What are some simple ways to go green?

Question

what are some simple changes to help me start being more 'green' or eco friendly?

Answer 1

Use halogen bulbs(i think thats what they are called). They are the twisted ones that look weird. They are energy effecient though. You can buy them at your local walmart, target, or a grocery store usually.

Unplug appliances you aren't using. Example:Toasters, Video games, but NOT computers. Unplugging computers is obviously not good...Anyways, some appliances use energy from outlets even when they aren't turned on!

If you need to go to the store to get just a few things, take a cloth bag with you. Did you know, that it takes over 500 years for a plastic bag to decompose?! That's extremely bad for our environment. Recycle bags you don't use, and try not to get any in the first place.

Those are some simple ways. If i can think of any more, i'll tell you.

Answer 2

I always say start with the easy stuff and work your way up. The easiest way to start is to contact your electricity supplier. Most now offer "green options" where you can have your electricity made by green means, such as hydro electric. This might cost a cent or 2 more than your normal electricity but it does help the enviornment.

Also pretty easy is the CFL's as they previously mentioned. These bulbs are great ans last for a really long time.

Carpooling is simple enough. I have friends that live in the same building as me and we live out in the country. We make our lists and all go together 1 day a week to go shopping (with our cloth bags which we bought for $1.00 a bag at a local store) we buy local produce and organic when finacially feasible.

Give this book a gander, " The Lazy Enviornmentalist" by Josh Dorfman.

He makes it simple.

Answer 3

Do your best to use less oil . Do things like ride a bike to the store if you just need an item or two . Times are about to change. Soon our energy problems will be a thing of the past . soon we will have cheap clean energy all that you will ever need . Our technology is far more advanced then most people realize its just going to take a little time to switch over without causing a major crisis like the collapse of the economy .

When that new energy source gets hear try not to be skeptical . I'm not going to mention the name because there are so many daughters in yahoo answers its unreal . I don't think they ever heard the story of the little train trying to make it up the hill and if they did they didn't understand something that a child should have understood but just embrace it .Its hear for the good of all mankind . Don't be an oil king follower help save the earth from the oil kings

Answer 4

If you live in an apartment, the best thing you could do right away is to change out all your incandescent bulbs to compact florescent. CFL bulbs cost more initially, but they cost less to operate, generate less heat, come in a wider variety of the spectrum and last many, many times longer. This is a good tip for homeowners, as well.

Whenever you can, use cold water instead of hot. Turn off appliances when not in use. Use rechargable batteries. Wrap the hot water heater in insulation so heating is more efficient.

Grow your own food and buy from local farmers' markets. The cost of energy, not to mention the environment, to move food across the nation is astounding. Always recycle/reuse containers. And sign up for the Ideal Bite daily green living tip in your email. Link below.

There are so many options for people like you who want to green up their lives that I'm sure I've missed many good tips. Like sharing showers... ;-D

Answer 5

there are many ways to become eco friendly, but here are just a few:

-Learn more about the sources of contamination in your area and pressure your local water utility and government to improve your drinking water. Everyone deserves safe and clean drinking water.

-Write to your local take-out restaurants about using alternative plastic containers either recycled plastic containers or containers that are biodegradable. Maybe suggest some places that they could buy them and what the cost difference is between then and the conventional ones.

-Get involved and start asking about water quality at local beaches. Call your local county or health department official and ask about the sources of water pollution near you. Report any problems -- if beachwater smells bad or you see pipes discharging wastewater near a beach, let your local public health and environmental officials know.

-Recyle your used motor oil. A single quart of motor oil that seeps into groundwater can pollute 250,000 gallons of drinking water. Ask your local sanitation or public works department how to do it, or when you buy motor oil, ask if the store or service station has a program to buy back waste oil and dispose of it properly.

Good luck! :]

Answer 6

That depends on how green you are now...

Use rechargeable batteries instead of single-use ones.

Don't waste electricity or gas.

Live in a house that is the right size for you, not too big, and within walking distance to most of the places you would frequent (work, grocery, Starbucks).

Plan your meals for a week, and make one trip to the grocery instead of going every day.

Buy locally grown food when possible.

The list goes on and on...

Answer 7

Compost vegetable waste from the kitchen, practice water-conservation, (Low-flow showers and toilets, water barrels to catch water from your gutters for lawn and garden use,etc.) Use public transportation or carpool, use compact flourescent bulbs, THEY are the "twisty" type (NOT halogen, as the confused person stated earlier) Compost lawn debris, don't use herbicides, the list is pretty long, do some common-sense thinking and a little research.

Answer 8

I think the previous post was referring to fluorescent bulbs, they use less power and discharge less heat then conventional incandescents.
Find a recycle point in your area, in most households 65% of the trash they send to a landfill can be recycled.
Check your house all over for drafts to increase your energy efficiency, increase insulation in the attic and make sure it can vent accumulated heat.

Answer 9

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Answer 10

One way is to start using recycled products, like paper plates even computer paper. Why don't you plant a tree. I heard a commercial on t.v. that said "one" tree puts out enough energy to support a family of four for a year !!! And RECYCLE !!! Good luck