Green Living Means Attention to Small Details
Go for a Greener Lifestyle by Fine-Tuning Daily Living Habits
Jun 13, 2009
"Go green" is a simple slogan that has most everyone turning over a new leaf. From organic gardening to installing compact fluorescent light bulbs Americans are doing whatever is necessary to protect and preserve the environment. Small changes can add hundreds of dollars to a budget over time and reduce wastefulness.
Go Green Tips that Reduce Waste and Save Consumers Money
Going green works right along with saving money, and extra cash is enough to get anyone's attention. Try the tips shown here to keep money in the household budget.
- Hang laundry outdoors on clotheslines instead of using the dryer. The fresh airy scent of line-dried sheets and towels is invigorating to the senses.
- Don't take more individual condiment packages than needed for take-out food. If one does have a few left over, then bring the packets home to use to avoid waste.
- Cut down on shower time. Woman's Day magazine article, "My Green Life" (April 15, 2008) p.118, (author unknown), suggests that, "Cutting a shower from 10 minutes to 5 minutes can save 20,000 gallons of water a year."
- Avoid buying sprayer-type cleaners every time a bottle runs out. Save the empty sprayer and buy refill bottles to save money and cut down on plastic in the landfills. Better yet, make homemade cleaners to cut grease and dirt.
- Use insulated drapes and seal window gaps. Keep the summer heat outdoors where it belongs. The harder an air conditioning unit has to work, the more money it costs. The same goes for winter when frigid air seeping through the slightest window frame cracks can send a fuel bill skyrocketing.
- Recycle personal items so that others can get use from them. Why toss a bike no longer used if someone else can ride it to work? The same goes for shoes, cell phones, books, CDs and DVDs, cameras, and whatever else someone might have a use for. Donate to libraries and thrift stores, or contact local service clubs (Lion's Club, Kiwanis, etc.) to see what might be salvaged. Example: The Lion's Club accepts old eyeglasses and recycles them for persons in underdeveloped countries.
- Unplug electronics between uses. Televisions, stereos, computers, and appliances continue to draw electricity even when not in use. Over a period of time, the cost adds up.
Go Green on Vacation
Summer is no time to slack off when it comes to making environmental improvements and saving money. New concepts in vacationing offer advantages that might have been previously overlooked. Save gas, money, and the hassles of travel by taking a simpler vacation.
- Volunteer at a youth or disability camp. Not all camps are geared entirely for swimming and hiking. Some programs focus on academic skills such as foreign language camps or computer camps. Check out music and theater camps, as well.
- Haycation on a working farm or ranch to relax and de-stress. Enjoy clean air, good food, and learn all about farming.
- Try a vacation at home. Also called a "staycation" the concept has become popular for people who have no money in the budget for a vacation. Visit local museums, the zoo, or whatever attractions are close to home. Trips to the movies, camping in the back yard, going on a picnic, and attending local concerts, all make wonderful family fun. Some choices make great teaching opportunities for children who need to know what conservation and healthy living are all about.
- Teach someone to read. Contact the closest Learn to Read Foundation or check with a school administration to see where help is needed within a community.
- Get involved in a local charity organization or service project. Whether it's working with Habit for Humanity, or picking up litter in a park, working to make the environment safer and cleaner is a great way to spend vacation time.
Going green does not have to be a chore. Simple changes to one's lifestyle and daily habits may even result in unexpected – and pleasant – savings. Staying green on vacation is simply a matter of using time wisely and enjoying a new or unique experience dedicated to helping the environment. Improvement also means educating and empowering the people that live in a community, hence the example of teaching someone to read.
A little effort can go a long way; and while it's the big projects that continue to get the most public attention, the little details can have an equally significant impact. Making a difference goes hand-in-hand with going green. One does not have to give up anything to make improvements to the environment; all that's needed to get things going – and keep them moving – is the right attitude.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
