Ways a 15 year old can help her family 'go green'??

Question

so at school we are 'going green' and i was one of the 4 students that got to talk to a news paper reporter. i was very interested in helping my school help the earth and i am trying to think of ways to help my family. i live with my mom dad grandma and 7 year old brother. my main point is trying to inform them so they understand why im doing it and why they should help also what i would like them to do.

i am making a list of things to show to them and i am going to make a poster. can you give me any ideas and advice on how to go about this and anything that we can do that doesnt cost money. thank you ! =D

Answer 1

find ways to show your family the causes and effects of going green by pulling something up on the internet. Statistics show how important basic things like recycling and buying composable products are.  

Answer 2

http://www.angelfire.com/cantina/homemak...

131 uses for white vinegar,safe for the enviroment

Answer 3

There are many small things that you can do to help your family "go green". Try turning off lights when you aren't in a room, wash dishes by hand once in a while instead of using the dishwasher all the time, start a compost, unplug things like the toaster and microwave when not in use, start recycleing, open windows instead of always turnning on the air @ home, & use canvas bags for grocerys insead of using the plactic bags that are provided.

If I were you I would have your family sit down and explain to them that helping the enviorment is important to you and that u would would really appreciate if they could assist you in helping the enviorment at home by doing small things (like what I mentioned above) that over time really add up.  

Answer 4

There are many things that you and your family can do to help the environment, and most are very inexpensive too:

~Of course, recycle everything you can! (Ex: cans, bottles, plastics, paper, ect.)

~Buy energy saving light bulbs

~Buy things like clothes, paper, ect that are made from recycled materials

~Use reusable batteries or recycle dead batteries properly

~Use reusable shopping bags

~If you have plastic shopping bags, use them instead of just tossing them. They can be used to pick up dog poo, line small trash cans, ect.

~Try not to use paper napkins or paper towel as much as possible. Instead use cloth napkins that can be washed.

~Try to use fewer paper plates and more washable ones.

~Take shorter showers

~Turn off lights whenever possible

~Try to buy more organic foods and local foods (for example, at a farmer's market)

~Use regular silverware, not plastic

~Use eco friendly products in replace of regular dish washing liquids, house cleaners, ect. (Greenworks)

~Use cold water to wash clothes (Tide Cold water works great)

~On a nice day, turn off the air/heat and open some windows. You save on the cost, get a nice fresh breeze, and help the environment.

~Plant trees around your house to shade and save on using more air conditioning

~Buy one stainless steel, reusable, water bottle instead of using regular plastic ones and then getting rid of them. This one you can clean and use over and over again!

~Change the setting on your sprinklers to use less water

~Buy eco friendly fertilizers (I think they have them at Home Depot)

~If painting, they have eco friendly paint at Home Depot

~Walk or ride a bike wherever possible

~Carpool

That is all I can think of, but you can also get some tips at www.gogreen.com

Answer 5

There are so many things you can do. To name a few:

-Recycle - including print cartridges, paper

-Turn off the water when you brush your teeth

-Use canvas shopping bags

-Use cloth napkins

-Use a toaster oven to reheat rather than a conventional oven

There's a list of 50 things you can do to be more green here:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article...

Save money and the environment by making your own foam soap:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article...

Answer 6

Going green is easy, there are so many great resources about the subject. My personal favorite is "The Green Book" which has parts of its book online as well at www.readthegreenbook.com.

I put my standard go green answer below, but you can help your parents make some more earth friendly choices.

As I have been striving to "Go Green" I realize it is like stepping back in time without getting rid of my modern conveniences. I'm doing many things I learned as a child, like line drying my clothes, sweeping instead of vacuuming, opening the windows in the morning to catch the cool breeze, only buying what I need instead of everything that looks cool, growing some of my own food, and canning what I can't eat now.

To me "going Green" is a frame of mind. Do what fits your lifestyle and do the easy things first, it is a process and like dieting if you go to radical to soon, you are more likely to go back to bad habits. I also believe there are good, better, best choices in most things. If you aren't ready to start a home garden, then try finding a farmers market, until you locate one look for produce grown as close to home as possible and go organic when available.

