5 Easy Ways To Go Green

By Sharifa on May 19, 2008 1:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It seems everyone is going green these days. Take a look around, hybrid car sales are through the roof, and you can find any company that wants to stay in business catering to this trend. While I am one who usually likes to buck tradition, I am all aboard this "Save Mother Nature" train. And to do my part, I wanted to share how I'm going green. Here are great ways to start saving the planet.

Give A Little Bit

I donate $15 a month to a California environmentalist group. And to save a tree this money is deducted from my account electronically. You don't have to be a millionaire to care about global warming or to do something about it.

Filter Out The Bad Stuff
Ditch the water bottles and invest in filtration system. When I was in college a Brita pitcher was a necessity, especially with the high lead levels in our city water. It tasted like drinking mud before you filtered it. The filters only have to be replaced every 3 months or so. Whether you put the system directly on your faucet or pick up a pitcher, just imagine how much less plastic you'll use.

Try Paper Cuts
Cutting paper out of your life is a great way to be a "Planetarian." Pay your bills electronically and have your bank statements emailed to you. Also, instead of spending all your money on the latest copy of the New York Times best seller, get a library card. They get those reads ASAP, so you can get your hands on it and return it when you're done. I know a bookshelf full of good reads is impressive, but is it really necessary? For your next party try e-vites instead the paperless possibilities are endless.

Curb Your Car
Give your car a rest and bike it to work. I actually have an aluminum bike, which makes it super light, that is perfect for traveling. It folds in half and the petals fold in for easy storage. I bike to work and then fold up my bike and then carry it up three flights of stairs to my office and store it in the parking garage by the door. I also just invested in a pair of roller skates and on days when it's not too hot I throw them on to do my local errands. I head down the street to the bank, pop into the grocery store real quick to do easy shopping or just take a few laps around the park. If you live too far from civilization to do any of these things then get rid of your gas guzzler and invest in something more gas friendly. I drive a Toyota Yaris, which gets amazing gas mileage. I drove to Vegas for a weekend and all around the strip and still had 1/4 tank of gas in my car when I got ready to head home. And as tiny as it looks, I can fit my 6'3" BF, my 5'5" self, my sis and her SO with plenty of room. Nissan has the Versa, Honda has the Fit, or check out a Toyota Prius if you're looking for a Hybrid.

Recycle

I know you wanted a catchy lead in but I ran out. Besides, this tip is pretty basic. Take your magazines to a paper recycling plant. Take your scraps from dinner and turn it into mulch for your plants. When I lived in South Korea everyone did this, it’s so easy. Separate your trash. The key to recycling is opening up your eyes so you can see what you’re actually throwing away. At our office we use tons of paper and our fridge stays stocked with sodas. We are in the process of instituting a recycling program. The employees, myself included, were outraged with how wasteful we were being so we decided to do something about it. If you feel the same in your community then take action. Saving the world is always a good cause.