A few easy tips to live a greener life and do your part for the environment
Most people have thought about saving the planet at one time or another. We’ve all seen the television advertisements urging us to reduce, reuse and recycle and we’ve probably read something in a newspaper or magazine about the global warming crisis now at hand. We’ve heard warnings about rain forests and habitats being destroyed, ice caps melting, and landfills overflowing. And we’ve probably all thought, “What can I do?”
The good news is you don’t have to be a movie star to make a big contribution and you don’t have to completely change your lifestyle. It’s the small changes that are the easiest to commit to and that in the end add up to a lot. Consider the following tips and see if they can be integrated into your everyday routine.
1) Instead of leaving your computer running all night in your home or office, try shutting it down before you log off at the end of the day. It only takes a few minutes to boot back up and makes a big difference in energy conservation. Encourage your friends or coworkers to do the same.
2) Whenever possible, walk or bike to your destination. Allow yourself the extra time and see what a difference it makes in your attitude. It’s a great way to reduce stress, boost energy, and burn calories—all while saving the planet.
3) Try buying locally grown fruits and vegetables instead of those in grocery stores. Chances are they weren’t sprayed with harmful chemicals and it cuts down on carbon emissions used by trucks that transport the goods across the nation.
4) Remove your name from junk mail lists. You’d be surprised just how much waste paper is sent to just one person each year. If you know you don’t shop at a certain store or read a publication that comes to you each month, try calling or emailing the sender to have your name removed. Your mail box will be clutter free and you’ll be cutting down on waste.
5) Take your own bags to the supermarket. Reusable cloth bags are a sturdy and environmentally friendly way to tote your goodies home. Plastic bags take between 10-20 years to decompose and paper bags require the destruction of trees and forests. For example: In 1999, 14 million trees were cut to produce the 10 billion paper grocery bags used by Americans that year alone. So take your own bag and know that you’re making a difference.
6) Bump your thermostat just a few degrees. If you know you’re gone most of the day, lowering or raising the temperature in your home 10 degrees can make a huge difference in energy use. While you’re there, bump your thermostat just a few degrees and try lounging in shorts during the summer, or cuddle up in a blanket during the winter. After a while you won’t even notice the difference—until the bill comes!
These are just a few of the environmentally friendly actions you can take to make a difference. Saving the planet doesn’t mean making huge sacrifices, just smart moves. Making the time to think about your impact upon the planet only takes a minute, but the difference could last a lifetime.
