The concept of living an eco-friendly lifestyle can be daunting for some people. The stereotypical idea of “thinking ecologically” seems time consuming, difficult, and too much effort for too few …
The concept of living an eco-friendly lifestyle can be daunting for some people. The stereotypical idea of “thinking ecologically” seems time consuming, difficult, and too much effort for too few benefits. I mean, between work, home, family, errands and a million other responsibilities, who has time to mess with a compost heap or clean up a rainforest? You don’t need a compost pile or rainforest cleaning cred to successfully live a “green” lifestyle, and it’s easier, cheaper and less time consuming than you may realize. Recycling and reducing energy usage at work and home are just two out of hundreds of ways you can make a big difference.
Recycling
Cities and neighborhoods all over America are working hard to make it easier for residents to live greener. Thousands of communities offer curbside recycling pickup and local drop-off locations for anything from newspaper to televisions. Even if these services are unavailable in your area, you have many other options to choose from. Many schools, churches and businesses offer recycling dumpsters for public use. Here, you can drop off the basic recyclables, such as paper and plastic. Call your local government help line to see if other programs are available. Some areas will have “drop off days” for you to bring in recyclables. Not sure what to do about those rusty paint cans or that ancient computer monitor? There are many businesses dedicated to the recycling and proper disposal of electronics, chemicals, tires and many other products. Did you know that throwing an old computer in the trash is just as detrimental to the environment as dumping motor oil in the gutter? Utilizing one of these removal services is a great way to ensure that dangerous chemicals do not find their way into our ecosystem. Also, less clutter means your house just became a little more energy efficient!
Which brings us to…
Making Your Home Energy Efficient Reducing energy usage in your home can take quite a bit of effort and money, but the benefits are well worth it. Less energy used means less wear and tear on the environment, as well as lower utility bills for you! Replacing old appliances with Energy Star appliances can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and up to one-third of your energy bill. On old or new appliances, pay attention to the settings. Heat settings on any appliance can be an energy drain. Unless absolutely necessary, most laundry can be washed with cold water. Dishwashers do not need to use the “hot dry” with every load. Keep the lint trap and hose on the dryer completely clean for maximum efficiency. An uncluttered fridge works much better than a full one. These four simple acts are great, basic ways to help out the environment.
Replacing standard light bulbs with compact florescent bulbs (CFLs) save more energy than you might realize. These little eco-friendly wonders use 75% less energy than regular bulbs and last 10 times longer. Finally, how are you at water usage? Monitor what you use in one day and you’ll probably be shocked. Cutting a 20 minute shower down to 15 minutes, turning off the water while brushing your teeth and fixing any leaky pipes can save thousands of gallons a year. Thousands.
Eco-Friendly Habits at Work
Most of these same principles apply to work life as well. Lots of employers are embracing eco-friendly concepts and have implemented them in the workplace. Recycling bins in the break room, compact florescent lighting and reducing paper usage are just a small example of the many ways that businesses can lessen their impact on the environment. Even if your workplace isn’t very green, you can still be environmentally friendly with little effort. Turning off lights, monitors and other electronics when you leave your area can reduce energy costs immensely, as will unplugging unnecessary electronics such as phone chargers and unused power strips. With most work being done on computers and email being a primary source of communication, paper is largely unnecessary. Only print something out when absolutely necessary and, if you can manage, use recycled paper and toner. Keep a box for recyclables and another box for reusable items, such as paper with a smudge or small typo.
Repairing the damage done to our environment is a slow, steady process. By utilizing even a few of these tips, you can help speed it up just a tad. Home and work are easy locations to begin learning a greener way of life and will benefit not only the Earth, but you as well.
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