I’ve compiled a list of small things you can do in your home and everyday life to live a Greener life. Some of these tips are tried and true (turning off the tap), while others are just gaining momentum (replacing incandescent light bulbs). Try a few and remember, even if your contribution to the green movement seems small, every little thing helps.

1. Bring your own reusable bags to the grocery store - or any store for that matter. According to the EPA, Americans consume over 380 billion plastic bags, sacks and wraps every year. Those plastic bags end up in trees, waterways, and in the stomaches of animals - hundreds of thousands of sea turtles, whales and other marine life die from ingesting plastic bags. Even if you reuse plastic bags (for garbage, cat litter, etc), chances are that you don’t end up using ALL of the bags you bring home - so mix it up and bring reusable bags when you shop.

2. Put down the keys when you’re going less than a mile. The less you drive, the less gasoline you use, the less Carbon Monoxide (CO) is released into the atmosphere. If you live in a walkable (or bike-friendly) area, try walking or biking when you go for coffee, cigarettes, beer or other sundries. Even if it takes a few minutes longer to walk (it takes about 20 minutes to walk a mile), the benefits of walking well outweigh the inconveniences.

3. Unplug your charging devices. You know all of those pesky chargers laying around the house - cell phones, wireless mice, battery chargers - when they’re plugged into the wall, they’re using energy. Try pulling the plug when you’re done charging your devices and reduce your energy consumption - even if just by a little -only 5% of power drawn from chargers is used to charge devices - the other 95% is wasted.

4. Turn off your lights and replace burnt-out incandescent bulbs with energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs. Compact fluorescent light bulbs are 4 times more efficient than incandescent bulbs, last up to 10 times longer, and use 50-80% less energy. While the expense of buying all new bulbs seems high (I would recommend replacing bulbs as the old ones burn out), consider that you’ll be saving money through decreased energy consumption and increased lifespan of the bulbs.

5. Plant flowers, vegetables, shrubs, tress - anything but grass! Maintaining a grass lawn is environmentally damaging - according to the EPA, up to 5% of US carbon emissions are produced by lawn mowers. And to power all of those mowers, Americans use 800 million gallons of gasoline! By planting your yard full of flowers, vegetables and trees, you reduce the amount of grass you need to maintain and diversify your habitat. The more flowers you grow, the more likely you are to invite birds, butterflies and other small creatures into your yard. Trees shade your home and clean the air, are fun to play in and are habitats for squirrels, birds and insects. And by growing vegetables and fruits, you provide food for your family and rely less on agribusiness for your dietary needs.

6. Throw a heavy blanket on the bed and turn down the thermostat while you sleep. The more you set back your thermostat at night, the more heat you save overall. By setting your thermostat back 5 degrees during your nightly 8-hour slumber, you save 5% in energy costs. The recommended thermostat setting is 68 degrees during the day and 55 degrees at night during winter months - settings which will save you 13% in energy costs.

7. Buy Local. From food and drink to clothing, crafts and furniture, the more locally-based businesses you frequent, the more green you can consider your purchases. By cutting out the need for your products to be shipped (via truck, train or airplane), you reduce the carbon footprint of your purchases. Plus, the more money you spend locally, the more likely that money is to stay in your region and boost your local economy.

8. Pick up trash when you go for a walk. Don’t be embarrassed to reach down and pick up someone else’s discarded drink bottle or plastic bag, be embarrassed that the trash is on your streets. By picking up your neighborhood you show a commitment to keeping the earth clean and beautiful, and you encourage the behavior in your neighbors.

9. Turn off the water when you’re brushing your teeth, shaving or washing the dishes. Every minute you run the faucet, 1.3 gallons of water runs out. By switching the faucet off while brushing, washing dishes or shaving, you save small amounts of water that add up over time. Check out other water conservation tips here.

10. Read your newspapers online. Newspapers are widely recycled - over 88% of all newspapers are diverted to recycling plants. At the same time, 12% of newspapers aren’t recycled and that contributes to the largest category of solid waste in landfills - paper and paper products. While there is a certain romanticism to reading the newspaper around the breakfast table, on the subway, or in bed on Sunday mornings, is that romanticism really justified given the environmental impact of tossing out the news?

Tags: , Canvas Bags, EPA, Fluorescent Bulbs, Green Tips, Pedestrian, Reusable Bags, Thermostat, Tote Bag, Warm Blankets

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This entry was posted on Monday, March 10th, 2008 at 12:01 pm and is filed under Mainstream and Green. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.