Being Green Isn't Only For Kermit

Today more than ever scientists have the technology and the know-how to accurately measure and track the effects the human race has had on the world. They are able to track the expansion of the Sahara desert, watch the shrinking of the polar ice caps, and realize the hundreds of species of plants and animals that go extinct each day. It is so important to make a change, today.
It is great to see that preventative measures are being taken and things are already changing. The term "going green" has been popularized in the last decade. It is now considered trendy to be green, to use reuseable bags, to go organic, to advertise the fact that you are "green." Even big coorporations are doing their part to go green. The auto industry works hard everyday to create more fuel efficient vehicles. They strive to get the best miles per gallon ratings. Grocery stores will often give you credit when you bring your own bags from home and not use the paper or plastic that they offer. Some stores, Aldi for example, charges you for bags. Thats right, they charge money per plastic bag that you use. While this practice is relatively new in the United States, countries in Europe have had this "recycle and go green" mentality for quite some time. Although the US is behind, we are making great stides to catch up and do our part to help save the world.

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1. Switch to a water-efficient showerhead-- Delta Faucet 75152 Water Amplifying Adjustable Showerhead with H2OKINETIC Technology, Chrome
   


2. Keep refrigerator temp at 37°F


3. Keep freezer temp at 0°F


4. Switch from standard lightbulbs to compact flourescent lightbulbs (CFLs)


5. Share power tools and other appliances


6. Subscribe to good eco-friendly blogs


7. Reuse items you would normally throw away


8. Only wash full loads of laundry or dishes


9. Save energy by turning off oven five minutes before food is done cooking


10. Buy in bulk, it cuts down on packaging


11. Lower the temperature on your hot water heater


12. Wear clothes that don't need to be dry-cleaned


13. Make eco-friendly drain cleaner using baking soda, vinegar and water


14. Turn off the water in the shower while you scrub up!


15. Use a drying rack or clothesline to save the energy otherwise used during machine drying-- Kindle Wireless Reading Device
    


16. Plant drought-tolerant native plants in your garden


17. Stop using disposable bags - order some reusable, recycled bags!


18. Borrow from libraries instead of buying personal books and movies


19. Even better than utilizing libraries; go paperless and try Kindle


20. Save empty food containers, they work great as disposable tupperware!


21. Live without TV sometimes! Read a book instead


22. Opt for paperless billing


23. If you eat meat, add one meatless meal a week


24. Instead of using chemicals to deodorize your garbage disposal, use vinegar ice cubes!


25. Instead of throwing old shoes away, donate them to a charity such as "Soles for Souls"


26. Collect rain water to water your plants


27. Don't throw away cellphone, laptop, and camera batteries - recycle them! Find Recycling Centers Near You


28. Use candlelight as opposed to electrical lights when possible


29. Fix that leaky faucet or toilet! This can save gallons of water a day


30. When you are shopping for a new appliance, buy one that has the energy star symbol


31. Use a push lawnmower instead of a gas or electric powered one


32. Avoid companies that have poor environmental standards


33. Don't litter


34. Unplug appliances when not in use (TVs ,Toasters, Radios, Computers)


35. Take shorter showers


36. Turn off the water while you brush your teeth


37. Use cold water when possible, it will save the electricity needed to heat the water


38. Turn the heat down a couple degrees


39. Turn air conditioner up a couple degrees


40. Add plants to your home - they can help remove air pollutants


41. Use rags as opposed to paper towels


42. Use cloth diapers instead of disposable-- Gerber 12-Pack Flatfold Birdseye Cloth Diapers - White
    

"If you want 1 year of prosperity, plant corn.
If you want 10 years of prosperity, plant trees.
If you want 100 years of prosperity, educate people."

I work in an elementary school with kids from ages six to eleven. I dedicated three months of my time to teaching these students the importance of recycling, the impact we make on the environment, and what they can do to help. I believe that the younger these ideas are instilled in the youth of today, the more natural and habitual it will become to them. Throughout those three months, the students participated in hands-on activities that showed them, by example, the amount of waste they go through. We collected many items - soda cans, gallon milk jugs, cardboard food boxes, newspaper, water bottles, and more - and built structures to visually show the students (and their families) the volume of these recycleable items.
It was a summer of shock and awe, and it was a summer of inspiration. I believe that what we accomplished in those three months will really have an impact - a permanent impact - on those students.

The next items on my list of things to do to go green are things that you can do when you are out and about. When you are driving, shopping, walking, etc.

43. When shopping, bring your own reusable tote bag!


44. When shopping, pay attention to the amount of packaging on an item. Choose items that use less packaging


45. Skip the drive-through, go inside instead to save fuel


46. Get a car wash instead of washing your car at home - it saves water!


47. When possible, take your bike instead of your car


48. When you picnic, label plastic cups with names so you'll only need to use one


49. Take public transportation when biking or walking isn't an option


50. If disposable dishware is necessary, use a kind that won't clog landfills-- WNA Comet Classicware Biodegradable Heavyweight Black Plastic Fork 50/PK
    


51. Purchase non-toxic, "green" cleaning products


52. Don't buy bottled water! Buy a purifier for home instead- Brita 42412 Atlantis Water Pitcher
    


53. Purchase an eco-friendly car


54. Drive the speed limit - faster speeds guzzle gas


55. Carpool!

Which of these do you do?
Could you do more?

Besides spending three months teaching my students about the importance of recycling and the countless hours we spent building structures, I have spent yet more time further educating my students. Over the course of an entire school year, the students at my elementary school saved and collected hundreds of soda tabs. We discussed the volume of aluminum that is used every day to make soda cans and how much of this aluminum ends up in landfills. At the same time that we were promoting eco-friendly these habits, we were also demonstrating the good things that can be done through recycling to help specific communities. With these soda tabs that we collected, I used a few hundred of them to create two soda tab chairs. These chairs bear the symbol of McDonald's - the golden arches - and were donated to the Ronald McDonald Foundation. At the end of the school year, Ronald came to our school, gave a presentation to the students, and accepted these chairs on behalf of this foundation. Along with the two chairs, we donated 100 pounds of aluminum tabs.

56. Buy a laptop instead of a desktop. Laptops use less energy to run


57. When printing documents, print on both sides of the paper


58. Save some trees, eliminate all of that junk mail that you throw away. Go to this website to eliminate waste!
    


59. Be sure to shut the lights off when you're leaving the room for more than 15 minutes


60. Only print the pages that you need


61. Stock refillable pens


62. Use smaller fonts, it will save paper!


63. Change your computer settings so that it automatically goes into sleep mode. Screen savers don't save energy!


64. Go paperless when possible - email documents instead of printing copies


65. Carpool to work


66. Take public transportation - bus, train, subway, etc.


67. Buy high Post-Consumer Recycled Content (PCR) paper for the office

Oh Beautiful for smoggy skies, insecticided grain,
For strip-mined mountain's majesty above the asphalt plain.
America, America, man sheds his waste on thee,
And hides the pines with billboard signs, from sea to oily sea.
~George Carlin

I make conscious efforts everyday to use less, conserve, and "be green." One thing that I love doing is making purses, totes, and bags out of plastic shopping bags. Everybody has tons and tons of these bags laying around, whether you have a fancy rack for holding them or whether you have them all shoved under your kitchen sink, you've got them. I collect these bags from everybody that I know and I turn them into fashionable green-ware. I have a shop on Etsy.com where I sell these bags. I make messenger bags, clutches, totes, and small purses. Feel free to check them out! Also, check out my other lens, Plethora of Plastic where I explain in depth the impact of plastic on the environment.

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