2Climate change, also called global warming, is an increasing threat to the entire planet. The idea of going green is popping up everywhere, from Hollywood celebrities to your local lawmakers, who are evaluating environmental policies.
- Walk or carpool to work. If you live near your place of employment, try walking or riding a bike. These options can save money on gas, reduce emissions and can double as an exercise routine. If you live too far away for those two options, try carpooling with a coworker. That can also save fuel and money, as well as reduce emissions.Reevaluate where and how you shop. When buying such items as produce, purchase them from a local farmer’s market. This reduces the amount of fuel used to transport food across the country. Also, shop at secondhand stores instead of paying retail prices because this will cut down on production costs. Consider joining a local freecycle group. These groups post messages in an online forum about things they need or want and if someone in the group has those items, they offer them for free just to keep it all out of the landfill.Recycle your food. Whether you eat leftovers or use your food scraps in your garden as compost, it saves it from the landfill. Even if you don’t have a garden, you can share your compost with a neighbor or friend, or simply spread it on your lawn because it can keep the soil fertile and richReduce your home energy consumption. During the winter months, set your thermostat to around 68 degrees, and in the summer, leave it higher, around 78 degrees. If possible, wash only full loads of laundry with cold water and dry them on a clothesline outside. These can reduce your energy bill drastically, as well as reducing emissions. With the money you save on energy, consider investing in new energy efficient windows and doors.Recycle plastic bottles. If you insist on buying bottled water, take them to a recycling plant or refill and reuse them. You could also consider installing a water purification system on your faucetClean the green way. A few simple household supplies can clean as well as other, more harmful chemical cleaners you can buy at the grocery store. Search online for homemade cleaning supply recipes. Generally, all you need is baking soda, soap and vinegar.Recycle electronics. Search for a local company that is willing to take used electronics for recycling. Certain devices such as cell phones contain high levels of toxins like mercury and need to be disassembled and disposed of in a certain way. If there isn’t a recycling company in your area that does this, talk to your city government office about implementing a plan to set up a drop off location so that a trained person can pick them up and dispose of them properly.Eat less meat. Eating one meal a week that doesn’t contain any meat can reduce production and energy costs. It is costly to process meat and can spread hazardous diseases. You do not have to become a vegetarian but cutting meat out once a week can reduce emissions and save you money, especially when considering the high cost of meat products.Recycle paper products. If you read specific magazines regularly, consider picking them up for free at your local library. Avoid using paper products like plates, napkins and paper towels. If you insist on using them, put them in the recycle bin. Consider buying 55 gallon trash cans for your papers, plastics and glass and keep them in the garage. When they become full, drop them off at the appropriate recycling center.
