Does the thought of going green overwhelm you? Do you want to start living more consciously, but not sure how to begin? Are you immobilized by the seemingly enormous task of saving our planet? Take comfort and know that you are not alone.
Making small daily efforts that minimize your impact on the earth adds to the collective effort, creating an effect on a larger scale.
These beginners' tips for going green shows you 5 easy things you can do to get started now! #1 Recycle If you and your family already do this in your home, great! Be sure to contact your local recycling company to see if there have been any updates to what they will recycle.
Guidelines from a few years back may not prove to be accurate anymore.
If you do not have recycling setup in your home, there's never been a better time to start.
Many trash companies now have a recycling pick-up service for a reasonable price.
When you're out and about, make it a priority within your family to take any recyclable items home with you if there are no bins where you are.
Do the same with items from work and school and your recycling efforts will quickly begin to add up.
#2 Reuse EVERYTHING Before throwing anything away, ask yourself a quick question...
can this be used for another purpose? Lots of things we deem as trash make an excellent transformation into another useful thing.
Cottage cheese and sour cream containers make nice Tupperware or paint cups for the kids.
Tin cans make wonderful planters once they are cleaned out and redecorated on the outside.
Even your water from the night before can be re-used as plant or lawn water.
Be creative, if you are at a loss for ideas, get online for inspiration.
#3 Take Care of Your Car By keeping up on our car's maintenance, we can make a big impact on the environment.
Keeping the tires inflated, oil changes up-to-date, and the gas tank full are a good way to ensure your vehicle is running at its optimal level, and burning less fuel.
#4 Shop Your Local Farmer's Markets One thing that many Americans do not think about when they go to the grocery store is where their food is coming from.
Was it shipped from overseas, driven across country in a semi, or flown in from some exotic locale? Many of our foods travel many, many miles from their point of origin to our dinner plates, creating unnecessary pollution and fuel consumption, not to mention diminished nutrient levels in the foods themselves.
By shopping locally, you do the Earth a tremendous favor in cutting down on carbon pollution.
By shopping local farmer markets, you also support local agriculture and family farms.
#5 Create an Energy Efficient Home This is probably one of the biggest areas we can all improve on in our quest to be more green.
There are tons of little things you can do around your home to make it more energy efficient.
Simple tasks like unplugging small appliances when not in use, such as the coffee pot or toaster, or unplugging your computer at the end of the day can make a big difference over time.
Turning off the lights as you leave a room, using cold or warm water for your laundry, and running things like the dishwasher and washer at night also help in the cause.