Five Easy Ways To Be More Green

Here are five easy ways to be more green in your life. Make these simple changes today and do your part for the environment!

SWITCH YOUR BULB
If you’re wondering what that swirly light bulb is that you've been seeing everywhere lately, it's just the greatest thing to happen to household lighting since Edison. The CFL or Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb uses 75% less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and lasts up to 10 times longer. If every home in America replaced just one light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars. So do your part for the environment, take a minute and switch at least one light bulb.

SLOW THE FLOW
Water is the world's most vital resource yet everyday it is needlessly wasted. There are some simple water saving tips to implement in your home that will immediately reduce your family’s water consumption. Turn the tap off when brushing your teeth. Install a low-flow shower nozzle. Use the dishwasher and clothes washer only when you have a full load. Repair dripping faucets and running toilets immediately. Have a short shower instead of a bath. Fill the sink with water for rinsing instead of letting the water run. Adjust your outdoor sprinklers so only your lawn is being watered and not the house or street. Catch rain water in barrels and use it for watering plants or hydrating your garden. Read your water meter to learn how much water you are using and if you have any leaks. An average home uses 200 gallons of water a day. With some easy changes, your house can be different.

JUST TURN THE KEY
Letting your car idle on the carpool line at school or while waiting at the bank drive-thru is not only bad for the environment, it's wasting gas. If you will be parked and sitting for more than 30 seconds than turn your engine off. According to the Consumer Energy Center, two minutes of idling is equivalent to one mile of driving. Some people mistakenly think that turning your car off and on again is harmful but that is a misconception based on older models of cars. Excessive idling can actually damage your engine. Many communities have instituted "no idling zones" outside of schools and playgrounds. Idling engines, adding auto exhaust to the atmosphere, have been linked to increases in allergies, asthma, lung disease and cancer. It's as simple as turning the key and giving your engine a rest.

DITCH THE PACKAGING
You may not realize how much packaging you really use until you try to avoid it. It's not just about using your own shopping bags at the grocery store. There's tons of wrapping around most things you buy or eat. Get your sandwich without all the added plastic around it at the deli. Next time you’re at the store opt out of all the unnecessary tissue paper. Buy in bulk – don't buy snack-size packages. Pour the coffee you buy at the deli into your own travel mug. Keep dishes at the office and you won't need to take a paper plate with lunch. Use reusable containers instead of baggies or foils for leftovers. Remove the added wrapping from your life and you'll feel lighter!

EMBRACE E-BILLS
Most banks, credit card companies, schools, and utility providers now offer the option to receive and pay your bills online. It;s usually as simple as going on their website and giving them your email. Not only does this save trees but it also reduces fuel consumption by cutting down on all those trucks and planes used to transport paper bills and checks. If every U.S. home viewed and paid its bills online, the switch would cut solid waste by 1.6 billion tons a year and curb greenhouse-gas emissions by 2.1 million tons a year, according to Javelin Strategy & Research. You won't get all that extra mail clogging your mailbox and you'll even get to save on postage. It's a win win!

Courtesty of HonestBaby