What can a 14 year old do to save the environment, "go green"?

Question

i've read up in magazines and have read somethings about going green, i've started to recyle more old magazines, and also not shaving while the shower is still on. what else can i do, i am erging to do more.

Answer 1

There's many ways to help. Go to my website and there are some things that you can do to help. Thank you SO much! :]

http://www.freewebs.com/you-could-make-a...

Answer 2

"The oil companies fund the environmentalists. They're both on the same side of wanting to restrict supply,"

"When the oil companies are able to make hundreds of billions of dollars in profit, they're not going to come along and tell the American people that oil is abundant, that we are never going to run out of it, that we're finding increasing resources."

Answer 3

I completely understand how you feel.  I am 16 and I have started to want to be more green too.  But I have found that it is hard as a kid to change a lot of the things your family does.  For example I can't change all the light bulbs in my house or make my parents get a smaller car, but there are still some ways to have an impact.

I buy my clothes mostly second hand, which is a great way to reuse, and you don't contribute to big corporations. (Also, I think it is more fun)

Use a lunch bag. there are some really cute ones now like vera bradley, or look on pbteen.com

Join your school's environmental club, or if you don't have one start one.  I'm sure you could find science teacher willing to help.

Try to get recycling at your school. (The school can even make money, if you recycle enough paper and cans)

Find a parks group in your area and help in trash pick-ups

Create a compost bin in your back yard. You can actually compost a lot of kitchen waste that would be thrown out.

Get your parents to use a reusable bag when they go shopping.

Try buying products with less packaging when you go food shopping with your parents

Bike or walk when you can instead of getting a ride, or get in a carpool to school

Do lots of small things at home, like turning off lights when you leave the room, decide what you want to eat without holding the fridge door open for a few minutes, and turn off water when you brush your teeth, and so on.

To sum it all up, just try to live you life without creating more waste than necessary.  It is true that we don't have a huge impact, but if everyone slowly starts to do their part eventually we will.  So don't get discouraged by people who have already given up, and good luck in your endeavors!

Answer 4

I don't want to rain on your parade, but all going green is going to do in the end is cost you money. Its a nice thought, but the reality is there are something like 9 billion people on this planet. 90% of them don't care about the environment.

Whatever small sacrifices you make will be overshadowed by big corporations and countries like china who continue to destroy the planet.

Want to do something? Stay out of walmart,  and don't buy chinese goods until they clean up!

Being a good steward of the environment is good, we all are I think. But I wouldn't go overboard and become Amish or anything. Unless you want too. : )

Answer 5

well, that's a really good question, here's what i think teens can do:

well, you can be a bit more creative and reuse old clothes in a proper manner, like you can make bedspreads out of them ,it comes out really well!

stop wasting paper, i guess, that's really important!!

you can observe the  "world earth day" on 22nd April, and organise programs to create awareness about environmental problems.

you can start an eco-club in your school (it's awesome), you can check the wastage of paper in school, and can even start a campaign to plant trees.

you can try and reduse a lot of waste, by having two saparate bins at home or at school, for boidegradable and non-biodegradable waste  this results in good decomposition of the waste, by micro-organisms.

Answer 6

You can go to community parks and clean up.Are you in NJHS?You can turn in plastic bags at HEB and get one of the reusable green bags.You can go to beaches and clean them up.Basicaly everywhere.

Answer 7

Become Vegetarian!!

Not just obviously for your health. But meat factories pollute the air more than any other production factories "combine" In addition, the waste and everything else is drop in the sea

Plus, a vegetarian save 95 animals from death every year

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

A vegetarian diet is one of the best things you can do to live a more green lifestyle.

For something easier, get a diva cup. You'll save money and your body will thank you too.

Answer 10

hi read these links from google.com

GOING GREEN Choose to GO GREEN

Teaching youngsters to choose reusable cloth bags for shopping not only makes environmental sense, ..... 5 Tips for "Going Green" in Mind, Body, and Spirit. ...

goinggreenyes.blogspot.com/

Going Green Going Green

File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML

Going Green. A community learns to love allotments. Going Green ..... I want to harness the contribution of older people, and in doing so I want ...

www.communitiesscotland.gov.uk/stellen...

you can get more links from google

main thing is to understand the need for going green and doing the best we can even if it is only some small action for improving the environment.

best of luck.

Answer 11

there are many things you can do. Get your friends to help clean up parks and your neighborhood. i'm 14 too and i'v been helping th environment. i cleaned a creek and recyle and other things ask your environmental science teacher (ifyouhaveone) if there are any places you can go or to do that you can help the environment. My teacher gets alot of questions from people if she would like to help save the envrioment it will help. When you go to a store dont use plastic or paper bags. use those fabic bags. some stores have them and they are very helpful and save the environment another way to help is dont keep the sink running while brusihing your teeth. and fill up a pitcher of water and get ur water from the pitcher if your thirsty rather than getting it from your fossit and wasting drips of water go down the drane. there are many other things to do. research it and look into it. i  am really glad you are trying to help. it angers me when people say they dont care they are too caught up in there own lives to even care about the world they live in and how much impact they are putting on the world. i hoped i helped. good luck with the environment :)

<3

Answer 12

First things first, memorize the three R's = Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.  Then always consider how you can stick to the 3R's.

1 - Watch the video at www.StoryOfStuff.com - it will inspire you to rethink all purchases.  It is as compelling and life changing.

2 - With take out or doggie-bags, use your own containers.  Restaurants (fast food and sit-down) will honor this request.  You may even hear a "Right on" from staff, like I did the other day in a salad/sandwich shop.  Felt great!

3 - Use your own bags (or no bag) when shopping. It not only keeps a plastic bag out of the cycle, you may inspire others around you to think about how they'll get their purchases home.

There will always be more that we can do.  Just be thoughtful, consider the options, and do your best - that's all any of can do.

Answer 13

Go to http://www.scholastic.com/actgreen