Ten Ways to Go Green and Save
There are always a million ways to do any one thing. With that in mind, this is a list that represents 10 great ways to start on the path of being green. This is not an exhaustive list by any means; however, it is a good start. Even if you can’t do all of the things on this list, following through on even one of them will have a measureable impact on the world around you.
1. Grow Your Own Food. Of course, many of us do not have a bunch of extra room to grow food. That’s okay. It doesn’t take that much space to do. Even a hanging garden on your deck can supply a lot of food for you.
2. Compost. If you don’t have food scraps in your garbage, it won’t smell so bad, and you will produce healthy soil for your hanging gardens on the deck.
3. Live With One Less Car. Most of us have gotten used to having the convenience of having multiple cars. Try it out first. Park one of your cars somewhere and don’t use it for a month. See what happens. It may not be as bad as you think. Not only will you improve your green footprint on the planet, but you will also reduce your monthly costs in terms of insurance and other vehicle expenses.
4. Use Public Transportation. Somewhat related to the last idea, this is a great resource for people who have access to it. Use it if you can.
5. Green Your Parties. Set the tone for your friends and neighbors. Whenever you have a gathering or party, make a point to make it green. Tell people to carpool, show off green aspects of your home. Don’t use disposable utensils and paper plates. Make a point to keep it green. Who knows, you just might inspire someone else to take their commitment to green one step deeper.
6. Reuse things. Far too many people are more likely to throw things away than wash and reuse them. Buy better quality goods and then take care of them. It will be cheaper in the end. My sister lived in Senegal, West Africa for three years. The first year she was there, she was sweeping a plastic sandwich bag out of her hut and she was asked by a villager if she was done with the bag and could she have it. My sister’s point of view was suddenly altered. Allow yourself to alter too and reuse things, more than once or twice. If you are done with something, don’t throw it away. Instead, look for a site like www.freecycle.com and give it away.
7. Stop Leaks. This usually refers to weatherization, but not this time. This time I am referring to the electrical leaks in your home. Shadow loads or ghost loads are pulled from electrical appliances when they are not turned on but are still plugged in. An example would be your DVD player. Do you really need the clock on there to be active? I place a lot of electronics on power strips. This protects them and allows me to turn off an entire bank of electronics in one shot.
8. No More Disposables. But things that last. You don’t need to spend money on things like paper towels every week. Use an old t-shirt of rag to clean up most of the same spills that you use paper towels for today. Look around your house and see where else you can do away with disposables. Another great thing to consider is plastic storage containers. Why buy them when you can reuse the ones you get for free whenever you buy yogurt?
9. Look within. How’s your health? How’s your diet? Are you buying things that don’t support your health, are hard to create & transport, and expensive to purchase? Stop. Eat fresh foods from your local area and you will feel better, have more money in your pocket and once again lower your footprint.
10. Make Your Own Power. This is an expensive one to start, but once you are set up, you get your power for free for the rest of your life! It’s a sweet deal. Consider solar, hydro, wind, and other natural, renewable sources.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andrew Morrison is the co-founder of Straw Bale Innovations, LLC, a company specializing in straw bale construction education and the proprietor of www.StrawBale.com. Andrew has a passion for straw bale construction that is matched only by his desire to teach his knowledge to others. For over 15 years, Andrew was a skilled, licensed general contractor with experience in designing and building both conventional and straw bale homes. In 2007 Andrew closed his contracting company to focus entirely on teaching workshops and consulting. You can learn more about his workshops at www.StrawBaleWorkshops.com and his consulting services at www.StrawBaleConsulting.com. Andrew received a BA degree from Hampshire College in 1995 for Glacial Geology. He also has a degree in construction technology form the College of the Redwoods.
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