Green Tips
For Home
These can easily be practiced by all individuals!
Recycle. You can go down to your local recycling center and get reimbursed for recycling bottles, cans, milk cartons, plastics, etc.
As far as paper, magazines, newspaper, and so on; either recycle them via your weekly waste service, or donate them to nearby physician offices. These can be doctors, dentists, optometrists, chiropractors, etc., or even your local libraries!
Do not keep faucets running if they’re not in use. (ie. Brushing your teeth, washing the dishes, warming up the shower.) If you need to warm up the shower, place a bucket or large container in shower while the water is running [before you step in] to save as much water as possible. Later on, step outside and pour that unused water on your lawn, flowers, house plants, etc.
Garden. It is always good to plant. The more plants there are, the more oxygen is transcended into the atmosphere for us to breathe. Whether you have a “green thumb” or not, give it a try! Plant flowers, fruit trees, or even spice plants. A good idea for the family cooks is to grow a spice garden in your kitchen. This will create a more pleasant kitchen environment, save you money on spices in the long run, and fresh spices are always better tasting!
For The Office
These will enable business owners with the right to say their business has “gone green”, and in turn, will be more socially accepted.
Reuse! Paper, pens, folders and other office supplies are reusable! If the documents are not all that important and simply for reference, reuse paper. If you can, print double-sided to conserve your use of paper. Use pens that are easily ink-refillable. Plastic takes thousands of years to fully decompose.
Use re-manufactured ink and toner cartridges. Millions of ink cartridges remain in landfills around the world. Ink residue left in the cartridges can seep into the soil thereby contaminating it. Often, re-manufactured ink and toner companies will reimburse you for every empty cartridge you return to them. Ask about it.
Purchase office stationary manufactured from recycled materials. There are several green office products on the market such as: folders, notebooks, calendars, organizers, and more.
Donate old office equipment or machinery. Items such as: chairs, desks, phones, printers, copiers, computers, etc. are great for donating to your local school district offices.
On The Go
Practice these while you’re on the go!
The more obvious one, purchase hybrid, electronic or other energy efficient vehicles. These vehicles produce fewer fuel emissions into the atmosphere. This is a large investment, but it goes a long way.
If you cannot afford an entirely new vehicle, here are some driving strategies. First, take it easy on the gas! There is no need to speed, when you do, you release harmful emissions at a faster rate into the air we breathe. During your morning commute, there is no need to mass the gas! The traffic is heavy, you are not going anywhere anytime soon, be patient. Also, this one is commonly known among competitive race car drivers; when you’re stuck behind someone doing 55 in a 65 zone, do not pass them up, stay behind them. This is called drafting; the car in front of you will act as a shield for your vehicle against the wind, therefore saving you gas in the long run due to reduced wind resistance. Now you know! Drive safe.