Many people think "going green" is expensive, I disagree. Some changes may take an initial investment, but they usually have a short payoff time. Things like weatherstiping and insulation cost, but the energy savings will add up quickly. You may need to purchase reusable bags, but most stores give you a 5 or 10 cent credit, so you are paid back within a few months.

My top tips are make your home more energy efficient, that also means using natural light, cooling and heating.

Reduce your packaging, if you eat more fresh food you will generally reduce packaging, it's the same thing they tell dieters, shop the perimiter, that is where all the meat, dairy and produce are located. Only buy what you will use, many Americans throw away a lot of unused food. Buy in bulk, that doesn't just mean large packages, but that area with the bins that you buy only what you plan on using.

Replace disposable items with durable items, if you eat outside often and use disposable paper or plastic plates, it is a wise investment to purchase a set of reusable plastic plates. Replace disposable razors, diapers and cleaning products like swiffer. Avoid bottled water, get a home filter like Pur or Brita.

Recycle, www.earth911.org will help you locate the nearest recycle center. I try to only purchase plastics that are #1 or #2, they are more easily recycled. I also buy recycled products when available, that includes paper towels, napkings, toilet paper, tissue, school/office supplies and clothing.

Detox your cleaning, vinegar and baking soda clean almost anything, they can even losen a hair clog. Seventh Generation and Method are a couple mainstream brands that are very earth friendly.

Just start small and build from there, don't get overwhelmed.

Answer 7

turn all the lights off use candles, save grocery bags from the stores.these are some ways to conserve energy  

Answer 8

I have a HUUUUGE list available at www agua-luna com it's like 33 pages long and would just spam this whole answer. But here's a few cut from the list below. if you'd like the entire list feel free to visit www agua-luna com or email me through the site directly and I’ll send you a copy.

Also Agua-Luna com now offers Carbon Offsetting Credits, since our Team of Volunteers is already accomplishing several carbon eliminating projects, we’re now converting the carbon offsets to you. Visit www agua-luna com for a FREE carbon calculator to calculate your carbon footprint for free and more info on carbon credits.

You could also Volunteer with us, planting a tree or working on a Sustainable Renewable Energy Building Project in Mexico with us. Again see www agua-luna com for more info.

I also do some free consulting, there's more info on the site about that too. Here’s some more ways to help the environment…

Recycle paper, cardboard, newsprint and magazines.

Recycle aluminum cans.

Recycle all batteries.

Recycle and reuse. Roughly 50% of the average person's trash can be recycled. Don't forget that hazardous waste like batteries, your printer's ink cartridges, and cell phones can be recycled too! Find out how and where to recycle in your area. Always buy recycled paper. Just 1 ton of recycled paper saves 17 trees.

Just because your community doesn't pick up all recyclables on the curb, it doesn't mean there are not viable alternatives nearby. Check with dry cleaners, supermarkets, manufacturers, your local public works department and civic organizations to find out where recycled goods can be dropped off, at a location near you.

Did you know that just in 1995 alone, recycled toner cartridges kept over 21,000 tons of trash out of landfills? Believe it or not, now you can recycle your printer's toner cartridges! Every year, Americans throw out enough printer cartridges to stretch from Los Angeles to New York City and back again. Toner cartridges can be recycled, having just as good a performance as an unrecycled cartridge. To recycle your toner cartridges, find a local business that does printer cartridge recycling, or contact the manufacturer of your current toner cartridge and ask about a cartridge recycling program.

Not only should you recycle, but buy products that are recycled. By purchasing these products, you are helping to conserve natural resources, and to protect the environment.

Wash clothes in cold water.

Hot water is unnecessary for most clothes. When needed, use warm water.

Fill your toilet tank.

Put a plastic bottle or two, filled with water and rocks, in your tank to reduce the amount of water used in each flush.

Clean your filters.

Clean the filters of your air-conditioners once a month to improve energy efficiency. While you’re at it, change your car’s filters as recommended in your manual.

Get a low-flow shower head.

Stop at the hardware store on your way home, and get a low-flow shower head. Takes a few minutes to install, and it’ll save gallons of water a day.

Lower your thermostats.

If you use heating, get by with less heat and wear warmer clothes. If you use air-conditioning, get by with less cooling and wear cooler clothes.

If it’s a nice sunny day, hanging clothes only takes a few minutes, and you’re using solar power instead of electricity to do the job. It also makes your clothes last longer.

