10 Simple Ways To Go Green

Many people mistakenly think that living green requires a major lifestyle change or that it costs more.  This just isn't true - there are many ways to incorporate green living into your life without drastically changing the way you live and in reality, green living can save you money!  The trick is to start small.  Don't overwhelm yourself and give up before you get started! 

Here are just a few ideas that require little to no lifestyle change or money but can make a huge environmental difference:

1. Conserve water by turning off the tap when you are brushing your teeth or shaving.  While water is one of our most precious resources, it is not a renewable one so every effort to conserve water is huge!
2. Turn the thermostat down.  A couple of degrees will not effect your comfort but saves a lot of energy and up to 10% on your electric bill.
3. Buy used whenever possible.  Besides being lower in cost, making new goods require more natural resources, energy and causes pollution from the manufacturing process .
4. Stop using plastic shopping bags; instead use reusable bags.  Check out this article on BerryBreeze!
5. Grow your own vegetables or buy locally.
6. Use your local library.  You can get books, magazines, movies and more for free.  A tree will thank you!
7. Don't waste food - use it up!  Eat leftovers or use them in another recipe.
8. Plant a tree.
9. Walk or ride a bike whenever possible.  This healthy alternative saves money and helps keep harmful pollutants out of the environment.
10. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle - See my blog post:  An Overview of Green Living and the Three R's.

Pretty simple, right?  This is just a sampling of the easy things you can do to go green.  While it may not seem like much, each one of these tips have a direct impact on the world around us and make a difference to our eco-system and natural resources.

We only have one planet so let's do what we can to protect it!

Kim Johnston