Eco friendly tips -- go green, live green

The first step in the process is a small one: simply reduce. Think before you buy: do you really need it? (And learn the difference between "I want" and "I need".) Is there a more eco-friendly option to the item you wish to buy? Head off impulse buys by researching before you even set foot in a store. Think it over a few days; it'll still be there later if you really need it.

Picture a house without disposable items. It's only recently that paper plates and cups became a household fixture, so let's change it back. Likewise, plastic bags are a recent innovation, and they are already banned in many parts of Europe. Don't buy single-use items, period.

They don't make stuff like they used to. That fifty year old dress is probably better-wearing than anything you could buy today. This has an added bonus of providing unique items for yourself and your home, simply because it's not from the big box store.

It may be the eco-tip everyone thinks of first, but it's the last step: recycle. If you can't not buy it and you really must dispose of it, recycle it. Check with your local village to find out what items can be recycled. Most places will take paper and metal. Some locations can also accept plastics of various types.