Turn down your water heater.

Most people have their water heater’s thermostat turned up too high, wasting energy. Turn it down to 130 degrees, saving energy but still hot enough to kill bacteria.

Use CFC light bulbs.

If your light bulb burns out, replace it with a Compact Flourescent bulb (those spiral-looking ones). They’re more expensive, but if you just replace them one at a time, it doesn’t cost much, and the energy savings is great. And as they last longer, over the long run, you’ll save money.

Wash and dry only full loads of laundry and dishes.

Follow your community's water use restrictions or guidelines.

Install a low-flow shower head.

If you are not looking to change your car just yet there are a number of ways you can be more environmentally friendly and help you save money by conserving fuel.

Lighten your car to reduce weight by not carrying unnecessary items.

Cut your speed and stick to the speed limits

Drive smoothly avoiding heavy accelerating and braking.

When stationary for a long time, switch off the engine.

Closing windows will make the car more efficient by being more aerodynamic.  Remove roof bars when not is use also helps.

Make sure your tyres are properly inflated as under inflated tyres cause more resistance.

Where possible, walk, cycle or even use public transport.  

If possible lift share to reduce the number of cars on the road.

Try mass transit.

Millions of people use it, and it saves tons of fuel. If you don’t already, give it a try.

Unload your car.

Remove excess weight from your car (such as stuff that might be in the trunk) to reduce the amount of fuel you use.

Walk instead of drive.

You don’t have to do this all the time, but walking the short trip to a store, or to lunch from work, or some other short trip like that, can reduce the amount of fuel you use over the long term, and you shed some fat at the same time. Or at least burn off that morning donut.

Buy a smaller car.

You won’t be able to do this today, probably, but the next time you’re in the market for an automobile, get a smaller and energy-efficient car rather than a big, lumbering one. It’s one of the best things you can do to reduce your fuel consumption.

Inflate your tires.

Many people don’t realize that their tires are under-inflated. Check the recommended pressure for your tires, and fill them up to that pressure. It only takes a few minutes, but it will save you on fuel consumption (a little) and more importantly, make your tires last longer and reduce the rubber that’s worn off your tires.

Get creative with gift-giving. The gift of time, services, or environmentally positive gifts may be more appreciated than disposable goods that are not to the taste or needs of the recipient.

Look into those lifestyle changes you’ve been putting off

Work from home more. Many organisations, when prodded a little, will accept flexible work arrangements where there is no impact to the work that needs to get done.

Use your oven less.

The oven not only uses a lot of energy, it heats up your kitchen, requiring more cooling. Instead, use toaster ovens, crockpots, microwaves, and electric grills when you can. And when you do use your oven, open it less - you lose 25% of the heat every time you open the oven door.

Mend your stuff.

Try not to throw stuff away and buy new stuff if the old stuff can be fixed. Torn clothing? Takes a few minutes to sew up.

Install a water filter.

If you buy a lot of bottled water, use your tap instead. Some places need a filter to make tap water taste drinkable, but they don’t cost much and they can save money, water, and plastic bottles over time.

Unplug appliances.

If you don’t use an appliance several times a day, it’s better to unplug it, as they often use energy even when turned off

Use rechargeable batteries.

Instead of throwing your batteries away all the time, reuse rechargeable batteries. Costs a little more, but cheaper in the long run.

When you’re looking to buy appliances, be sure to research the most energy-efficient ones. They may cost a little more, but they’ll more than make up for that in the long run with lower energy bills.

Buy a smaller home.

The next time you’re home-shopping, instead of buying the McMansion, look for a smaller home that’s big enough to meet your needs comfortably. Reducing the amount of stuff you own is a good way to need less house. It’s cheaper, and requires less energy to heat and cool. And easier to clean at the same time.

Look for energy efficiency.

Use acryllic paint.

Compost.

It’s not hard to set one up (look it up online), and you can save a lot of waste from the landfill and help your garden at the same time

Water grass early in the morning.

Reduces the amount of water you need to keep your grass looking fabulous.

Plant shade trees near your house.

It’ll take awhile before they can make a difference, but shade trees greatly reduce the need to cool a home.

Coat your roof.

This’ll take up an afternoon, but you only have to do it once every few years. And it’ll save you a lot of money and energy in heating and cooling over the long-term, more than making up for the cost of paint.

