Top 10 Green Tips for the New Year
Here are some green tips so easy you’ll want to stick with them.
- Take Reusable Shopping Bags. More than 1 million plastic bags end up in the trash every MINUTE! Shopping with your own bag is one of the easiest ways to reduce your carbon footprint.
- Buy Second-hand. From furniture to clothing to baby gear, consignment shops have sprung up everywhere. Frequent local second-hand stores and reuse perfectly good stuff. You save a ton of cash while being friendly to the environment.
- Cut Back on Paper Towels. Buy a few cotton dish towels and fabric napkins then drop them in the wash when they’re soiled. It’s just as easy to use cloth alternatives, and you only need to buy them once — plus you can help eliminate the 3,000 tons of paper towels that end up in landfills EVERY DAY.
- Take Your Own Cup to the Coffee Shop. Fact: 58 billion paper cups are thrown away every year and 20 million trees are cut down in the process. Bonus: Many coffee shops offer a discount for using your own cup.
- Eat and Shop Local. You help your local economy, food is fresher and fewer chemicals are needed to prolong its life. Studies show food can travel 1,500 miles before it reaches your plate, thus creating pollution.
- Never Buy Bottled Water Again. Trade your plastic-bottled water habit for simple tap water. You could save as much at $1,400 a year and are more likely to know what’s in tap water. Check out Des Moines tap water statistics at http://www.dmww.com/water-quality/water-quality-data/
- Replace Incandescent Bulbs. LED bulbs last five times longer and are better for the environment than CFLs, because they do not contain mercury. When an old light bulb burns out, invest in an LED.
- Help Guests Recycle. When you throw a party, have a designated place for guests to recycle. Inconvenience is one of the main reasons people don’t recycle. Check out http://www.flingsbins.com for a small, nifty and inexpensive recycling container for your home gatherings.
- Dust Off Your Bike. Ride your bike for short trips to cut your carbon footprint significantly, save money on gasoline and lose a few pounds at the same time!
- Go Outside. Turn off your car, television, computer and phone. Have fun and keep fit by appreciating all that Mother Nature has to offer: parks, trails, gardens, fresh air, etc.
For more information on safe, smart waste disposal and recycling options, visit www.WhereItShouldGo.com or call 515.244.002.