| Does the thought of going green overwhelm you? | | | | as plant or lawn water. Be creative, if you are at |
| Do you want to start living more consciously, but | | | | a loss for ideas, get online for inspiration. |
| not sure how to begin? Are you immobilized by | | | | #3 Take Care of Your Car |
| the seemingly enormous task of saving our | | | | By keeping up on our car's maintenance, we can |
| planet? Take comfort and know that you are not | | | | make a big impact on the environment. Keeping |
| alone. Making small daily efforts that minimize your | | | | the tires inflated, oil changes up-to-date, and the |
| impact on the earth adds to the collective effort, | | | | gas tank full are a good way to ensure your |
| creating an effect on a larger scale. These | | | | vehicle is running at its optimal level, and burning |
| beginners' tips for going green shows you 5 easy | | | | less fuel. |
| things you can do to get started now! | | | | #4 Shop Your Local Farmer's Markets |
| #1 Recycle | | | | One thing that many Americans do not think |
| If you and your family already do this in your | | | | about when they go to the grocery store is |
| home, great! Be sure to contact your local | | | | where their food is coming from. Was it shipped |
| recycling company to see if there have been any | | | | from overseas, driven across country in a semi, |
| updates to what they will recycle. Guidelines from | | | | or flown in from some exotic locale? Many of our |
| a few years back may not prove to be accurate | | | | foods travel many, many miles from their point |
| anymore. | | | | of origin to our dinner plates, creating unnecessary |
| If you do not have recycling setup in your home, | | | | pollution and fuel consumption, not to mention |
| there's never been a better time to start. Many | | | | diminished nutrient levels in the foods themselves. |
| trash companies now have a recycling pick-up | | | | By shopping locally, you do the Earth a |
| service for a reasonable price. | | | | tremendous favor in cutting down on carbon |
| When you're out and about, make it a priority | | | | pollution. By shopping local farmer markets, you |
| within your family to take any recyclable items | | | | also support local agriculture and family farms. |
| home with you if there are no bins where you | | | | #5 Create an Energy Efficient Home |
| are. Do the same with items from work and | | | | This is probably one of the biggest areas we can |
| school and your recycling efforts will quickly begin | | | | all improve on in our quest to be more green. |
| to add up. | | | | There are tons of little things you can do around |
| #2 Reuse EVERYTHING | | | | your home to make it more energy efficient. |
| Before throwing anything away, ask yourself a | | | | Simple tasks like unplugging small appliances when |
| quick question...can this be used for another | | | | not in use, such as the coffee pot or toaster, or |
| purpose? Lots of things we deem as trash make | | | | unplugging your computer at the end of the day |
| an excellent transformation into another useful | | | | can make a big difference over time. Turning off |
| thing. Cottage cheese and sour cream containers | | | | the lights as you leave a room, using cold or |
| make nice Tupperware or paint cups for the kids. | | | | warm water for your laundry, and running things |
| Tin cans make wonderful planters once they are | | | | like the dishwasher and washer at night also help |
| cleaned out and redecorated on the outside. Even | | | | in the cause. |
| your water from the night before can be re-used | | | | |