What do people need to do to actually "go green" and not just be a pompous trendy showoff?

Question

What would you say a person needs to do to go green? I'm not saying I'm the greenest hippy of them all by any means, I'm probably not all that green at all, but what should a person do to actually be green vs a douche bag that carries their groceries to their giant SUV in a reuseable bag that has a corney phrase on it telling the world how green they are?

Answer 1

There is a book out there (Sorry can't remember the name) but in it it explained what actually impacts the environment.  The car you drive, and the food you eat were the 2 biggest ones I remember.  The car thing is obvious - fuel efficiency and driving less (live close to work) - food wise eating beef and food from far away was the worst.  Eating locally grown food and either vegetarian, or concentrating on more chicken and fish does more than many other things combined.  Reusing, reducing (what is consumed as well as the waste we make) and recycling.

Answer 2

well simple, start with recycling =)

and the people you described using re-usable bag, i dont think they meant it as a showoff, but probably just to encourage others to not take the free plastic or paper grocery bags LOL

but yeah recycling is the best way

and use less energy if you can, like turn off the lights when no one is in a room

turn off tv when no one is watching

walk when you dont have drive

when you drive out for shopping purpose or whatnot, make sure you have a list of several stores that you need to stop by, just so to make the trip worthawhile

Answer 3

all you can do. use less of all are natural resouces. recycle all you can faithfuly. car pool or walk or ride bike went possible instead of driving oil n gas burning cars. EVER LITTLE BIT HELPS!

Answer 4

"go green" is a trendy phrase, anyone who's goal is to "go green" will inevitably end up a pompous trendy showoff. if you want to reduce your ecological footprint some good ways to start would be to: walk or bike places rather than drive, use more efficient home appliances that have the energy star sticker, get more efficient heating/ac systems and better insulation to reduce the energy used for heating, and replace all of the incandescent bulbs in your house with compact fluorescent or LED bulbs

Answer 5

I have to disagree with others who have said that recycling is the best...actually, it's third, at best.

The three R's, (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) are listed in importance of impact.  Reduce is certainly number one.  Reduce the amount of energy you use, reduce the amount of commercial goods you buy, and when it's something you actually need, look for products that are environmentally friendly...and lacking that, that come in the least amount of packaging.

Reuse is next, which is a form of home recycling, really.  Still got some water bottles kicking around?  Start truly greening your environment by turning them into mini-terrariums.  All kinds of household waste can be turned into something else.  (I once had a pillow made of mesh filled with tiny cut up pieces of washed, used straws...comfy and airy!)

Recycle is the last resort of the three R's.  Do recycle what you have to, of course, but when carrying out your recycling box (and your trash, come to think of it) try to reflect on the first R: Reduce.  What could you have lived without?  Are you tossing anything that had a short life that some other, longer lived product would have made a better choice to begin with?

Somewhere among all those should be composting.  Even those living in apartments or with limited space can get into the act with vermicomposting which takes up little space with next to no smell.  Pass on your composting to one of your "lives in a house with a yard" neighbours...someone is sure to appreciate it.