| So you want to "go green," huh? I'll tell you how! | | | | reduce consumption of resources, and save us a |
| Sell your minivan or SUV and buy a hybrid. And | | | | TON of money! |
| while you're at it, have solar panels installed on | | | | - Turn off the water while brushing your teeth. |
| your roof for an alternate energy source. Make | | | | - Turn off computers when not is use or at night. |
| your own clothing out of hemp grown in your | | | | Don't just sleep or hibernate them. |
| own backyard, hydrated by water you've been | | | | - Reuse gift bags and gift wrap. A friend of mine |
| collecting in rain barrels. Go ahead, I'll wait. Let me | | | | and I made an agreement years ago that we |
| know when you're done. | | | | would not write on the tags on gift bags when |
| What's that? You don't have thousands of dollars | | | | we gave each other gifts, that way we can |
| to spend on new cars and total home remodels? | | | | reuse the perfectly pristine gift bags. |
| Okay, neither do I. | | | | - Turn down the thermostat, especially at night. |
| What we need are feasible and realistic ideas to | | | | Just turning it down a degree or two will show |
| help us leave a smaller carbon footprint, reduce | | | | savings on your heating bill. |
| the consumption of resources, teach our kids | | | | - Install weather stripping around doors and |
| how to be ecologically responsible, and how to | | | | windows. |
| save some money in the process! We all know | | | | - Hang clothing to dry, or remove clothes from |
| how to throw things in the recycle bin, but there | | | | the dryer before they are completely dry. A |
| are other easy things we can do every day. | | | | clothes dryer is typically the second-biggest |
| - Re-use shopping bags. You can buy cloth | | | | electricity-using appliance after the refrigerator, |
| shopping bags at almost any store these days. | | | | costing about $85 to operate annually. That's why |
| They are inexpensive and sturdy, and are usually | | | | you won't see an Energy Star sticker on a |
| very roomy. If you don't want to invest in | | | | clothes dryer anytime soon. |
| shopping bags, ask for paper bags. We don't need | | | | - Don't rinse dishes before putting them in the |
| more plastic polluting our oceans. | | | | dishwasher. Scrape them, but let your dishwasher |
| - Replace the light bulbs in your home with | | | | do the work. |
| fluorescent bulbs, and turn off lights when not in | | | | - Take showers, not baths. Believe it or not, you |
| use. You'd be surprised how much power it takes | | | | save a lot of water. If you can stand turning off |
| to illuminate a standard incandescent bulb. | | | | the water while you soap up and scrub, even |
| Fluorescent bulbs are 4 to 6 times more energy | | | | better. |
| efficient than incandescent bulbs. | | | | - Don't use spray air fresheners. Use natural |
| - Try not to buy bottled water. Are we really | | | | things to freshen your home. |
| willing to pay a buck or more, for water? If you | | | | - Visit the local library instead of buying books. |
| don't like the taste of tap water, an inexpensive | | | | Unless your child has a favorite book he or she |
| water filtration system on your kitchen faucet will | | | | will read again and again, just borrowing books |
| produce better tasting water. Buy yourself a | | | | from the library actually promotes reading |
| groovy water bottle to refill and keep with you. | | | | because there are new and exciting books to |
| You will save yourself a lot of money! | | | | read on a regular basis. Added bonus, it's free! |
| - Become a bento family. You don't need plastic | | | | - Buy rechargeable batteries. It will be a small initial |
| baggies and disposable containers to pack these | | | | investment, but will save you a lot of money. |
| eco-friendly lunches, and the very design | | | | - Recycle gifts. This is a taboo subject, but |
| encourages people to pack healthier, less | | | | haven't we all done this before? Re-gifting may be |
| processed foods. Which leads me to my next tip... | | | | a hard thing for some people to get used to, but |
| - Stop buying processed foods. I know we're all | | | | isn't it better than shoving the unwanted gift on a |
| busy, but setting aside some time to make | | | | shelf and letting it clutter your home? Schedule a |
| freezer meals or prepare snacks yourself is much | | | | gift swap with your friends after the holidays, |
| better than buying sodium and high fructose corn | | | | doing it Yankee-Swap style would be a lot of fun. |
| syrup laden foods. | | | | - Use both sides of paper. Whenever possible, |
| - Buy from local farmers. There are so many | | | | print on both sides of the paper. |
| benefits, I don't know where to start. Local | | | | - Pay your bills online. Whenever possible, request |
| produce is fresh, often organic, and always more | | | | that companies do not send you statements and |
| delicious. Local farmers and business owners are | | | | invoices in the mail. |
| supported, and large gas-guzzling trucks have not | | | | - If you have a baby or about to have one, |
| had to crate the produce to stores. | | | | please consider using cloth diapers. Cloth diapering |
| - Carpool. Carpool with co-workers, other parents, | | | | will equal enormous savings, and much less waste. |
| friends. You'll all save money on gas, and fewer | | | | One toddler can produce a garbage bag full of |
| carbon emissions are always a good thing. | | | | dirty disposable diapers a week. |
| - Walk or ride bikes. Obviously, the added bonus | | | | - Make your own baby food. Again, so many |
| here is the physical exercise for your family. | | | | benefits. Take that local produce you bought and |
| - Participate in or organize clothing swaps. We all | | | | turn it into delicious stuff for your baby. It saves |
| know how fast our kids outgrow their clothes, | | | | money, it's natural, it tastes better, and you aren't |
| and we spend a lot of money on new clothes for | | | | throwing away plastic baby food containers. |
| them. Some PTO parents and churches have | | | | See? Easy peasy. You don't have to blow the |
| been known to organize clothing swaps. Meaning, | | | | lock of your wallet in order to keep your family |
| people bring clothes to donate, and they take | | | | green, although a new hybrid car would be nice, |
| what they need. This is an excellent way to | | | | huh? |