How can my family and I go green, or eco friendly? Does any one have any tips?

Question

I keep hearing over and over again about global warming, and how it will soon affect all of us. I know to do simple things, like turn out lights after you use them, and conserve water, but I need some more tips. I think it would be great for the Earth, and for family bonding, if my family were able to go green together. Are their any ways we could do this, that weren't extremely time and money consuming? Thanks a lot!!

Answer 1

Great question and yes, there are ways for you and your family to do this together. Little things like keeping your car's tires properly inflated and removing roof racks when not in use can add up to big CO2 savings. Running the washing machine and dishwasher only when full is a good place to start. Replacing traditional light bulbs with compact florescent light bulbs is another easy green move. We filmed a "Going Green" episode not too long ago with these and more tips at:  www.sixminutestyle.com./PE_April2008_Gre...

Good luck!

Answer 2

So there's a big debate about whether or not Global warming acutually exists and what is the route cause...  (as the first poster seems to thing it's all a bunch of BS)

But you can not deny that Landfills are overflowing and poisoning our ground water...

The best tips that I can give you are Reuse & Recycle!

1. Use reusable cloth bags for your groceries. Alot of the big grocery chains are selling tote bags but you dont have to buy them... just use tote bags that you already have around your home... perhaps an old beach bag from years past that you dont use for vacationing... you can reuse it as a shopping bag.  If you must insist on it,  use the plastic bags (not paper) since most plastic bags can be recycled. It doesn't take any extra time or effort. Many grocery chains have a drop off bin right inside their main entrance. So on your next trip to the store, take all your plastic bags with you and drop em off.  One grocery store where I live even gives you a 3 cent rebate for each plastic bag that you bring in and reuse on your next order.

2. Refill your plastic water bottles instead of throwing them away!  If you must get rid of them... Recycle them!

3. Buy things that can be used for many purposes. One of my friends cleans out and reuses those fancy spaghettie sauce jars for many things...  some she fills with potpourri with holes punched into the lids to fragrance her rooms... some she uses to make her own candles... you can buy wax and coloring at craft stores... some she reuses to store her own homemade foods such as homemade pickles and homemade salsas and relishes... some she uses to store items in her kitchen pantry such as rice, flour, sugar, beans, coffee, ect... it looks sooo pretty when you open her cabinets... it's like a matching set of canisters but she didnt have to pay not a cent for them.

Well that's just a few tips... but the possibilities are endless!!!

Answer 3

I think any little step you take helps.  I use green cleaning products and rags instead of paper towels.  I like the products offered by Homology, but others include seventh generation and meyers.

Also, buying local products help.  Farmer's markets reduce transportation and packaging, plus as a bonus your supporting your local economy and farmers.

Answer 4

Well, you could always ride your bike to school, if you go to school or to work. There is also Earth Hour that you can participate in. This earth hour some family friends came over, we ate finger foods before Earth Hour started and then at Earth hour we used only rechargeable flashlights and candle lights. But, make sure that if you do do that the people that join you turn there lights out too. You can also buy that big blue bin and recycle a lot. My family goes through 2 full garbage bags each week. You can help improve with that because i think soon they are going to make you pay for each garbage bag. Also, have shorter showers to decrease your water bill and also be good to the environment at the same time. Try to also ride your bike or walk to do chores. I sometimes do that.

Answer 5

There is a great website acalled care2.com. They have a green living section with a whole bunch of tips. You could even show the kids some articles and have them sign some online petitions with you that they have on Care. They have a lot of great petitions like saving seals and polar bears. They even have a great home made Play doh recipe, home made shampoos ets. Enjoy.

GK

Answer 6

Besides the obvious answers, there is also the opportunity to recycle rather than throw away/discard good usable items.  Join or start a Freecycle group (http://www.freecycle.org/)  in your area.  This would keep clothing, furniture, appliances, tools, books, building materials, etc., out of the landfills.

Consider growing your own vegetables, using composted material you have produced from food scraps yourself.

Do not purchase bottled water. Use a water filtering system/product and fill your own bottle (you can buy them). We dump hundreds of thousands of bottles in landfills every day.

Empty out your cars trunk of evrything that is not essential. Extra weight cuts mpg. efficiency.

Plastic jugs from laundry soaps can be recycled by cutting off the tops and turning them into planting containers.  The smaller spout tops (bleach, dish detergent, etc. bottles) can be made into funnels.

Coffee cans, glass jars can be used for storage of a multitude of things - food stuffs, nuts/bolts/nails, etc., buttons and sewing supplies.  They also can be used for packaging of cookie, soup mixes, jellies, jams, etc., to be given as gifts.

Repair damaged items including clothing, rather than tossing them.

Reuse ANYTHING and EVERYTHING possible.

Think about it, there are so many ways we can eliminate waste, to cut back on the use of products that we are paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to dump into landfills where they pollute the earth and underground water.

Answer 7

I want you to do anything that saves you money. Then put that money to work saving earth. But mostly, we need a change of state. A pollution surcharge to balance the good stuff and make the bad stuff pay the real price-including health, climate change and cleanup of their messes. A new nation progressive sales tax to end income tax till $75,000 per person. We need all governments to cut fuel use by 25% this year over last, and 50% more the following year. We need new high effecient power plants like the solar concentrating ones I am working on in California. We need nuclear power that makes ethanol and hydrogen and peak electricity. We need superconductor electric cars, trains and airplanes. I f you want to know more go to CoolingEarth.org under California can be carbon neutral.

Have fun

Answer 8

recycle

Answer 9

try to use your cars as little as possible , try to use electricity less ,try not to use a packaging and packing  materials or at least try to minimize your usages, for example try to use one big bag from the mall instead of several , and try yo use it several time, also try not to use the heating or ventilation systems or AC when you can use the natural cooling , heating or AC systems .

try to use the energy consumptions lamps in all over your house , try to use less papers and print less, try to use the wastes separation methods and also try to use gales insted of plastic in dishes and glasses.

this is what i can say to you about greening the earth.

Answer 10

get lots of cash

Answer 11

1. Turn off AND unplug appliances you don't use often (coffee maker, toaster, etc.)

2. Use canvas bags when you go shopping.

3. Eat less meat. (or become a vegetarian)

4. Buy fresh and not frozen food.

5. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs.

6. Recycle.

7. Adjust your thermostat (up 2 degrees in summer, down 2 degrees in winter)

Answer 12

lots of basic things

take your own bags when shopping.

buy products with the least amount of packaging(how many items are wrapped in plastic, but in a box, then wrapped in plastic again?

and go for concentrated laundry/kitchen detergents)

turn tvs, radios, computers off when not in use

dont keep chargers plugged in when you aint charging

open a window instead of turning on aircon in the car