Go Green
After many years of trying to understand my purpose, I found that environmental conservation captured my heart. During my travels to many countries and cities around the world, my eyes were opened wider not only to the magnificence and beauty of our planet but also to the devastating impact humanity has had in many areas. While the production of some types of waste in our daily routines is inevitable, there are many, many things that each one of us can do to reduce our negative environmental impact and improve conservation of natural habitats, resources, and wildlife. As a result of Going Green, you will find that you end up saving more "green" as well. In other words, the less you waste and the cleaner our environment, the more money you can potentially save (and invest).
You may be wondering, "so what can I do?" Well, you've come to the right place. Below I have compiled a list of 52 ways to go green. Each of these items is a small action you can personally take to help minimize your environmental impact. Each week, I will create a new blog post which expands upon an item in the list. So make sure to check back frequently for updates.
Now read through the list and let the (environmental and financial) saving begin!
52 Ways To Go Green
1. Politely decline extra water at restaurants if you know you are not going to drink it (also, say no to the extra rounds of chips and salsa)
Goal: Conserve resources
2. Pour water from old water bottles or melted ice in the plants
Goal: Conserve resources
3. Conserve water at home
Goal: Conserve resources
4. Recycle your gold
Goal: Conserve resources
5. Turn off electricity when not in the room
Goal: Conserve resources
6. Adjust the thermostat when you are not home or expect to be away for an extended period of time (5°-8° higher in the summer and 5°-8° lower in the winter)
Goal: Conserve resources
7. Learn about bees, butterflies, earthworms, and ants, they are more important to us than you know
Goal: Conserve resources, help preserve natural habitats
8. Grow wildflowers native to your area that attract hummingbirds, butterflies, bees and other pollinators
Goal: Conserve resources, help preserve natural habitats
9. Take your used car oil to an automotive repair shop to be recycled
Goal: Conserve resources, pollution reduction
10. Reuse or recycle cooking oil
Goal: Conserve resources, pollution reduction
11. Be sure to properly secure items that you are hauling to prevent roadside litter
Goal: Pollution Reduction
12. Do not release balloons into the air
Goal: Pollution Reduction
13. Map out your destinations to optimize your routes and avoid back and forth when you run errands
Goal: Pollution Reduction
14. Adopt, Don’t Shop
Goal: Reduce animal cruelty, help preserve natural habitats
15. Use animal-friendly products
Goal: Reduce animal cruelty, help preserve natural habitats
16. Please don’t ride elephants while out on exotic vacations (let alone here at home), no petting tigers through cages, and no visiting circuses that force these precious and rare beings to perform unnatural acts
Goal: Reduce animal cruelty, help preserve natural habitats
17. Participate in Meatless Mondays
Goal: Reduce animal cruelty, conserve resources, pollution reduction
18. Reduce your food waste by meal planning for the week
Goal: Reduce landfill contributions, conserve resources
19. Ask about portion sizes when you order your meals. You may find that you could reduce the size and cost of your food, share with a friend, and reduce waste!
Goal: Reduce landfill contributions, conserve resources
20. Only take the condiments that you need or plan to use within a few months when going out to eat
Goal: Reduce landfill contributions
21. Reuse newspapers for packaging material
Goal: Reduce landfill contributions
22. Pre-cycle unwanted mail. Call the number on your unwanted magazines or visit the website and unsubscribe from the mailing list
Goal: Reduce landfill contributions, conserve resources
23. Turn off paper billing and pay your bills online
Goal: Reduce landfill contributions, conserve resources
24. Print documents only when you really need to and utilize double-sided printing when possible
Goal: Reduce landfill contributions, conserve resources
25. Reuse scrap paper
Goal: Reduce landfill contributions, conserve resources
26. Only take the amount of paper towels, napkins, and/or tissues that you need
Goal: Reduce landfill contributions, conserve resources
27. Bring a reusable container for leftovers at restaurants
Goal: Reduce landfill contributions, conserve resources
28. Use a reusable hot beverage cup or personal tumbler when you purchase coffee
Goal: Reduce landfill contributions, conserve resources
29. Recycle electronics
Goal: Reduce landfill contributions, conserve resources
30. Recycle metal hangers at your local dry cleaners
Goal: Reduce landfill contributions, conserve resources
31. Recycle gift cards or use e-gift cards
Goal: Reduce landfill contributions, conserve resources
32. Bring reusable bags when you go shopping (e.g. groceries, clothes, etc.)
Goal: Reduce landfill contributions, conserve resources
33. Reuse or recycle clean plastic bags
Goal: Reduce landfill contributions, conserve resources
34. Recycle makeup and lotion containers
Goal: Reduce landfill contributions, conserve resources
35. Nix the plastic water bottles and use a water filter
Goal: Reduce landfill contributions, conserve resources
36. When possible, don't use plastic straws
Goal: Reduce landfill contributions, conserve resources
37. Be more conscious of using recycling receptacles, when appropriate, instead of trash cans (e.g. airport, gas station, stores)
Goal: Reduce landfill contributions, conserve resources
38. If you host a party, clearly define your recycling receptacles
Goal: Reduce landfill contributions, conserve resources
39. Make smoothies or stews with your produce that is on the verge of spoiling
Goal: Reduce landfill contributions, conserve resources
40. Use food scraps for composting to feed your garden
Goal: Reduce landfill contributions, conserve resources
41. Refurbish items instead of buying new
Goal: Conserve resources
42. Give your used items a second home (e.g. donate items to local charities or resell them)
Goal: Reduce landfill contributions, positive social impact, conserve resources
43. Go thrifting and buy second-hand items instead of buying new
Goal: Reduce landfill contributions, positive social impact, conserve resources
44. Recycle or donate old sneakers
Goal: Reduce landfill contributions, positive social impact, conserve resources
45. Donate your prescription glasses
Goal: Reduce landfill contributions, positive social impact, conserve resources
46. Recycle or donate unwanted textiles (regardless of the condition)
Goal: Reduce landfill contributions, positive social impact, conserve resources
47. Donate or sell your books
Goal: Reduce landfill contributions, positive social impact, conserve resources
48. Donate to eco-friendly causes
Goal: All categories
49. Support socially and environmentally conscious businesses
Goal: All categories
50. Get involved with clean-up initiatives
Goal: All categories
51. Be sure to dispose of your trash in the proper receptacles
Goal: All categories
52. Share this information with others!
Goal: All categories
