Going “Light” Green!
I just came across this new term – “light” green - and realized that it was the perfect phrase for me! Every form of media is replete with recommendations and admonitions about going “green” and on occasion I’ve been left feeling guilty and incapable of making the changes that are so strongly advocated. But, “light” green works for me – small, manageable changes that can actually make a big difference for our environment. And so here are my easy ideas for going “light” green:
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Run as many loads of laundry on the “cold” setting as possible.
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Also on the laundry front, reuse towels, re-wear pj’s and consider cloth napkins!
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Use your microwave when you can. Microwaves reduce energy use by about 2/3 over conventional cooking.
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Choose showers over baths and even try to cut down the length of your shower! Reducing the length of your shower from a 10 minute shower to a five minute shower will save 20,000 gallons of water each year.
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At the take out counter: limit the number of napkins and condiment packets that you toss into your bag! Even grabbing one less paper napkin can make a big difference!
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Unplug small appliances while they are not in use! For me, this meant the coffee maker and the toaster!
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When your ATM transaction asks if you’d like a receipt, choose “no!” It’s estimated that if every American skipped these receipts, a length of paper longer than two billion feet would be saved and one of the most common forms of litter would be eliminated!
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Shop at local farm markets. For me, this is actually a pleasure, not a punishment! Fruits and vegetables from local farmers are fresher, do not require fuel to transport them to market and it’s easy to find out if chemicals or pesticides were used in the growing!
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When cleaning up in the in kitchen, turn first to reusable dish towels or microfiber cloths. Microfiber cloths are especially terrific for lifting and trapping dirt and bacteria and require no additional cleaning products! If a fabric cloth just doesn’t work for your chore at hand, use recycled paper towels, like those from 7th Generation!
When packing lunches, buy one large box of snacks and divide into little plastic containers for each lunch! Skipping the individually packaged snacks will save a tremendous amount of plastic!
Are you trying to go “green” in your home? Do you have an easy idea for Busy Bee readers? We’d love to hear from you as we all grapple with this important issue! Look for more straightforward ideas in future Busy Bee articles!
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Tags: easy ways to go green, going green, for, how to go green, light green
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