100 Ways to Be Green
1.
Become
aware of your carbon footprint – this will give some good clues as to the
changes that you need to make.
2.
Send
e-cards
3.
Recycle
Christmas cards either by looking for a place that collects them or reusing
them or using them for crafts.
4.
Do
e-mail Swaps
5.
Use
Freecycle or similar groups to get rid of things you don’t need and to find
things you do instead of just dumping it.
6.
Buy less stuff. Less stuff = less packaging,
less production, less waste.
7.
Save
water by fixing leaking taps
8.
By
showering for shorter times
9.
Recycle
your old glasses – in South Africa St John’s collects them,
10. Shop
less. Saves money and the gas driving to the store or delivering packages to
your house.
11. Buy
less packaged goods. Packaging costs money, so focus on simpler products. They
might even last longer.
12. Turn
up/down the thermostat. Being a little warmer in summer and cooler in winter
will save money on your electric bill and reduce your energy usage.
13. Buy
CFL/Energy saving light bulbs. Yes, they’re more expensive at the start, but
they save serious cash later.
14.
Turn off the lights. When you leave a room,
turn off the lights, TV, etc.
15. Get a Savasocket.
It provides a remote switch off for all devices connected via one mains
extension panel.
16. Unplug unused electronics. Turning them off
isn’t enough. For serious savings, you need to unplug.
17. Use
rags, sponges, and towels rather than paper towels to clean.
18. Choose energy-efficient appliances. They cost
slightly more at first, but make up the cost quickly.
19. Light a match in the toilet/bathroom to get
rid of bad smells instead of using sprays
20. Don't buy expensive chemical cleaners for
your windows. Save old wine and vinegar in a spray bottle and with a bit of
effort you'll get shining windows for free.
21. Plant native plants in your yard, rather than
non-native water hogs.
22. Buy
a solar phone charger.
23. Put your investments/savings in companies
and banks that support the environment.
24. Choose paperless banking.
25. Build a rainwater system for your garden.
26. Buy
or make mesh produce bags. Use the bags for fruit and veggies.
27. Carry tote bags. Take them to the grocery
store. Keep one in your car for errands.
28. Say
no to plastic bags. If you forgot your bag and carry it in your hands, say no
to the plastic.
29. Only
run the washing machine when you have a full-load.
30. Resole your shoes.
31. Repair seams rather than replacing your
clothes.
32. Use mass transit (public transport).
33. Become part of a lift club to work or
school
34. Walk
when ever possible instead of driving.
35. Ride
a bike.
36. Get your car serviced to reduce pollution
and fuel usage.
37. Plant a vegetable or herb garden.
38. Make
your own Compost. Free fertilizer, less waste!
39. Recycle. It doesn’t cost you any money but it helps the environment.
40. Use
recycled toilet paper
41. Don’t buy bottled water. Either drink
regular tap water or buy a sink filter.
42. Use
a clothes line or drying rack instead of the dryer.
43. Buy
fewer plastic toys. Or really, fewer toys in general.
44. Share kid’s clothes or buy used. They grow so
fast that their clothes are usually in good shape.
45. Share toys or buy used.
46. Eat
at home. Less carry-out waste, less wasted food, more cash in your wallet.
47. Eat
less. Your wallet, your waist, and the planet will thank you.
48. Reuse plastic butter tubs and other
containers.
49. Use
up all your food before it goes bad. Try not to buy more food than you need.
50. Buy reusable coffee filters.
51. Entertain at home. You’ll reduce your energy
use at movie houses and restaurants, and save money.
52. Reduce your gift lists. Prepare now to trim
down birthday, Valentine’s Day, and holiday gifts. Not only will you save
money, but you’ll contribute to less waste from wrapping paper and stuff no one
wants.
53. Read
rather than watch TV. Reading requires only the energy from your lamp. TVs,
especially flat-screens, are real-energy hogs.
54. Borrow books from the library.
55. Use
Paperback Book Swap.
56. Read your news online.
57. Download your music
58. Download movies – saves packaging etc……
59. Download your software for your computer.
60. Think before you print.
61. Shred your mail and use it as mulch during
winter.
