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Ways to Live Green for Free
When people think of living green, often the first thoughts that come to mind are solar panels and expensive automobiles. In fact, much of the time the exact opposite is true. There are numerous ways to reduce your impact on the environment without spending a dime and many of the things that you can do will actually save money. Following are several ways to live green for free.
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One of the easiest Earth-friendly habits that you can develop is recycling. If you are going to throw it away anyway, it is just as easy to toss it in the recycle bin as it is to throw it in the trash can. Americans alone use billions of plastic bottles, pizza boxes and paper bags per year and most of that ends up in a landfill, or worse, in the ocean.
Another great way to reduce the amount of garbage that ends up in a landfill is to use reusable grocery bags. These bags cost very little and are frequently given away by earth-friendly groups promoting recycling. The problem with plastic bags is that they do not decompose well. Generally, they end up in the landfill and that's where they stay.
If you choose to use the plastic bags, reuse them for things like carrying clothes to the gym, or as a little recycling bag in your car. When you are done with them, recycle them instead of throwing them in the trash.
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Strangely enough, it is possible to lose as much as eighty gallons of gas per year due to evaporation allowed by loose or missing gas caps. Not only is this a waste of fossil fuels, it is also a drain on your wallet. With the cost of gasoline constantly increasing, tighten down that gas cap.
Unplug power supplies such as cell phone and laptop chargers when you aren't using them. They may not use much energy per device, but when you add up millions of them across the country, it may seem a little more significant. It will also increase the life of the unit. You may carry this a step further and unplug all appliances when you aren't using them. Many appliances such as televisions, stereos and computers continue to use a small amount of energy even when they are off.
Finally, read newspapers and magazines online instead of buying the paper copies. Frequently, these are available for free, so you may save money on the subscription. At the very least, you won't spend any more money by buying the online version. This not only reduces the amount of paper waste, it also saves trees that help reduce greenhouse gases.
Being a good steward of the Earth isn't difficult or expensive. Just by making a few minor adjustments to your habits, you can reduce the energy that you use, the products that you waste and the contribution that you make to landfills. As an added bonus, by using these free ways to live green, you may very well end up with a few extra dollars in your pocket!
What You Can Do
Spread the word
- Tell people you conserve energy and use enery efficient appliances.
- Read a book that explains how to conserver energy.
- Look for small ways you can conserve energy every day.
Where you can buy it
Your Complete Guide To Renewable Energy
Your Green Home
The Party's Over: Oil, War And The Fate Of Industrial Societies
Get the Facts
Why Conserve Energy - National Wildlife Federation
Conserve Energy - Help Save the World
Reduce Energy - U.S. Dept. of Energy
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