Start SMALL

OK.....so you want to begin incorporating some green into your life but you aren't sure where to start....my suggestion is to START SMALL. I haven't read every green book out there but I have read alot and the majority of them encourage simple changes. Small changes made everyday can have a HUGE impact over the course of a lifetime.

Here are a few small changes to help you get started:

1. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth-you could conserve up to 5 gallons of water per day.
2. Recycle-We've found the easiest way to do this is set up bins and sort as you go. Mine are plain but you could make them pretty. We have bins for plastic, mixed paper, newspaper, corrugated cardboard, and one for metal/glass that we sort when we drop off. Once your bins are full make a trip to your local "convenience center" and drop them off. We are very fortunate here in Knox County; we have fabulous, easy to use centers. Check with your local area if you are outside of Knox County.
3. Use less of everything-soap, shampoo, laundry detergent,etc...-I have found that I can use 1/2 the amount of recommended laundry detergent and my clothes still come out clean and 1/4 of a pump of soap gets my hands just as clean as a whole pump. You're helping to decrease the toxic load we put on the Earth and the added benefit is it saves you money.
4. Use glass instead of plastic to store your food- Many plastics have harmful chemicals that can leach into your food. Protect your health by choosing a safer alternative.
5. BYOB....Bring your own bag-Plastic bags are made from oil and the US goes through 380 billion of them a year. Conserve our natural resources by bringing your own bag to the grocery store. Any bag will work or find cute, compact ones at Nioka Green Store.
6. Skip paper towels-use old t-shirts and newspaper for cleaning. At mealtime, choose reusable cloth napkins-I usually pick mine up from garage sales, thrift stores or estate sales for about 25 cents each.
7. Conserve energy-Swith incadescent bulbs to CFL's as the old ones burn out for a significant energy savings. You might also consider installing motion sensors to lights, especially in areas like your kids room or bathroom. We have these in our garage (an area where we often forgot to turn the lights off)
8. Shop second hand- This is one of my favorite ways to "go green". It's like a big scavenger hunt and you're the winner. I can usually find just what I'm looking for by shopping local yard sales, thrift stores and consignment sales. It also helps to divert items from landfills. One persons trash can be another ones treasure. Stay tuned for a couple of projects that have become treasures.

So, what are some of the ways that you're going green. I would love to hear from you. Please let me know if you have questions. I am always happy to try to answer them.

Big Hugs,

Hogskin Valley Girl