Most of us know enough about global warming to know that our planet is in
crises. What most of us don't know is that it is easy to do your part and make
a difference. The good news is that doing your share to help the environment can
also save you lots of money as well.
Here
are 10 ways to be Green and Save Money:
1.
Replace regular light bulbs. Replace your regular light bulbs with compact fluorescent
light bulbs (CFL's). They burn less energy than regular light bulbs and although
they are slightly more expensive, they will save you money in the long run.
2.
Use energy efficient appliances. Before buying your next electrical appliance,
look for the ones that have earned the Energy Star label. They meet strict energy
efficiency guidelines set by the EPA and US Department of Energy.
3.
Dry your clothes on a clothes line. Remember that clean, fresh scent that your
mom got when she did your laundry? You can achieve the same without the use of
expensive dryer sheets and use less electricity/gas. Just hang your clothes outside
to dry and let the sun's rays do the job for you. You'll save tons on fuel costs.
4.
Recycle. Get into the habit of recycling your trash. Recycling means taking a
product or material at the end of its useful life, and turning it into a usable
raw material to make another product. Recycling alone can prevent millions of
tons of material from ending up in landfills and incinerators, greatly reducing
the pollution of our air and earth.
5.
Composting. Managing organic material in your home will not only decrease the
amount of material that you send to the landfill, it can also help turn your organic
waste into a landscape asset. You will improve the properties of the soil and
end up with a lush green garden without buying expensive fertilizers.
6.
Buy used, if possible. By helping a product live longer, you help to reduce the
impact on the environment, and at the same time you'll often find it much cheaper.
Shopping at garage sales and thrift shops can be a fun hobby, or use an on-line
site where used products are sold.
7.
Ride a bike, walk, carpool. Driving contributes to global warming and the depletion
of our natural resources, not to mention pollution. So the less you drive, the
better. Even if you only replace a few trips a week with a bike or walking or
carpooling, you're doing your part to stop global warming and save on gas money
at the same time. Walk your kids to school, bike to the corner store, carpool
or commute by bike to work.
8.
Drive responsibly. If you must drive, doing so responsibly by using less gas.
Ease up on the gas pedal, be sure your tires are properly inflated and your engine
is running smoothly. Don't idle your engine for long periods of time and if possible,
buy a fuel efficient car.
9.
Produce less waste. The use of paper and plastic disposable products is a huge
contributor to the destruction of our environment. Use real plates and silverware
instead of paper or plastic ones. Bring re-usable cloth grocery bags with you
when you go shopping instead of using paper or plastic bags.
10.
Insulation. The most cost effective way to improve energy efficiency in your home
is to make sure it is properly insulated. By insulating, sealing any air leaks,
and replacing old windows you will block heat loss in winter and heat gain in
summer and save a great deal of money on heating and cooling costs year round.
