With continuing concern over global warming and overuse of natural resources, interest in green living is growing. Many people want to live green but seem not to know just how to do that. Encourage them with your positive attitude and helpful tips. Most of us are aware that energy efficient light bulbs save energy, but that is only a tiny first step. Promoting the knowledge and skills needed for green living will help to get people off the sidelines and into the fray.
Write an Op-Ed
The local newspaper is often interested in filler copy to plug into empty space. This is a great opportunity to promote green ideas. Keep the article short and to the point, and give easy tips that can be implemented without a lot of time and expense. Use a light, humorous touch.
Some examples:
Take a 5-minute shower. Most showers last about 8 minutes. This uses much more water and energy than needed. Cutting the shower to 5 minutes will save about 7,200 gallons of water annually. When using heated water, remember that you are also using fuel and sewer services.
Hang up the towel and use it again. This simple step will save on water, fuel, soap, sewer use, and wear and tear on the person who does the laundry.
Turn off the lights. A light left burning in an empty room isn't helping anyone. Make it a rule that anyone in the household who notices a light on in an unused room will turn it off.
Use Freecycle for items that are no longer being used. This free service is run by Yahoo. Simply go to www.freecycle.com and find a local chapter. Put up unwanted items for "adoption" and find items that you would otherwise have to buy.
Use rechargeable batteries. Why purchase batteries that can no longer be used once the energy is drained? High-quality rechargeable batteries can be energized up to 1,000 times. This reduces household waste, saves money, and helps keep you out of the store.
Start a Neighborhood Garden
Anyone who has a yard space that isn't being used or is overgrown with weeds can invite neighbors to get together and grow vegetables and flowers to share. Throw a neighborhood party to kick off the effort. Ask guests to come dressed for gardening, rent a tiller to make the work easier, and pitch in.
A garden takes continual maintenance, but breaking up the duties among a group of people can make the task easier. With a neighborhood garden, there's no need to worry about who will weed, water, and pick when the homeowner has to be away.
Add a neighborhood compost heap, and you reduce the burden on the local land fill. This also provides great nourishment for the soil at little to no expense. Visit a few websites or talk with a gardener to find out how to keep the compost heap from attracting unwanted visitors.
Maintain a Green Blog
Blogging has become a national pastime that greatly appeals to adolescents and young adults. Get them on the green team by having them help set up a blog and keep it going. A blog will help to spread the word about green ideas and local efforts in the community.
Living green doesn't have to mean giving up all the conveniences of modern life. It means taking small steps to reduce the amount of fuel we use and be more thoughtful about consumption. Getting everyone into the act is the key to keeping the planet where we live a pleasant and productive place to be.
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