I’m doing a private study for school on environmental issues and green living. What are some things (big or small) that someone can change about their lifestyle to to promote green living? I tried Google, but they didn’t really provide what I’m looking for.
Thanks. 🙂
Buy things made locally. There is less fuel used in transporting something across the state as opposed to importing something from across the world.
Buy things with minimal packaging. Less packaging means less waste.
Have less kids. Ideally people shouldn’t have more than two children (enough to replace themselves). People having three or more kids are only adding to the population and making it more difficult for the planet to sustain our existence.
Don’t drive when you can walk or ride a bike.
Recycle things around your house to reduce waste. (Eg. Over the weekend I recycled old christmas gift bags into paper chains for christmas decorations)
When something breaks, fix it instead of buying a new one. Clothes can be sewn instead of thrown away. Many small appliances could also be easily repaired but often people are content to just throw things away and buy new ones. This makes unnecessary waste.
Start a compost bin for your vegetable scraps. This will reduce the amount of landfill space needed to get rid of your trash and it’s good for your garden.
http://www.google.ca/search?q=green+living+tips&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rlz=1R1GGGL_en___CA317&client=firefox-a
"green living tips" produced 583 million results. The front page alone displays results that run the entire gamut. If that’s not what you’re looking for, you aren’t going to find anything new here.
favorite is "The Green Book" which has parts of its book online as well at http://www.readthegreenbook.com.
As I have been striving to "Go Green" I realize it is like stepping back in time without getting rid of my modern conveniences. I’m doing many things I learned as a child, like line drying my clothes, sweeping instead of vacuuming, opening the windows in the morning to catch the cool breeze, only buying what I need instead of everything that looks cool, growing some of my own food, and canning what I can’t eat now.
To me "going Green" is a frame of mind. Do what fits your lifestyle and do the easy things first, it is a process and like dieting if you go to radical to soon, you are more likely to go back to bad habits. I also believe there are good, better, best choices in most things. If you aren’t ready to start a home garden, then try finding a farmers market, until you locate one look for produce grown as close to home as possible and go organic when available.
Many people think "going green" is expensive, I disagree. Some changes may take an initial investment, but they usually have a short payoff time. Things like weather stripping and insulation cost, but the energy savings will add up quickly. You may need to purchase reusable bags, but most stores give you a 5 or 10 cent credit, so you are paid back within a few months.
Reduce your packaging, if you eat more fresh food you will generally reduce packaging, it’s the same thing they tell dieters, shop the perimeter, that is where all the meat, dairy and produce are located. Only buy what you will use, many Americans throw away a lot of unused food. Buy in bulk, that doesn’t just mean large packages, but that area with the bins that you buy only what you plan on using.
Replace disposable items with durable items, if you eat outside often and use disposable paper or plastic plates, it is a wise investment to purchase a set of reusable plastic plates. Replace disposable razors, diapers and cleaning products like swiffer. Avoid bottled water, get a home filter like Pur or Brita.
Recycle, http://www.earth911.org will help you locate the nearest recycle center. I try to only purchase plastics that are #1 or #2, they are more easily recycled. I also buy recycled products when available, that includes paper towels, napkins, toilet paper, tissue, school/office supplies and clothing.
Detox your cleaning, vinegar and baking soda clean almost anything, they can even loosen a hair clog. Seventh Generation and Method are a couple mainstream brands that are very earth friendly.
Just start small and build from there, don’t get overwhelmed.