I recently discovered a really cool blog called Cheap Like Me. After reading a few posts, I happened to notice a great big list in the sidebar called What we do to live greener. It is an impressive list and I decided to quote it here along with a little personal color coding…
Hang laundry to dry
Use wind-powered electricity
Do not accept plastic bags
Compost food waste
Choose recycled purchases when possible
Recycle paper, cardboard, metal, plastic
Turn off lights we’re not using
Turn off water while rinsing/brushing
Use high-efficiency washing machine
Dishwasher – full loads, water saver, turn off dry cycle
Turn refrigerator temp up to 43F
Buy many items used
Recycle, Freecycle, consign, donate instead of trashing items
Use cloth handkerchiefs
Use cloth napkins
Print on both sides of paper and re-use paper before recycling
Unplug appliances
Bring own water bottle & coffee cups
Grow our own vegetables
Drive gently to get better mileage
Reduce hair dryer use
Use low-flow toilets
Flush less
Choose EnergyStar appliances
Add low-flow showerhead and faucet aerators
Get books/movies at library instead of buying/renting
Use evaporative cooler, not A/C
Use programmable thermostat to turn heat down at night (55F)/when gone
Use bio-friendly soap
Clean with baking soda and vinegar
Buy organic and/or local foods
Eliminated subscriptions (1 newspaper, 12 catalogs, 2 magazines, 4 companies)
Choose “cleaner” energy-using appliances
Switch to compact fluorescent bulbs
Make own foods (less packaging)
Buy bulk products & refill to reduce packaging
Wash and re-use plastic bags we do use
Use cloth toilet “paper”
Use reusable menstrual products
Use public transportation when possible
Combine errands
Electric blankets instead of space heaters
Reuse gift wrap
The green means that I do it too. Orange means that it doesn’t really apply to my lifestyle. Red means that I am not doing it. I plan to make this list greener ASAP.
