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10 simple ways to be green

More and more people are going green. But what exactly is "green?" Going green means a person has decided to reduce their own impact on the environment by conserving energy, recycling, and changing their lifestyle. Simple changes in your day to day habits at home, work, and in your car will leave a much smaller carbon footprint behind.

The average person creates an astounding 4 pounds of garbage a day and uses between 80-100 gallons of water. These figures represent just one part of our daily impact on the environment. Being environmentally conscious is easy. Going green not only promotes conservation but you'll have the added benefit of a noticeable difference in monthly utility bills.

Going Green at Home

1. Purchase low-flow shower heads and aerators for your faucets. Older shower heads put out 6 gallons of water per minute compared to the 2.5 gallons from a reduced-flow shower head. Aerators on the kitchen and sink faucets can conserve up to 2 gallons per minute. Also check for running toilets and outside spigot leaks.

2. Unplug idle appliances. Leaving computers, cell phone chargers, and kitchen appliances plugged in doesn't necessarily mean they are turned off. These items still draw electricity even when idle. Unplug what you can.

3. Purchase compact fluorescent light bulbs. These long lasting bulbs use one-third of the electricity and last up to 10 times as long as a regular incandescent bulb. Don't forget to turn off the lights when you leave the room.

4. Recycle in all rooms of the house. It's almost second nature to recycle in the kitchen but what about in the bathrooms and bedrooms? Collect shampoo bottles, toilet paper rolls, soap boxes, tissue boxes, empty deodorant tubes for the recycle bin. Purchase a few reusable grocery bags and place them right back into your car after you remove your groceries. Why? The EPA estimates that over 380 billion plastic bags, sacks, and wraps are consumed in the U.S. each year.

Going Green at Work

5. Recycle, recycle, recycle. Transfer your green habits to the office too. Recycle bottles, cans, paper, laser ink cartridges, and junk mail at work. Consider purchasing recycled office items too.

6. Turn off computers and lights when you leave. Your computer might go into sleep mode every night, but it's still using electricity. Power down your work desktop every night, including turning the system off at the power strip. Encourage your boss and coworkers to do the same.

7. Use computer paper wisely. The average office worker uses up to 10,000 sheets of paper per year. Maybe it's time to give the trees a break. Buy recycled paper, print items on both sides of the paper or better yet, encourage your office to go paperless.

8. Bring your lunch, glasses, mugs, and utensils to work. Most takeout food packaging is not made from recyclable materials. Take a look alongside the road on the way to work. Most of the roadside trash is bags, boxes, and Styrofoam. Going green at work and using washable dishes and utensils saves multitudes of space in landfills.

Going Green in Your Car

9. Conserve gas by driving moderately. Stomping the brake and gas pedals wastes gas. Change your driving technique by learning to brake and accelerate gradually.

10. Get regular tune ups and check your tire pressure. Americans could save an estimated 2 billion gallons of gas each year with proper tire inflation. Regular tune ups not only prevent untimely break downs but also keep your car running at it's best. Try setting up a carpool with coworkers and telecommuting once a week. You'll be reducing your impact on the environment noticeably with the new greener you!

Learn more about this author, S. F. Heron.
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