Green Living Tips

Here are a few green living tips to help you get started on your journey to living lightly on the earth. Most of these tips are not only earth-friendly, but they will save you money as well. Start with only a few at a time until they become a habit, then gradually add more and before you know it you will have made a huge impact on your energy consumption.

Save energy in your home.

Chemicals used for cleaning your home are typically very toxic. Eliminating these toxins from your home will make your indoor environment a healthier place, and you may even notice that you feel better as well.

• Clean toilets with a mixture of a half cup of borax and one cup of fresh lemon juice. Your toilets will sparkle and your bathroom will have a clean, lemon scent.

• Pour vinegar over pet stains on your carpet. Blot with a clean towel until your carpet is clean. Don’t worry, the vinegar smell evaporates quickly.

• Clean mirrors and windows with a half-and-half mixture of vinegar and water in a spray bottle. If you have been using a commercial glass cleaner, try adding a couple of drops of dish soap to this mixture to remove any waxy buildup. Wipe glass clean with newspaper instead of paper towels.

• Got a clogged drain? Boil some vinegar and pour down the drain to dissolve the clog.

• Add a half cup of lemon juice to the rinse cycle of your washer to act as a bleach for white clothes.

• Add a quarter cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle for a fabric softener. Try putting it in a fabric softener ball with a few drops of your favorite essential oil.

• For some great green cleaning recipes, check out the GreenPeace Basic Recipes page.

You would be surprised at how much energy is wasted in the average home. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, our energy usage breaks down this way:

• 34 percent—Space heating
• 34 percent—Appliances and lighting
• 13 percent—Water heating
• 11 percent—Electric air conditioning
• 8 percent—Refrigerator

This amounts to an average of $1,300 per year spent on energy bills in the average home. Here are a few ways to save:

• Use a programmable thermostat to keep usage low at night or when you are away from home.

• Use fluorescent light bulbs.

• Keep your home well insulated. Low income families can get assistance to help make their homes more energy efficient through the Weatherization Assistance Program. Insulate your water heater as well.

• Change your furnace filter each month during cold weather.

• Turn off unused lights.

• Only wash full loads of laundry using a warm wash and cold rinse. Hot water accounts for 90 percent of the energy used when doing laundry. Hang clothes outside to dry when possible.

• Keep the coil on your refrigerator clean so it doesn’t have to work as hard.

• Make sure the gasket on you refrigerator is clean and in good repair.

• Set the temperature of your refrigerator to 38 to 42 degrees; for the freezer it should be set from zero to five degrees.

• Use Energy Star appliances. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 20 percent of our energy bill is from appliances.

• Turn off your oven 15 minutes early.

• Put a lid on pots that you want to boil.

• Thaw food before cooking.

• Allow dishes in the dishwasher to air dry.

• Don’t leave the water running when you do dishes or when brushing your teeth.

• Fix all leaking faucets.

• Use water saving faucets and showers.

• Consider installing a low flow toilet, or you can put a jug of water in the corner of the toilet tank.

• Use a rain barrel for watering plants.

Here are a few miscellaneous green living tips.

• Use rechargeable batteries.

• Start a compost pile.

• Avoid buying products that are over-packaged.

• Grow your own organic vegetables.

• Purchase locally grown and produced foods. Check out Local Harvest to find growers near you.

• Recycle

There are probably hundreds more green living tips, but this list will give you a great start toward low impact living.

• Facts About Solar Energy
• Ways to Prevent Global Warming
• 50 Specific Actions of Green Living

• United States Recycling Statistics
• Types of Pollution
• Air Pollution Statistics
• Effects of Water Pollution
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Biofuels

• Green Living Ideas
• Green Sustainable Magazines
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• Category:Low-Impact Living
• Tips for Going Green