a way to compensate for pollution caused by everyday activities. Companies, small businesses, and individuals can purchase carbon offsets. Visit the Environmental Defense Fund, (www.fightglobalwarming.com), for more information. - Eat Wisely
You don’t have to be a vegetarian to eat in an eco-friendly way. However, you should recognize that producing meat has a greater environmental impact than growing crops. After all, it takes fuel to run tractors and transport food, and animals and manure produce greenhouse gases. According to the Environmental Defense Fund, if every American had one meal without meat per week, it would be the same as taking more than 5 million cars off our roads.Also try to minimize leftovers: Food leftovers and other compostable waste make up 23% of the U.S. solid waste stream, according to National Geographic‘s Green Guide. - Start a Garden
You can add some green to your landscaping with a new garden. Grow your own organic vegetables and fruit but be sure to use chemical-free seeds. Try Seeds of Change, (www.seedsofchange.com), or The Natural Gardening Co., (www.naturalgardening.com), for truly organic seeds. - Cut Down on Driving
Carpool with co-workers, take public transportation, ride a bike or even walk. If having a car is an absolute must, look into buying a hybrid vehicle. Hybrid vehicles reduce gas emissions and improve mileage, a definite plus with record-breaking gas prices. For more information, visit the Union of Concerned Scientists’ hybrid information center at www.hybridcenter.org. - Recycle
Although not a new idea, recycling is still one of the easiest ways to go green. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, only one curbside recycling program existed in the United States 20 years ago, and by 2006, 8,660 programs were in place. And certainly don’t overlook those water bottles: Purchase a reusable water bottle such as those available at www.mysigg.com. - Use an Eco-Friendly Bag
According to the EPA, more than 380 billion plastic bags, wraps, and sacks are used in the U.S. each year. In supermarkets the question is changing from “paper or plastic?” to “Do you have a canvas bag?” Reusable, eco-friendly bags are spotted much more commonly in grocery stores around the country. What’s more, if you’re a small business owner, consider buying custom canvas bags for your customers to reuse. Check out Websites such as www.ecobags.com and www.bagsontherun.com.