How We Can Go Green at Home

Most of us are trying to save money at home, and what better way than by saving the planet?

Here are some easy tips that make a BIG impact on our environment and our wallets!

We can buy products that are labeled "post-consumer" or "recycled" when shopping for paper items like paper towels, printer paper, notebooks, and packing boxes.

We can use both sides of our paper when making copies and use unwanted copies for scratch paper and then recycle. Our children can use scratch paper for their art projects.

We can turn off lights when not in the room and buy energy efficient bulbs when regular bulbs need replacing.

We can be more conscientious about our computers and monitors use by putting them in low-power sleep modes when we are going to be away for a bit and by turning them off completely while we are sleeping or away for longer periods of time. We can save tons of carbon dioxide emissions and electricity.

Cell phone chargers are just one component of electronics that consume electricity when plugged in whether the phone is connected to it or not. To stop the wasteful consumption, we can unplug power cords that are not in use.

When we buy new home office equipment and appliances, we can consider those that have earned the Energy Star. These are designed to operate more efficiently to require less energy and money.

Create a space to hold Bins for sorting recyclable and reusable products. Label bins for recycles: paper, plastics and metal. Collect pop/soda tops for cancer society. Collect items to donate to local charity (gently used clothing, toys, books, household items) and more. Make sorting items into the bins a chore for younger children. They will love it! Help older children understand how donations impact the earth and our society through reusing, reducing waste and giving to others in need. We can to take our children with us to drop off donations and teach them to look at second hand stores and garage sales for similar items that they can reuse.

Literally clean the air and increase oxygen in our homes with indoor plants. Ferns, Ivy and Palms are not only decorative plants, but they are perfect plants for cleaning the air of toxins. And we don’t need a jungle to get the beneficial effects. Two large plants in a room are ideal!

Alan Berman,Your Naturally Healthy Home (2001)

0 members like this

Comment

Comment by ellen beck on December 30, 2011 at 3:21am: I think getting kids involved is a HUGE thing. If a child sees you doing something they not only model the behavior at home , but when they are grwon they carry it with them!!