5 Easy Ways to Go Green

The hot new phrase used by many households and corporations is “go green.” This is the catchphrase for becoming environmentally aware and changing habits to be more conservation-minded. It is easier to “go green” than most people think. Here are five easy ways to “go green” without damaging your pocketbook or making major lifestyle changes.

Recycle

Most municipalities recycle. Even rural areas are sporting bins with the universal recycling logo. This is perhaps the easiest way to go green, as it is simply a change in how you dispose of the items you already throw out. Cans and plastic bottles can be rinsed and put into recycling bins; paper can be bound together and put into another bin. These products are then broken down in the recycling process and made into other useful items. This reduces the amount of waste left in landfills that will take years to decompose and helps reduce manufacturing emissions that will affect air quality.

Reusable Bags

Stores all over the world are starting to sell their own reusable shopping bags. These are bags made of cloth or other similar materials that are sturdy enough to be reused for years. By bringing the reusable bags back to the store to pack your groceries, the amount of paper or plastic bags used – and then discarded – is reduced dramatically.

Video Conferencing

There are many people with family and friends who live far away. While the desire to visit and see them face-to-face can be overwhelming, vehicle trips add 19 pounds of carbon dioxide to the air per gallon of gas used. There is an easier way to visit with friends and family without even leaving your living room. Video conferencing is a great way to connect with loved ones while saving time and money. There are free services like Skype, ooVoo and iVisit that provide video conferencing around the world. Not only do you get to see your family and friends, you save time, money and the environment.

Reduce Paper Usage

The reality is we live in a paper society. The amount of junk mail an average person receives each year can weigh as much as 41 pounds. That is 41 pounds of paper generated, distributed, and thrown away every year. By registering on no-send lists for junk mail, this reduces the amount of paper produced and the amount of emissions emitted during delivery. Even more paper waste can be reduced by changing how you receive your bills from paper to electronic. Many companies are finding cost savings in sending their bills electronically, while also reducing their carbon footprint.

Wash Clothes Differently

Most people use hot water to wash their clothes, as it has been done for decades. By washing 4 out of 5 full loads of laundry in cold water, carbon emissions can be reduced by as much as 72 pounds in a month. Energy use will also be reduce on average $60 a year. Mind you, it is not always feasible to wash with cold water. Stains will not come out unless the fibres are opened with the hot water, but clothing washed in cold water will last longer because hot water will fade the colour.

These are five simple ways to save the environment without spending money and actually saving some. They are easy changes to make that can add benefit not only to the environment but also to your life.