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Going Green
How You Can Make a Difference
Going green, or eco-friendly living is synonymous with a low-impact lifestyle. It promotes responsible buying and waste reduction. It involves taking steps to
reduce, reuse and recycle responsibly.
Everyone of us can make a difference. In a collective effort we can bring about positive change. Be proactive--learn what you can do.
What Does Going Green MeanReduce Carbon Footprint
Living green means you care enough to lower your carbon footprint. The measure of all your activities and habits is your
carbon footprint.
It is the sum of everything you do on a daily basis. This is a good thing because the more you do, the more opportunities for making better choices.
Eco-friendly living is not only about what you buy, but about how you
dispose of it.
It's also about making the right choices in terms of using alternative energy sources, conservation of natural resources, what you eat and wear, the car you drive, and even what kind of light bulbs you use.
Examining your daily choices is a great first step towards going green. You are in the driver’s seat. This website seeks not to judge, but to inform and give you guidelines for creating change with helpful going green tips.
Consumerism
Consumerism is the concept of purchasing above and beyond your basic needs. The Industrial Revolution paved the way for mass consumerism. It created an era of abundance. Mass production led to increased availability of products at a lower cost.
So, while rampant consumerism is associated with modern society and a desire for status, it is not a new idea. Wasteful consumption, however, is contributing to our carbon footprint, the greenhouse effect, and
global warming.
Taking Out the Trash
My own path to going green at home has led me to make some significant changes in my life. By recycling and
composting
I have managed to reduce my trash to less than one 13 gallon (tall kitchen) trash bag a week for a family of three, and some weeks even less.
I have switched to cloth kitchen towels and napkins and have replaced all my light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). These changes reduce my use of paper towels and napkins and help me to conserve energy.
Conserving Energy
I've stopped using my AC altogether (and remember I live in Florida) and have been careful to keep lights off when not in use. For two months in a row I've cut my electric bill by more than half. Eco-friendly living is not only good for the planet, but also easy on my pocketbook.
If you could reduce your energy bill to one-sixth of the average, would you cut back? One family of four did. By taking a closer look at their lifestyle choices and making a commitment to going green in a big way, they managed to make a huge savings.
They figured out
how to save electricity
by eliminating unnecessary luxuries and cutting back on the use of electrical appliances and gadgets in their home.
If you examine closely your expenditure of resources you too will find excesses. Saving energy and preserving resources make cents--and dollars. What is going green worth to you?
Click here
for some Rules of Success for Living Green from a fellow green advocate. I talk more about specific changes you and I can make and other eco-friendly living options for conserving our resources and reducing waste in several related articles.
Related Articles
Global Warming Effects Briefly Explained
Global warming effects are being felt worldwide but do you know what causes global warming?
So, What Is a Carbon Footprint?
Reduce carbon footprint, green your home and save money...and save the earth in the bargain.
Carbon Footprint Offset: Minimize the Guilt with Carbon Offsets
Step lightly: A carbon footprint offset is for those times when you just cannot avoid putting your big fat carbon foot down. Offsets help minimize effects of global warming.
Reduce Reuse Recycle
Reduce Reuse Recycle it. Please. We live in a throw-away society, so why should we recycle?
The Garbage Dump: Out of Sight, Out of Mind
The last place you want your waste to end up is in a landfill or garbage dump, hazardous or not. No one wants a dump in their backyard.
Toxic Waste: Hazardous Materials in and around your Home
Batteries, light bulbs, cell phones, computers, and televisions create toxic waste. Hazardous materials found in every day household items can and should be recycled.
Starting a Compost Pile at Home
Make your own compost pile at home to use for organic vegetable gardening with easy composting how-to intructions.
Tips for Going Green: Ideas for your Home
Small changes in lifestyle can have a big impact on the planet and your wallet.
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