...I started thinking about how I was cold and I wanted a heater. Then I just put on a sweatshirt and turned on the fireplace and realized, shut up, you live in southern california- it's never COLD. So then I realized having no heater (and therefore no air conditioner) is actually good besides the fact that I don't have to pay more for my electric; it is earth friendly! yay. I feel so green. I always try to remember to bring my own bags when I go grocery shopping, like good ol' Ellie used to do... but I never remember! Soo I've made a list of ways to be greener
Watch the temperature. Almost half of a home's energy consumption is due to heating and cooling. Besides air temp, watch the water too. Wash clothes in cold water whenever you can- as much as 85% of energy used to machine-wash clothes goes into heating the water.
Hang dry your laundry with a rack or a clothesline and save the large amounts of electric energy that dryers take up.
Aim for 5 minute showers- I am not so good at this one.
Use a water filter (like BRITA) to purify tap water instead of buying bottled water. Not only is bottled water expensive but it generates large amounts of container waste.
Bring a reusable water bottle, preferably aluminum rather than plastic, with you when traveling or at work.
Unplug appliances (like cell phone and computer chargers!) when you aren't using them. Or, use a "smart" power strip that senses when appliances are off and cuts the "phantom" or "vampire" energy use
If you eat meat, aim for at least one meatless meal a week. Meat costs a lot at the store-and it's even more expensive when you consider the related environmental and health costs.
If you like to read, look for your favorite books at libraries instead of buying your own copy. Recently electronic books have become popular. I remember the first time I saw a woman using one on an airplane and I just thought wow that is such a good idea!
If you subscribe to store catalogs- like Victoria's secret or pottery barn- consider doing your browsing online. Deforestation is responsible for 25 percent of all carbon emissions released into the atmosphere, through the burning and cutting of 34 million acres of trees annually. If you are like me and you're sick of opening your mailbox to nothing but advertisements of crap you don't even need, shed the extra 41 pounds of junk mail the average american gets by removing yourself from the direct-mailing lists. Companies like GreenDimes and 41pounds.org can help, and I know it requires a small amount of effort on your part (lord knows I am La-zy) but think about how annoying it is when you check the mail and ALL you get is JUNK!
Americans run through about 100 billion plastic bags per year, using an estimated 12 million barrels of oil. Because petroleum-based plastic isn't biodegradable, it's certain to outlive you by a millennium or at least a century.
So THIS is why my old roomie used to bring her own bags when she went grocery shopping. Keep them in your car if you have trouble remembering them...like I do.
The average home uses twice as much energy as the average car. Any time you have to buy new appliances, look for the ones that are Energy-star rated and watch your electric bill shrink. ALSO when you improve your energy efficiency you can earn tax credit!
Here's the one I hate the most.
Install flourescent lightbulbs - I personally dislike them because the light is so blinding and unpleasant. Unfortunately this is the most easy and effective at the same time so if you're going to do just one thing for the planet, make it the switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). Although they cost several times more upfront than regular incandescent light bulbs, they also last about 10 times longer, which means that for every CFL you screw in, you'll be saving eight incandescent light bulbs from landfill purgatory. Plus, you'll save some serious cash in the long run. Because CFLs use 75 percent less energy, swapping one incandescent bulb for a CFL reduces carbon dioxide by 500 pounds a year; replacing 17 has the equivalent effect of taking one car off the road for a year. Just remember to recycle spent bulbs responsibly - CFLs contain trace amounts of mercury, which although isn't enough to be hazardous to you, could pose a problem in landfills when mercury from multiple bulbs leaches into the ground.
Here is a reaaallly SIMPLE ONE: turn off lights when you leave the room!!!!
Another easy one- pay your bills online !
Use cloth napkins daily instead of paper. Yes it means you have a little extra laundry but at least you don't have to buy them and waste money! Or do what I do, and try half and half... because doing laundry kind of sucks.
If you have old towels or t-shirts, don't throw them out, make them into rags and skip buying paper towels. Make rags out of old towels and t-shirts, and forego buying paper towels.
Avoid using plastic plates and polystyrene cups when throwing a party as these take on average, 500 years to degrade. Try using normal glasses and cups instead.
Turn off your Television and any other appliances if it is not being used, remember that even when put on stand-by, it is still using electricity.
One I am bad at: If you tend to leave the tap running whilst cleaning your teeth or if you are washing the dishes, then stop. By keeping the water running you are using approximately 9 litres every 60 seconds.