Avoid fast food.

Instead, eat at home or at a sit-down restaurant. Fast food restaurants are one of the worst polluters of the environment, both in the massive amounts of beef they must raise, in the wasted packaging, and in the energy they use in so many ways. And they’re tremendously unhealthy.

Buy a manual reel mower or electric mower.

If you’re looking for a new lawn mower, and you have a small yard, consider getting a manual one. They’re much advanced from the reel mowers of our grandparents’ generation, much quieter, cheaper, and they save on fuel and pollution. Electric mowers are also quieter and use much less energy.

Clean up.

Hope this helped, feel free to contact me personally if you have any questions if you’d like assistance in making your first self sufficient steps, I’m willing to walk you step by step threw the process. I’ve written several how-to DIY guides available at  www agua-luna com on the subject. I also offer online and on-site workshops, seminars and internships to help others help the environment.

Dan Martin

Alterative Energy / Sustainable Consultant, Living 100% on Alternative & Author of How One Simple Yet Incredibly Powerful Resource Is Transforming The Lives of Regular People From All Over The World... In

Answer 9

1.Recycle

2.Reuse

3.Reduce waste

4.Don't buy milk or juice in cartons since these cant be recycled buy them in something like a glass bottle or plastic bottle instead.

5.Use solar products

6.Turn of your TV and go read a book instead

7.Turn of a light when no one is in the room

8.Take a quick shower instead of a long bath

9.Take the bus instead of a car because for example it holds 10 people and uses as much gas as 1 car instead of 10 people separated in 1 car which will ruin our atmosphere

10.Turn of your computer instead of leaving it on standby

11.Walk to school or ride your bike instead of the bus and car (if it is near)

12.Use environment friendly products

13.When buying electronics make sure they have an energy star logo or another energy saving company logo

14.Only turn on the washing machine or dish washer when full

15.Buy organic cotton clothes or buy second hand clothes

16.Adopt an animal from the pound for the holidays

17.Get something in which to collect rain water then with this water use it to water your plants or something

18.Water your plants in the early morning or early evening to prevent evaporation

19.Set up a recycling club in your school to make others recycle

20.Dont leave the tap running when brushing your teeth

21.Take a lunch box to school instead of paper bags or buy somehting to eat from the school canteen

22.Take exercise outdoors rather than outdoors this saves the lighting needed indoors

23.Buy free range eggs

24.Instead of buying a packaged sandwhich make one your own

25.Most of all join clubs and commities for saving animals or recycling

Dont forget that every little thing you do makes a big difference!

Here are some sites and books you can get awesome suggestions

go to these sites and get these books

treehugger.com

green.alltop.com

ecomall.com

ecochoices.com

naturalcollection.com

theorganicpages.com

newdream.org

coopamerica.com

ens-newswire.com

foe.org

environmentaldefense.org

epa.gov

awionline.org

catgen.com/ifat/en

fairtrade.net

charmoneshoes.com

branchhome.com

econsciousmarket.com

furnature.com

methodhome.com

modgreenpod.com

mrsmeyers.com

milkpaint.com

gcollection.com

paporganics.com

vivattera.com

theorganicmattressstore.com

farmaesthetics.com

jason-naturals.com

juicebeauty.com

pageaorganics.com

abundantearth.com

greenearthcleaning.com

chelsea-girl.com

prana.com

bepresent.com

coolnotcruel.com

mociun.com

johnpatrickorganic.com

indigenousdesigns.com

albabotanica.com

gaiam.com

satarainc.com

hankettes.com

greenhome.com

earth911.com

intentblog.com

recycline.com

lavera.com

aveda.com

natracare.com

organicessentials.com

drhauschka.com

johnmasters.com

aubrey-organics.com

hugonatural.com

annasova.com

coyuchiorganic.com

kocandels.com

equiterre.org?en

intentblog.com

babuhome.com

naturaleurope.com

farewellmysubaru.com

solarnation.org

localharvest.org?csa

dripworks.com

cspinet.org

search.caringconsumer.com

just keep cutting and pasting my friend you will find what you need especially on treehugger.com and ecomall.com its a amazing resource but dont discount green.alltop.com either because it is a site that has major green sites all in one place that is a link to them and is updated daily i love it

books

365 ways to change the world : how to make a difference--one day at a time / Michael Norton

500 ways to change the world / Global Ideas Bank ; edited and compiled by Nick Temple

Farewell, my Subaru : an epic adventure in local living / Doug Fine

Go green, live rich : 50 simple ways to save the Earth and get rich trying / David Bach, with Hillary Rosner.

