Green Living: Where to Start?

Everyday there is more stories in the news and media to “go green”. Now we are not talking about frogs or lizards, it’s about doing things that lower our impact on the earth. It’s really just that simple. Choosing to “live green” can seem to be such a large task and people often wonder where to start. We can all start at home.

An easy way to start in the green living path is to start recycling. By taking the items that we already have purchased and attempting to reuse some of the resources can help lessen the need for new resources. Take a box for example. A part of the box was probably made from recycled material already that probably started out as some newspapers that had been recycled. By taking the time to separate what is and is not truly “trash”, we can significantly reduce the need to use new trees for our everyday living.

Another place to start living green is in the bathroom. Everyone likes to take hot showers and that hot water has to come from somewhere. Start by limiting the amount of time that is spent in the shower. The faster the shower the less heat is used up and the less energy. Not only does this help the environment, but also saves on the pocket book. By cutting the shower time by five minutes everyday, the power bill can be lowered as low as 8%.

When looking around the house, there is something that no one really pays much attention to. They are there when we need them and don’t realize the need until they are gone. What are these magical objects? Light bulbs! Here is another place to start “going green”. The new compact fluorescent lights (CFL) are designed to use less energy and get the same amount of glow as a normal bulb. There has been much debate on whether these bulbs are good considering that they contain mercury. In all reality, a person can consumer more mercury in a tuna sandwich than in an exposure to the CFL’s. The bulbs use less energy and thus resulting in a smaller power bill. To see a decrease in the monthly utility bill, the entire house needs to be replaced (which can be a bit pricey). If you can afford it, this is a great place to start because it’s a one time deal. Just buy the bulbs and replace all at once or as the old ones burn out. When the new ones burn out (about 5 years down the road) replace those again and wait around for the next five years.

There are countless more ways to start going green at home that can be found online or by contacting your local utility company. They would be more than happy to give some more tips to help conserve energy. Start at home and branch out from there. Tell your fellow co-workers about the savings on the utilities. By starting good habits at home, you will have some solid ground to become a green living expert among family and friends.