can you list at least ten things please, if not than fewer,
Thanks!
4 thoughts on “What are some basic starts for green living, starting at home?”
thor
Think of anything that can save you money and it will probably be green.
Don’t cut your lawn so often.
Use a clothes line to dry your clothes. When they are dry throw them into the dryer at a no heat setting to fluff them up and remove lint.
Open window shades during the day and close at night to keep heat in, or the opposite if you live in hot climates.
Put an extra blanket on the bed and get a timer to turn the heat down at night and up again just before you get up. Same can be done for water heaters.
Pile bags of leaves (or Christmas trees) around your house to keep wind from blowing onto and under the crawl space or siding.
Invite people over for parties. Every person on average puts out 500 btu of heat at all times.
Get a clean burning wood stove. I’ve always been able to find plenty of waste wood around my neighborhood for free to keep my house at a decent temperature except in really cold weather.
Get your windows glazed. The plastic film is pretty cheap and both keeps heat in in cold climates and excess heat out in warm. Also tax deductible last time I checked.
Plant a garden. Fresh veggies and better tasting than what you buy at a store. Doesn’t have to be large, just a tomato pot in the window is good if you put it outside once in awhile to pollinate or you’ll have to do it yourself.
pigzrule104
you can start to use a drying rack when you do dishes this way you dont have to run the dish washer and if you do use the dish washer open it up when the drying stage is up this way you dont have to waste oil on drying let it air dry.
whsgreenmom
Going green is easy, there are so many great resources about the subject. My personal 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.
Dani
Well, there are a lot of things you can do:
1. you can turn off all the lights you aren’t using
2. change your light bulbs to the eco bulbs you can get at the store for about the same amount of regular bulbs
3. use plastic or glass cups and plates rather than paper
4. don’t throw away paper, put it in the recycling bin
5. unplug any lamps or electronics when you’re not using them
6. instead of sending mail send e-mails to save paper
7. walk short distances instead of driving
8. carpool to save gas
9. Use battery operated electronics rather than plug-ins
10. recycle bottles at your local grocery store and re-use plastic bottles instead of buying new ones
Think of anything that can save you money and it will probably be green.
Don’t cut your lawn so often.
Use a clothes line to dry your clothes. When they are dry throw them into the dryer at a no heat setting to fluff them up and remove lint.
Open window shades during the day and close at night to keep heat in, or the opposite if you live in hot climates.
Put an extra blanket on the bed and get a timer to turn the heat down at night and up again just before you get up. Same can be done for water heaters.
Pile bags of leaves (or Christmas trees) around your house to keep wind from blowing onto and under the crawl space or siding.
Invite people over for parties. Every person on average puts out 500 btu of heat at all times.
Get a clean burning wood stove. I’ve always been able to find plenty of waste wood around my neighborhood for free to keep my house at a decent temperature except in really cold weather.
Get your windows glazed. The plastic film is pretty cheap and both keeps heat in in cold climates and excess heat out in warm. Also tax deductible last time I checked.
Plant a garden. Fresh veggies and better tasting than what you buy at a store. Doesn’t have to be large, just a tomato pot in the window is good if you put it outside once in awhile to pollinate or you’ll have to do it yourself.
you can start to use a drying rack when you do dishes this way you dont have to run the dish washer and if you do use the dish washer open it up when the drying stage is up this way you dont have to waste oil on drying let it air dry.
Going green is easy, there are so many great resources about the subject. My personal 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.
Well, there are a lot of things you can do:
1. you can turn off all the lights you aren’t using
2. change your light bulbs to the eco bulbs you can get at the store for about the same amount of regular bulbs
3. use plastic or glass cups and plates rather than paper
4. don’t throw away paper, put it in the recycling bin
5. unplug any lamps or electronics when you’re not using them
6. instead of sending mail send e-mails to save paper
7. walk short distances instead of driving
8. carpool to save gas
9. Use battery operated electronics rather than plug-ins
10. recycle bottles at your local grocery store and re-use plastic bottles instead of buying new ones
hope this helps! 🙂