With Earth Day 2011 upon us, the recent meteoric rise in gas prices remains a major focus. Personally, every time I drive by a gas station my anxiety level causes me to hyperventilate and lose consciousness (thankfully my dog Buster knows to seize the wheel in such situations). In any case, with gas prices what they are these days, has there ever been a better time to live a greener lifestyle and save a little money to boot? Here are 10 great ways to give your credit cards some rest and rediscover your eco-conscious side at the same time.
Top 10 Ways to Go Green
1.) Ease up on the lead foot
Your car is specifically designed to get its best fuel economy at 60MPH. Resist the urge to ride with the speedsters in the left lane and your piggy bank and gas tank will thank you accordingly.
2.) Ditch the printer
In today’s digital world, there’s hardly ever a reason to print things anymore. Try downloading free document storage services like Evernote, and you can access important info from anywhere—even your smartphone. You’ll never have to waste trees and money buying paper again.
3.) Turn your computer OFF
We know, we know. It can be grueling waiting for your computer to boot up in the morning. But leaving your computer running overnight wastes a great deal of electricity. Give your computer a rest and shut the bad boy all the way down.
4.) Use natural light
Windows are everywhere for a reason. It’s surprising how little a difference turning your lights on makes during the daytime. So save the electricity, draw back the curtains and let there be light!
5.) Keep your tires inflated
If your tires lack just 8 psi, your car will lose 2% of its fuel efficiency. Check your tire pressure and make sure you’re riding high.
6.) Break out the push mower
Gas operated mowers can be extremely inefficient and wasteful. Break out the push mower and groom your lawn using nothing but good ol' elbow grease. We could all use the workout!
7.) No bottled water
When you buy a $2 bottle of water, do you ever stop to think that you just spent $2 for the world's most abundant resource? It's also hurting the environment. Bring a refillable water canister with you wherever you go and take advantage of delicious tap water provided all around- for free.
8.) Buy in bulk
If you've got the space for it, buying in bulk is a great way to save money and limit your environmental impact by reducing the amount of packaging needed for individual products.
9.) Use cloth napkins
Next time you reach for a handful of paper napkins, think how much you're wasting. Cloth napkins are much more absorbent, and did you know you can actually re-use them? Isn't that a great concept!
10.) Old fashioned AC
While air conditioning is very convenient, there are surprisingly effective ways to keep your house cool without it. Close all your windows and curtains during the day and turn off all the lights, keeping the warm air out. At night when the temp cools down, open everything up and let the colder air in. Simple, huh? Do you have any other favorite green practices? Let us know about them in the comment section below!
