Top 12 Tips For Going Green

Top 12 Tips on Going Green:

It seems like everyone's “going green”, and we're glad you want to take action. When “going green” you can help find ways to save energy, reduce your carbon footprint and save money too!

Here are the Top 12 tips for going green in your home:

1. Change to Fluorescent Bulbs (CFL’s) when your older incandescent bulbs burn out. If every house in the United States changed all of the light bulbs in their house, that would be equivalent to taking one million cars off the streets.

2. Set your thermostat a few degrees lower in the winter and a few degrees higher in the summer to save on heating and cooling costs. Every degree lower in the winter or higher in the summer you put it is a 10% decrease on your energy bill.

3. Turn off lights and unplug appliances when you're not using them. Or, use a "smart" power strip that senses when appliances are off and cuts "phantom" or "vampire" energy use. The benefits are obvious.

4. Install low-flow showerheads in each shower in your home. They are inexpensive, and the water and energy savings can quickly pay back your investment. Take shorter showers to reduce water use. Every minute you cut from your shower is roughly 5 gallons of water. The less time your shower takes, the lower your impact on the environment. This will lower your water and heating bills too. 

5. Always recycle your plastic, paper and glass containers and packaging. If you do not recycle, it will take a million years to decompose as well as take up space in landfills.

6. Wash clothes in warm or cold water whenever possible, instead of the hot cycle. As much as 85 percent of energy used to machine-wash clothes goes to heating the water. This will save a lot of energy a year.

7. When drying clothes, try to hang them outside on a clothesline or use a drying rack to save the energy otherwise used during machine drying. Your clothes will last longer and you will save money.

8. Skip the bottled water. Instead of bottled water get a reusable container, preferably aluminum, to carry water. Also you can get a filter to make your home tap taste more like bottled water. Not only is bottled water expensive, but it generates large amounts of container waste.

9. Reduce clutter by giving unwanted things away and borrow items when possible instead of buying new items. Take things that you are not going to wear or use and give it to a charity or someone who will use it. Share power tools and other appliances when possible from friends and neighbors. Get to know your neighbors while cutting down on the number of things cluttering your closets or garage.

10. Keep your cell phones, computers, and other electronics as long as possible. Donate or recycle them responsibly when the time comes to replace or upgrade to newer ones. E-waste contains mercury and other toxics and is a growing environmental problem. Make sure to recycle your cell phone when you upgrade to a new one. Ask your local government to set up an electronics recycling and hazardous waste collection event.

11. Walk or ride your bike when you can and consider telecommuting if you live far from your work. If you have to go somewhere close, consider riding your bike or walking there instead of driving your car. It's better on the environment and healthier. This saves on gas and parking costs while improving your cardiovascular health and reducing your risk of obesity.

12. Make your own non-toxic cleaning products whenever you need them;  it is a lot easier than you might think. All you need are a few simple ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, lemon, and soap. Making your own cleaning products saves money, time, and packaging-not to mention your indoor air quality.

Bonus Item: Plant a tree every year. It's good for the air, creates shade that can keep you cool, and can increase your property value.

Those are only a few of the great ways you can start the process of “going green” which will prevent global warming. There’s so much more out there, but this is a good place to start. Do what you can, when you can, and remember that every little bit helps.