If you haven’t adopted greener ways of living, you’re practically living in the dark ages! Get with the program now because the environment needs all the help it can get and you can save a lot of cash in the process. Victor, from le gamme des maison en bois, gave us the following advices to go green:
1. Make it about money. Going green may sound like a chore, but if you give yourself the incentive of saving money, it will be a lot easier. Buy CFLs for your home, lower the thermostat, turn lights off when not in use and unplug appliances that drain energy even when they’re not on and watch your utility bill go down. Once you see the money you can save, the motivation to go green will definitely increase.
2. Start conserving water. Fresh water supplies are being exhausted all over the planet and as weather patterns change, availability will too. Get in the habit of taking shorter showers, not running the water as you brush your teeth and at other times and you will be making a considerable contribution to the planet’s ability to sustain us. Most of us take water for granted, resulting in foolish and unnecessary waste.
3. Share rides, get a bike or walk whenever possible. China is suffering from extreme pollution due to carbon-monoxide emissions. Los Angeles and Mexico also have problems with air pollution and before long, we all will. The less you use your car the better, and with gas prices always on the rise, you’ll be pocketing more change too. Use a bike or walk to work or run errands and team-up with co-workers to carpool.
4. Buy gently used items instead of brand new. Chances are very good that if you need to buy something, somebody has the item listed in your local want ads. Check out Craigslist or Freecycle where you can obtain products in good condition at a fraction of the retail price. The things you purchase have a huge impact on the environment and getting them used will be an advantage in many ways, particularly in saving you money.
5. Download books or get them from the library. Trees are a major component of a strong environment and unfortunately, we don’t take care of ours or consider the long-term effects of cutting them down. Use less paper by enjoying an electronic read or visiting the library and checking out hard-copy books. Either method provides great opportunities in learning and entertainment and will save on trees and more.
6. Make your own cleaning supplies. Just eliminating the boxes and bottles your commercial cleaning products come in will be a significant positive for the environment. Consider your air-quality improvements at home, reduced toxicity in run-off and drainage and the money you save and this is an irresistible green habit to get into. Yes, your homemade solutions will be just as effective as the commercial types, if not more so. Start with baking soda, vinegar and lemon juice and conduct an online search. You’ll find you can make your own body soaps and toothpaste too!
7. Buy in bulk. This method dramatically lowers your cost per-item, reduces the amount of gas you use shopping and cuts down on packaging materials used. If you live alone or otherwise think you’ll be over-doing it by buying in bulk, hook up with friends so you can all save.
Adopt a greener way of life now for the environment and yourself. As this article clearly demonstrates, it’s clearly worth it!
