Being eco-friendly comes in many different shades of green. There are the beginner eco-conscious folks who might be considered a very light shade of green. These newbie earth lovers might just be starting their journey in eco-awareness. Then there are the veteran eco-conscious folks who might be considered the darkest shade of green. These progressive earth lovers have been practicing their love for Mother Earth for years…perhaps decades now.
If being green intimidates you, just remember “baby steps.” Not all eco-conscious folks wear dreadlocks, hemp clothing, and live in homes dug into a hillside.
Being green is a process, an adventure, an attitude.
So for starters, let’s go simply with these helpful tips:
Begin by recycling one item in your home, whether that item will be newspapers, tin cans, glass jars, or plastic milk jugs and plastic bags. Start simply. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Use a cardboard box placed on your porch, and every day, add that one item to your recycling box. When the box fills up, drive it down to your local transfer station. Better yet, take advantage of your city’s recycling drives and leave that item out on your front curb for the waste management team to pick up for you.
Next, turn your heat down by five degrees in the winter time, or your air conditioning up by 5 degrees during the summertime. Not only will this simple step save you $$$$, but it will save our earth’s energy resources.
Replace all of the light bulbs in just one room to the new energy saving bulbs. These bulbs will, in the long run, save you $$$$. Short term, they save our earth’s energy resources, as well. Don’t like the little curly Q pig tail design? They’re now available in different and more pleasing designs. One more tip: Turn your lights off as you exit a room.
Bike to work one day a week. You choose whatever day you want to forego your SUV ride through town and instead hop on your bike and pedal through the neighborhoods. It’ll amaze you the neat things you’ll enjoy on your way to work: children playing in their front yards, dogs lazily lying on their front porch, birds singing…things that will calm your spirit and relax your body. And the exercise is good for you, too!
Purchase all-natural cleaning products. Get rid of your chemical-filled bathtub cleaners and chemical-laden floor cleaners and instead clean with vinegar and water or lemon juice and water. Vinegar is a natural disinfectant. Mix with water and use on counter tops, bathtubs, sink handles, and floors for a natural clean. Mix lemon juice and water to wipe down your windows and mirrors, or stove top and toaster oven. Is that too much for you? Go to your local supermarket and purchase all-natural cleaning products ready made.
It takes minimal effort to begin your eco-friendly journey…you might even enjoy it!