62. Stop getting junk mail
63. Carry your own coffee/tea mug to coffee
when buying take away coffee (eg. Starbucks).
64. Print on both sides of the paper.
65. Drive to the speed limit , you will release
less toxins and save using petrol
66. Buy fair-trade
products
67. Buy locally produced products
68. Encourage friends to recycle and think
green.
69. Try
not to use paper plates and cups for parties and picnics.
70. If
you have a baby – breastfeed for as long as possible
71. Be a
good example to children around you – help make the new generation more green.
72. Re-gift
73. Hold a clothing swap party
74. Sometimes libraries will be interested in
receiving old magazines, so it’s worth asking about that if you’re taking your
books in anyway. Alternatively, you could ask at local hairdressers, doctor’s
surgeries and hospitals as these places often put magazines in the reception
areas for people to flick through while they wait.
75. Save shoe boxes or other large boxes that
you get presents in and you can use them, wrapped, for gift hampers later.
76. They also make good storage boxes for kids’
knick knacks.
77. Buy water-efficient showerheads
78. Certain greens
can help remove indoor air pollutants like formaldehyde and benzene. Don't have
the gardening gene? Golden pothos, English ivy, and peace lilies are all
easy-to-grow toxin fighters.
79. Buy a laptop. It uses
considerably less power than a desktop computer.
80. Buy inkjet printers and choose remanufactured cartridges instead
of new ones.
81. Eat less meat or go vegetarian
82. Make use of left over food – don’t waste
83. Become active in projects like river/beach or
town clean-ups
84. Donate money to eco-friendly causes
85. Helps awareness campaigns on Facebook and
similar sites
86. Host a green party – play board and card
games etc…..
87. Host a green video fest
88. Use
lunchboxes, reusable drink containers, cloth napkin and proper cutlery for
lunches. Find odd pieces of used silverware at a second-hand store so you don't
lose parts of your good set.
89. Use
indoor walking videos instead of the treadmill – better still walk outdoors
90. If
your hair can handle it buy two in shampoo & conditioners – another way to
save on packaging.
91. Do
an eco-tour for a holiday
92. Buy
your tickets for movies, theatre airlines etc. online or telephone to save
paper (you can choose to print on recycled paper etc.)
93. Use
rechargeable batteries.
94. Use solar-powered chargers. Energy stored from exposure to sunlight can
recharge an average phone, MP3 player, digital camera or PDA once or twice.
Besides being better for the environment, these devices free users to charge up
from anywhere.
95. Donate old cellular phones. You
can donate your phone to a charity or sell it to a third-party recycler.
96. Get an energy audit. Energy
audits evaluate your home and look for ways to improve energy efficiency. There
some organizations that do it for free.
97. Make
your own household cleaners: http://healthychild.org/blog/comments/make_your_own_household_cleaners/
98. Boiling
water with a kettle rather than the hob and keeping lids on saucepans will cook
your veg faster and keep your energy bills down.
99. Keep
fit and trim / lose weight
100.
How To Make Your Own Deodorant (A Very Simple Recipe) – I have not tried this myself yet but I
plan to might save me some money as well:
Found it http://1greengeneration.elementsintime.com/?p=596
In my
various hours of research, I came upon a solution: mixing baking soda
with cornstarch. The cornstarch actually works as a light antiperspirant,
and the baking soda deodorizes.
I’ve been
using it for two weeks now, and I love it. Absolutely love it.
Instructions.
- In a reusable and
resealable container, mix 1 part baking soda with 6 parts cornstarch.
- Close the container
and shake vigorously for about a minute, to thoroughly mix the two
powders.
- Then dab a small
amount to the skin of your armpits with a soft cotton cloth, cotton ball,
or cosmetic applicator. Apply as if you were lightly applying baby
powder or cosmetic powder.
Notes:
- The application should
last at least a day - for me it lasts at least 2 days!
- This method hasn’t
left any stains or residues on my white or
black clothing. It seems to do better than normal deodorant in that
regard! (Still, of
course use caution with expensive and/or hard-to-clean items, as you would
with any deodorant.)
- A nice way to store
your deodorant powder is in an antique cosmetic jar (above), which you
can pick up at a garage sale or thrift store.
