Mar 17 2009
Teaching You Tuesday - Save Green by Going Green
I thought this would be an appropriate post for St. Patty’s Day!
Seems like everybody is “Going Green” these days. If only we had done this so many years ago…anyway. Some believe it is too expensive to do so, but I’m here to show you otherwise. Sometimes “Going Green” can actually save you some green!! These tips cost nearly nothing or cost nothing at all and will save you money!
Saving Energy - Saves $$:1. Change to energy efficient bulbs. I’m sure all of you have heard this, but soon you won’t have a choice! Old bulbs will become obsolete! These bulbs seem a little pricey at first, but they save lots of energy and this saves you $! You’ll be buying less bulbs since they last so much longer. This is help cut down on trash in landfills. You can occasionally find coupons for these bulbs so keep an eye out!2. Turn off lights when you’re not in a room. Or open the blinds during the day! Don’t use that electricity when you’ve got natural sunlight!
3. Unplug objects that aren’t in use. Even though the item may not be on, it still draws power, which waste electricity! This runs up your bill.
4. Use cold water to wash most of your clothing. Believe it or not you don’t have to buy a fancy “cold water” laundry detergent to get the same effect as you would washing in warm water. Most high quality laundry detergents wash just as well in cold water. (I wouldn’t recommended it on your gym socks, but for everyday clothing that’s not sweaty/smelly it will work just fine!) By using less hot water, your hot water heater isn’t working as hard so you’re using less energy!
5. Use an clothesline or indoor drying rack instead of your dryer. This can save you so much energy. Yes, it will take your clothes longer to dry, but if you don’t need them right away, why not?
6. No clothesline or drying rack? Have to use a dryer? Do your loads back to back. Make sure the dryer stays hot. This saves energy since the dryer doesn’t have to heat up every single time!
7. Turn off the heated drying cycle on your dishwasher. Just let your dishes air dry. Open the dishwasher for a quicker dry. Or if you have time, use a cloth and dry by hand.
8. Buy green cleaning products. Just make sure it’s legit and not a gimmick. Most of these products are better for the environment, work well and don’t cost more than your usual cleaning supplies.
9. Keep your thermostat set on 1 temperature. The more you change it, the higher your bills. To conserve energy and save more money try keeping the thermostat higher in the summer and lower in the winter. Your air will run less, saving energy and money!
10. Use rechargeable batteries. The less batteries you use, the less waste there will be. And the less money you spend buying more!
We need to conserve water for our earth. These are simple tips to help do that, which will lower your water bill also!Save Water:1. Take a shorter shower. This not only saves water - It saves energy, which saves you $$.
2. Turn off the faucet when you’re brushing your teeth. What’s the point in it running when you aren’t using it?
3. Fix leaks around the house. Have a leaky faucet or shower. This wastes gallons of water…fix it!
4. Wash clothes when you have a full load. Several small loads wastes energy and water. Try to do your laundry one day a week to have fuller loads and save that H2O!
5. Same thing goes for your dishes. Only use the dishwasher when you have a full load.
Nearly everything can be recycled and it’s so easy to do! It costs you nothing and will help save the environment. It’s one of the oldest forms of “going green”.Recycling:1. Recycle newspapers, white paper, cardboard, plastic bags, magazines, catalogs, cans, bottles, jugs, glass…you name it, you can probably recycle it!
2. Grass clippings. Don’t bag them up and throw them away! That’s just more plastic to fill up a landfill when clippings are a natural fertilizer! Leave them in your yard!
3. Make a compost pile. Have a garden? This is great fertilizer…the eggshells or banana peel you have left over from cooking…use them!
4. Recycle your cell phones. There are so many places that will take old cell phones and use the parts again. Just make sure you erase all of your data!
5. Recycle old textbooks. Don’t just trash them. You can donate them or there are several places to sell them online. Cash4Books.net or Textbooks.com just to name a couple.
Being green isn’t only about saving money and resources - It’s about being responsible. We have responsibilities as human beings to take care of our earth and have pride. Here are a few things to always remember.Responsibilities:1. Don’t be wasteful. Use only what you need. Things like mail packages can use so much unnecessary products. Most of it will end up in a landfill. Be mindful about how large your package is and exactly how much padding you will need for your package. Use the smallest box possible. Also use smaller packaging for laundry detergent, etc. This uses a lot less plastic!
2. Don’t litter. I can’t tell you how disgusted I am by litter and the people that do it. It’s nothing but pure laziness. Even something as small as a cigarette butt. There are places to put things and the ground isn’t one of them. This stuff is not only unsightly, it’s a hazard to the environment and all that live in it. Animals, water ways and people are affected by litter everyday. Cigarettes start fires, animals eat litter, litter gets into our lakes and streams. This all has a trickling effect. It honestly isn’t that difficult to properly dispose of your trash.
3. Don’t drive more than you have to or bike/walk it. Combine your small trips into one. Do all of your shopping in one day. This will save you gas, mileage and help the earth. If you’re close to a place just stroll on over. It’s good for you and the earth.
4. Dispose of appliances, tires, etc properly. Again don’t litter! Contact the local recycling center or the manufacturer to see how things can be properly disposed of or even recycled!
Small investments make for big savings, in your wallet and the environment.Other Tips:1. Buy a water filter for your tap. This way you will never have to buy bottled water again. Use your own cup from home. You’ll be saving plastic and saving money in the long run buy not purchasing expensive bottled water.
2. Invest in cloth napkins. You will save on the cost of paper towels and less will go into a landfill. Want to save on the cost of cloth napkins? Cut up an old tablecloth that you don’t use anymore.
3. Use cloth bags for shopping, but you don’t have to buy them! Every store has their own bags these days, but you don’t have to purchase those. Just use what you have at home! (Some stores even have a bag credit if you bring old plastic bags in or use your own cloth bags!)
Great tips!