Going Green

Just remember these easy steps to be Green

Remember to also think twice when throwing something away...could it be recycled? Just ask!

1. Reduce Just by turning off the tap while brushing your teeth or shaving, you can save more than 200 gallons of water per month. Here are some other effective ways you can help to conserve resources...

Turn off the lights when leaving a room
use both sides of the paper when printing and copying.
Walk or bike instead of driving
Take short showers.
Drink tap water instead of bottled water. if you live in a state that is not healthy to drink strait tap water then please use a filtration system in your fridge or on your faucet. You can also buy the filtration pitchers.
Remove unnecessary items from your car to reduce weight.(This also saves you on gas)
Regualarly replace the filter on your HVAC system
Install faucet aerators.
Use cold water to wash clothes
Stop junk mail. you can also receive your bills electronically and help save the next tree.
Install a programmable thermostat in your home.

(Source: U.S. EPA)

2. Unplug Unused Electronics n the average home, 25% of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off. Unplug them or connect them to power strips, which can then be turned off. (Source: U.S.DOE)

3. Recycle By recycling materials you can save energy and landfill space, conserve natural resources, and can help prevent pollution. Recycling one ton of paper saves 17 mature trees, 7,000 gallons of water, three cubic yards of landfill space, two barrels of oil, and 4,100 kilowatt-hours of electricity – enough energy to power the average US home for five months. Visit ourearth.org's recycling directory to find recycling opportunities in your community. (Source: U.S. EPA)

4. ENERGY STAR Label If a product has the ENERGY STAR seal, it meets certain energy efficiency standards. Check a product’s box or manual, or speak to a salesperson to see if it is ENERGY STAR compliant. In 2006, ENERGY STAR products helped US consumers save an estimated $14 billion on their utility bills. In addition to energy savings, there are rebates and federal tax credits available for some ENERGY STAR products. (Source: ENERGY STAR)

5.Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs) Almost all of the electricity used by an incandescent bulb is converted to heat and not light. ENERGY STAR labeled CFLs use up to 75 percent less energy and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs, saving an average of $30 over the lifetime of each bulb. To maximize their effectiveness, check the packaging to make sure that each CFL is the proper type and wattage for your home. (Source: ENERGY STAR)

6. Fix Leaks A faucet that leaks one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons of water each year. A leaky toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water every day. To determine whether your toilet has a leak, place a drop of food coloring in the tank; if the color appears in the bowl without flushing, you have a leak. To find and fix air leaks, ENERGY STAR offers a free guide. (Source: U.S. EPA)

7. Buy Recycled Look for the words "postconsumer" or "recycled" when shopping. There are over 4,500 recycled-content products available The amount of postconsumer content can vary from a small percentage to 100 percent, so look for labels that indicate the highest percentage. (Source: U.S. EPA)

8. Computer Power Management Enable low-power sleep modes and turn off computers and monitors at night. General Electric implemented power management features on 75,000 of its computers, annually saving the company $2.5 million dollars and preventing 20,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. For step-by-step instructions on how to optimize the settings on your computer, visit ENERGY STAR. Network administrators can also set system wide power management settings by using EZ GPO, a free software tool from ENERGY STAR. (Source: ENERGY STAR)

9. Properly Dispose of Hazardous Waste Electronics, CFLs, certain batteries, and other household hazardous wastes contain toxic materials so they should not be sent to landfills where they can pollute the surrounding land and water. A single computer monitor may contain 4 pounds of lead as well as other toxic heavy metals. Many companies and municipal governments offer free collection programs, and in some cases you can even get paid to recycle old electronics. Visit ourearth.org's collection events page to find disposal options. (Source: U.S. EPA)

10. Fresh, Local, Organic Food travels an average of 1,200 miles before it reaches your plate, so buy locally produced items to save energy and prevent emissions from going into the air. Visit USDA.gov to find a farmers market in your area. Also, choose fresh foods instead of frozen, since frozen foods require 10 times more energy to produce. Finally, organic foods are both good for the environment and good for your health since synthetic hormones, most conventional pesticides, as well as other potentially hazardous practices are not used. (Source: U.S. EPA)

11. Get rid of Dryer Sheets. Dryer Sheets are made from toxic synthetic chemicals that are not safe to use on clothing or your skin. Clothes should never be washed or dried in chemicals. use Natural alternatives that you can actually make with vinegar. There are a slew of natural clothing detergents and dryer sheets. Try Seventh Generation, Whole Foods 356 brand or Mrs. Meyers.

12. Whiten Naturally. Don't fill your mouth with dangerous chemicals like bleach to obtain or maintain sparkly white teeth. Do it naturally by mixing 1 ripe strawberry with 1 tsp baking soda, spread the pinkish looking paste and leave for 5 minutes. Rinse and wahla!

13. Antibacterial Soap. It's a toxic little cocktail designed from chemicals that not only harm germs but people. Think about the children when they are washing their faces off. Use natural soap or make your own. Let the childs' immune system fight off the bacteria itself.

14. Beauty. Getting pretty with homemade products will save you in the long run. Women absorb up to 5lbs of makeup chemicals every year. Many "anti-aging" creams may be doing the opposite thanks to the chemicals that they are made with. Instead, choose products made wit organic ingredients and save money by slathering your skin with homemade skincare and age erasers like Olive oil or coconut oil. Both can be amazing moisturizers that do wonders for you and your skin when applied just before bed time.

15. Turn off the dry cycle on your dishwasher:
Remember to turn the dry cycle off on your dishwasher to save energy. Just pop the door open when the wash cycle is done and let air dry. If you happen to see water spots then you can hand dry them.

16. Walk up not Drive thru. When you are picking up food, going to the bank or even filling a prescription, park your vehicle and walk inside instead of using the drive through (aka drive thru). It will cut down on unnecessary fuel use as well as carbon emissions.

17. S witch to a refillable mug. When you take in your own hot or cold cup to get coffee you are helping to save the earth, cut costs and feel better. Most places will give you a good discount for bringing in your own mug. I know Barnes and Noble's with Cafe's take 10 cents off every time you bring in your own cup!

These facts were provided to you by:
http://www.ourearth.org/
http://www.goinggreen.com/
http://www.thedailygreen.com