Being environmentally friendly is highly encouraged throughout the world. Cities provide citizens with means of recycling and reduced street garbage by placing designated recycle and garbage bins around the cities.

As an individual citizen of not only the city in which you live but also the environment and planet you can do you're share by doing environmentally friendly things at home.

The best place to start is by conserving energy. It would be expensive to replace all your electronics with energy saving ones but remembering to shut off any electronics or lights not in use can save energy and a few dollars on the electricity bill.

In the winter months windows can cause leakage of heat from your house. Not only is this wasteful of electricity but it costs you in the long run. Repairing leaky windows can be expensive but a cheaper way to make sure the hot hair stays where its supposed to is shrink plastic over the windows. It is inexpensive and anyone with a hair dryer can install it.

Electric clothing dryers are hard on energy and can be expensive in the summer months. When the weather permits, hang your clothes on your clothesline as often as you can. Besides, towels and bedsheets smell fresh when hung out.

Replacing your light bulbs with energy conserving ones is recommended as well as changing leaky faucet heads and turning down the tank as hot water tanks use energy to heat the water.

Recycle when you can. Encourage the family to recycle things like plastic bottles, cans, cereal boxes etc. Designated bins for separating the recycle can make it fun for little ones to be involved too.

If you are lucky enough to have a garden whether it be vegetables or flowers, homemade compost is another contribution you can make. Its easy to gather with fruit and vegetable peels, cores etc.

All you need is an outdoor bin and the compost will make itself. The mulch created by your fruit and veggie waste makes great fertilizer and is great for the earth.

Using environmentally friendly household cleaning products reduces waste and money gone down the sewers with soap suds that sometimes are harmful to the environment. Most grocery stores carry their own, cheaper store brand environmentally friendly products.

Reducing air pollution as well as getting a little exercise is easily done by walking where you can. If your child's daycare is close to home, the store, a friends house etc, walk there instead of using your car. It will save you a little gas too.

We as individuals have a responsibility to take care of our homes, not just our houses but also the earth. Doing small things can create a big impact and it never hurts to try. We may not be able to save the world in one day but with everybody doing their share, we can make the world a better place for our future generations to enjoy.

Learn more about this author, Ally Hart.
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