17 Considerations When Going Green

Going green both at home and at the office requires little effort, but the savings in energy are huge. These methods of going green will make your life more convenient in addition to saving you money and protecting the planet.

DETAILS

* GO PAPERLESS. Opt for paperless billing, and make financial transactions online.

* REUSE PAPER. Use the backsides of unneeded paperwork for scratch paper, kids' artwork, grocery lists, etc.

* RECYCLE PAPER. Shred it and recycle paper rather than throwing it in the trash.

* RECYCLE COMPUTERS AND MONITORS. Find a local agency to take your unwanted monitors, computers and related equipment rather than dumping them in landfills.

* USE SURGE PROTECTORS. Connect your computer and related hardware into a surge protecting power strip; at the end of the day, turn off the power strip to avoid wasting energy.

* Start an office carpool for those in your area, or a before and after school carpool for the kids.

* VIDEO CONFERENCES. Rather than having multiple people from various locations drive to one destination for meetings, video conference instead to save fuel.

* For office lighting, use halogen lights that use less energy. For home lighting, switch to compact fluorescent bulbs that use less energy and last much longer than regular light bulbs.

* RECYCLED FURNITURE. Use recycled furniture for office furnishings, and donate your old home furniture to a Goodwill or similar store rather than dumping.

* Decorate both your office and home with green plants that will take in carbon dioxide and produce oxygen for cleaner air.

* ENERGY EFFICIENT APPLIANCES. The computers, monitors and other office equipment should be chosen for energy efficiency. When you need to replace appliances at home, choose ones that consume less energy.

* SHARE IDEAS. Offer an incentive at work for great green ideas. At home, use social networking to spread the word about considerations when going green.

* CLEAN OUT YOUR CAR. Extra weight reduces fuel efficiency so remove unneeded items from your trunk and backseat.

* TAKE THE STAIRS. Rather than taking the elevator, walk up the stairs; this is great for your health and the environment.

* STOP BUYING BOTTLED WATER. Plastic water bottles take up a lot of room in landfills; get a water purifier if needed, and fill reusable bottles with tap water.

* SHARE TIPS FOR GREEN CLEANING. Store-bought cleaning products are loaded with toxins and chemicals. Make your own using natural ingredients, and share those recipes with family and friends.

* USE GREEN ENERGY. Install solar panels in your home to get your energy from the sun, or set up a wind turbine for another source of renewable energy.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Going green is not only great for the environment, but the savings you'll see when you consume less energy are significant as well. While most of us aren't deliberately ignoring the damage done to the environment on a daily basis, it is way too easy to go about your daily routine without giving it a thought. By becoming aware and doing what you can to conserve energy and to reduce toxins released into the atmosphere, the ground and the water, the whole planet will benefit.

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