How To Be 'Green-er'

Despite all the education out there and all the alternative and greener options available, many people still struggle with going green or living a greener life. They argue that it's too time consuming, they are already too overwhelmed, they cannot afford many of the greener alternatives and options out there, they don't think that there small actions will make a overall difference, etc.

So, I came up with some simple, time manageable, and cost effective ways to try and live a green-er life style without necessarily recycling. Here are of my some simple tips and tricks which will help make a impact in the long run:

• Reuse water where you can. Put a barrel at the bottom of your gutter, collect your rain water, and use that to water your gardens, flower beds, plants, lawn, etc. When making pasta you can drain the noodles over a large bowl instead of the sink and you can use it to water your house plants as well. Into canning sauces for the winter? Save the huge pots of boiled water and use it to mop the floors and wash the woodwork.
  
• Get online and with a bit of research and very little effort on your end, you will discover the cleaning miracles of budget friendly supplies such as baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, vodka, vinegar, coconut oil, oranges, essential oils and many other natural herbs and oils.
  
• If you're like most you have a whole slew of electronics plugged into an outlet strip or two. Almost all of those outlet strips have a power switch on the strip itself, when you are leaving the house for the day or for a long period of time, turn the strip off. This will save energy and you may even see a decrease in your electric bill. (I did!)
  
• Store left overs and food items in reusable and recyclable containers (plastic, glass, metal). On a budget or want to be uber green? Wash out used up deli containers, butter tubs, jars that contained oil, etc and use them in place of purchasing containers (a useful and budget friendly trick from my grandmother). If you have a little extra to spend I highly recommend investing in some glass or stoneware with lids. You will have them forever, you can reheat in them, and you're not exposing yourself to any chemicals from the plastics.
  
• If you must of have to store left overs of food items in something other than a container try to opt for a sealing plastic bag. Locking bags that slide or grip are great, they keep the freshness in and the odors out after you are done, depending on what you stored in them you can even wash out and reuse some of them a couple times.
  
• Buy local and organic (if you can). Help sustain your local farmers and local community.
  
• Support farmers in less wealthy nations and buy fair trade coffee, wool, cotton, hemp, bamboo, chocolate, etc. Not only will you help promote sustainable farming practices, you'll also help prevent further rainforest destruction.
  
• Have a garden? Try composting. It is easier than you think. Instead of scraping food off your plate into the garbage, or tossing waste from cutting up veggies or fruits, toss the food waste into a container that you'll use for composting. You can go to Pinterest and find all sort of ideas for composting bins
  
• "BYO_ " Bring Your Own Bag, Bring Your Own Mug, Bring Your Own Bottle, etc. Bring your own bags to the store and cut down on the number of annoying plastic bags floating around, plus many stores now offer a bit of a discount for BYOB. Bring your own mug to your local coffee shop, like the grocery stores, some coffee shops offer a small discount for bringing your own. Bring your own water bottle, either purchase and carry your own water bottle or carry just one bottle of bottled water and refill either at fountains and faucets through out the day as opposed to constantly opening new bottles of bottled water.
  
• Purchase products and foods with the least amount of ingredients, less ingredients = less chemicals, less toxins, less damage to the earth (and yourself!). This includes but is not limited to cleaners, beauty products, toiletries, food, paints, etc.
  
• Buy products made from or packaged in recycled materials if you can.
  
• Use the energy saver mode, when you can, on any appliance that has it.
  
• Always wash your clothes on cold and hang dry what you can when you can.
  
• Do as much shopping as you can online, call a store ahead of time if you are on the hunt for a particular item, keep you're gas tank above the half way mark, and keep your tire pressure at the appropriate PSI for your tires.
  
• Lastly, use common courtesy and common sense: See litter on the side of the road or street, pick it up if you are in the position to and able to do so; turn the water off as you brush your teeth. Walk or bike when you can, where you can.

I do highly urge all of you to recycle where you can and when you can but for those of you who simply do not have the time or who cannot afford the recycling option in your waste management contract, I want you to realize is that no matter how small your actions may seem to you, they make a difference in the overall scheme of things.