Steps you can take at home
Buying Organic
When you buy organic you are purchasing fresh,
wholesome produce that is grown through natural means without the use
of fertilizers and pesticides, so you can enjoy much healthier food,
along with heightened taste.
Activities
- • Play outside
- Learn about nature
- Explore nature
- Go for a walk, go stand atop of a sand dune, look at the endless air and ground – appreciate your surroundings. By establishing a personal connection to the environment you will understand why green choices are important and why it’s important to make a difference.
- Take up cycling, sailing, go for a walk or have a picnic in the park. It doesn't matter what you do or how you do it – what is important is that you find a slice of green somewhere and take it in whenever you can. Get your whole family involved to help instill outdoor appreciation in your children from a young age.
More tips for going green at home
- An LCD flat panel TV uses as little as a third of the electricity of conventional tube-based models.
- Low-flow toilets deliver more flush power with less water (1.6 Litres vs 20 Litres)
- Replacing old light bulbs with compact fluorescent ones can trim 5 percent from your monthly electrical bill. Go for the premium fluorescents that cast a pure white or buttery golden light.
Facts about switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs
- When your incandescent light bulbs stop working, replace them with the new, energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). CFLs use 2/3 less energy than traditional incandescent light bulbs and last 10 times longer. Making this switch will save you money and energy! Some incandescent light bulbs may contain lead solder and CFLs contain mercury, so remember to dispose of both properly.
Bag It Up the Green Way
- Plastic bags are getting the “thumbs down” in many communities around the country because of litter problems. When going to the store, consider bagging your own groceries in cloth or reusable bags. Many stores sell reusable bags and charge to provide plastic grocery bags, so cloth bags are both a convenient and environmentally friendly option.
Green Your Gadgets
Did you know the average cell phone is replaced every 1.5 years? Electronics become “outdated” much more quickly than 10 or 20 years ago. To insure you are responsible with your gadgets, consider doing the following:
- Resist the urge to upgrade every time a “newer” or “cooler” gadget comes out. Reduce at the source - you save money.
- Donate working electronics to charities or school programs that resell or refurbish them.
- Keep in mind even computer game equipment and iPODs now have reuse and recycling programs available.
Make Every Drop Count
- Even though 70% of the world is covered by water, less than 1% is fresh enough to drink or use. With so little fresh water, we need to conserve all that we can.
- Turn off the water faucet while brushing your teeth.
- • Use your dishwasher and washing machine only when they are full. Try to avoid small, partial loads.
- Don’t use running water to thaw food.
Turn Up the Savings
- A few degrees can make all the difference in your energy savings and your wallet. In the summer raise your thermostat two degrees.
- Use a ceiling fan to cool off a room or house. It consumes as little energy as a 60-watt bulb, which is about 98 percent less energy than most central air conditioners.
- Install a programmable thermostat to better regulate the temperature in your house through the day and night. Remember to recycle your old, mercury containing thermostats!
- When replacing an appliance, be sure to look for one that is more energy efficient.
Clear the Air
- Carpool, walk, or bike to work
- Work from home whenever you can. Employee productivity will often increase.
- Save fuel and time by planning ahead and consolidating tasks into one trip.
- Keep your tires inflated to the appropriate air pressure level. This will extend the life of your tires and give you better gas mileage.
- Drive the speed limit.
- Service your car on a regular basis as per the manufacturer guidelines.
- In the market for a new car? Consider one of the new hybrid or fuel efficient vehicles.
Save A Tree
- Save paper, time and postage, pay your bills online.
- As the price of paper cards and postage increases, consider emailing e-cards. There are lots of fun and environmentally friendly e-cards and options on the Internet.
- When printing documents, print on both sides of paper. You can cut your paper consumption by almost half. Besides, when printing out a 200 page report, do you REALLY need 200 one-sided pages?
- Email documents and information instead of printing and mailing them.
- Save documents on your computer or on a disk instead of in a printed copy in your filing cabinet. You’ll free up lots of space!
Home Sweet Home
- Clotheslines are making a comeback - Dry your clothes on the line instead of in the dryer. They will smell better and you will save money (and get some exercise!)
- Use cloth napkins instead of paper napkins. They can be used over and over again and thrown in with your laundry load of towels each week.
- Make your own less toxic cleaning alternatives using baking soda, soap and vinegar. You will save money and your house won’t smell like a hospital!
- When repainting a room, be sure to look for paint that is low VOC (volatile organic compounds). Several manufacturers now offer VOC paints and they don’t leave that paint fume smell!