The green book : the everyday guide to saving the planet one simple step at a time / Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas M. Kostigen with a foreword by Cameron Diaz and William McDonough

Green living : the E magazine handbook for living lightly on the earth / by the editors of E/the environmental magazine

It's easy being green : a handbook for earth-friendly living / Crissy Trask ; illustrations by Mike Clelland.

The lazy environmentalist : your guide to easy, stylish, green living / Josh Dorfman

Making kind choices : everyday ways to enhance your life through earth- and animal-friendly living / Ingrid Newkirk ; foreword by Paul McCartney.

MySpace OurPlanet : change is possible / by the MySpace community ; with Jeca Taudte ; foreword by Tom Anderson

Worldchanging : a user's guide for the 21st century / edited by Alex Steffen ; foreword by Al Gore ; design by Sagmeister

Ethical markets : growing the green economy / Hazel Henderson with Simran Sethi ; foreword by Hunter Lovins

Sustainable planet : solutions for the twenty-first century / edited by Juliet B. Schor and Betsy Taylor

trust me there all excellent books i love them and they have alot of info

Answer 10

uh...EAT MORE SPINICH and greens in general....and move on to topics that really matter!  

Answer 11

Besides recycling, there is a lot you can do:

-Commute by bicycle or walk to destinations - this will save the carbon released into the air by a car or bus (public transportation actually DOESN'T reduce emissions, despite what people think, because they rarely run at full capacity). Also, this will help your health as you'd be getting more exercise; it will diminish your need to go to the gas station; you'll save on car repairs since you won't need your vehicle.

-If you cannot give up a car, join a car pool. You will save money on gas, make friends, and help the environment by taking multiple cars off of the road.

- Eat more vegetables and less meat in your diet. Not only is this good for your body and your wallet, it helps reduce emissions made by livestock that ruins the ozone; it reduces the demand for such livestock in the first place which means more potential grazing land will be saved; it cuts the production & transportation costs for meat - in order to raise 1 cow, you need to give it feed, medicine, & housing, then pay for big rigs to truck it across the country, which emit carbon into the air. You also reduce the amount of animal suffering that happens while the animals are growing up in tight confinement, and also in the slaughterhouses.

-Buy locally or grow your own food. When you buy local food, you support your local community and also save carbon emitted into the air from the transportation of far-away foods. When you grow your own food, you do away with those transportation costs altogether, and you know the quality of your vegetables is sounds.

- Create your own compost box. This can be done easily using a plastic tub.Instead of throwing everything away and creating more landfill, you can turn the organic matter left over from meals and yard work into a rich soil for your vegetables. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbjX2tt-o...

-Travel locally instead of by plane. Again, planes emit tons of emissions each year, and traveling locally reduces those emissions.

-Support solar energy and nuclear energy. Most of America's power comes from the burning of coal, which emits harmful emissions. Solar energy is a nice way to supplement and reduce the need for that power; while it will not produce enough energy to replace coal, it can save a family money and reduce their personal carbon footprint. Nuclear power is a clean, viable source of energy that does not emit carbon; with the current technologies and procedures it is a safe, effective source of power.  

http://www.nei.org/

http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/

-Stop junk mail. You'll save trees and clear up your mailbox.

http://www.greendimes.com/

http://www.obviously.com/junkmail/

Answer 12

Use cleaners that are biodegradable and environmentally friendly. Many claim to be but they are not. My family uses the SNAP! & GlobalCare product lines and they love it. They don't have strong, harsh, toxic chemicals which is great since I have Asthma.

Answer 13

-Stick to tap water, if you research, tap water is actually better then purified water, and healthier.

-Don't leave the water faucet running.

-Get a garbage can specifically for recycling.

-Save plastic grocery bags. They will come in handy for other reasons.

-Turn lights off when not in use.

-Post a "No-junk mail" on your letter box. it will reduce junk mail from being entered into your home, then just thrown away.

-Re-use!!!