What's Green Living
All About?
When
you hear the term “green living”, you may get an image in your head of hippies
living in communes making everything they use. Truth is: the definition
of green living has changed. The concept simply includes doing things to
help the environment be viable for future generations. If you don’t feel
like shedding your worldly possessions and living in a mud hut, here are a few
steps you can take you make your life a little greener.
Buy
local organic products. Organic farmers not only use little to no chemicals,
they also take steps to reduce water and soil degradation, along with other problems
caused by traditional agriculture. Veggies from groceries stores have usually
been shipped a long way, which causes environmental pollution. Buy your
produce from a local farmer’s market or coop. If you can’t find one, start
your own organic garden.
Use
natural products. Household products that don’t contain chemicals are not
only better for the environment; they’re safer for your family as well.
You can make various cleaning products from stuff in your kitchen, like vinegar.
If you don’t have the time, there are products you can buy. Just make sure
they’re all natural and don’t just have a few natural ingredients.
Reduce.
We’ve all heard the spiel about reduce, reuse, recycle; however, most of us focus
on recycling and completely ignore the reducing. Try to use products that
don’t end up in landfills like cloth diapers instead of disposables or regular
towels instead of paper ones. Another great idea is to buy concentrated
products because they come in smaller packages.
Reuse.
Many people have gotten in the habit of sending their recyclables away in the
bins, but there’s more supply than demand in the recycling market. That’s
why it’s also important to reuse items if you can. Before you throw something
in the recycling bin, consider whether you could reuse it for something else.
Recycle.
We should all have a recycle bin in our homes, but you can do stuff to recycle
on your own. Instead of using potting soil in your garden, set up a compost
pile and make your own rich soils. You can also use products like shredded
plastic bags to mulch your garden. If you get creative, there’s lots of
recycling you can do on your own.
Conserve
Energy. There are so many things you can do to save energy. The big
plus on this is that it also saves you money. Get low energy light bulbs
for your fixtures. You could also take more drastic renovation steps by
getting new energy efficient windows or installing solar panels. Even small
steps like setting the thermostat a degree higher or lower can make a big difference.
A big way to conserve energy is to get a more fuel efficient car, or get rid of
your car altogether. If you don’t need a big SUV, then don’t get one.
You’ll be doing the environment a big favor.
Teach
your children. You might not be able to change the world on your own, but
you can start a trend my teaching others to be more environmentally friendly,
starting with your kids. Make sure your children know what steps you take
to improve the environment and why.
