Easy Ways to Go Green

One of the most common questions we get is “I really do want to go green, but where do I start?”.  As we discussed in our Definition of Going Green, it’s not as hard as many make it seem. It’s just a matter of simple, small steps that add up over time.

Since most folks are looking for easy ways to Go Green, that is exactly what we are going to provide on our site and in this article  (after all the site is called GoingGreenHints.com).

To help get you kicked off on your journey of going green, we have provided one easy tip from each of our major categories.  If you just start with these easy ways to go green you will see just how simple it is and should begin to see results very quickly.  Just remember, new habits all start with a  first step.

1. At Home – Programable Thermostat
The Evironmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that a properly configured programable thermostat can save 2,000 pounds of greenhouse emissions per year.  In addition, if every US home installed and used a programmable thermostat we could save over 150 billion pounds of greenhouse emissions a year.

As we have found with many of the “going green” tips we advocate, you can also save money with a programable thermostat.  So if the thought of lowering greenhouse gases is not enough to get you to try this, how about saving an average of 10% on your energy costs?

2.  At Work – Reduce Paper Waste
Some estimates have shown that businesses throw away 21 million tons of paper per year, or over 170 pounds for every office worker in the US.

There are few very easy things you can do to reduce paper waste at work (and at home for that matter):

• Don’t throw away a piece of paper if it still has one clean side.  I keep a pile of used paper next to my desk that only has printing on one side and use it to take notes on the phone, jot down to-do lists, etc.
• Try duplex printing – printing on both sides.  Some printers may not be able to do this, but definitely something to look into if buying a new printer.
• Just don’t print it.  Think if you really need a hard copy of this report or if you can get what you need by viewing it on your computer.
• Create your own scratch pad.  Remember that pile of “used” paper we had?  One trick I do is to cut a stack of the paper in quarters and staple it together… your very own “scratch pad” (without some cheesy company slogan printed on the side).

3.  Energy – Hot Water Heater
This tip is not only easy, but saves money and keeps your family safe (now that is a win-win-win).

Most hot water heaters, the 3rd largest energy users in most homes, are set to about 140 degrees F.  The US Department of Energy states that every 10 degree reduction in water temperature can save 3 – 5% in overall energy costs.  A lower temperature will also help your water heater last longer as it reduces mineral buildup.

Even more important than saving money and energy, water heated at 140 degrees can scald a small child with 3rd degree burns in as little as 3 seconds.  These are also not isolated incidents as 25% of all scald burns among children are caused by tap water.

4.  Transportation – Avoid the Drive-thru
Personal health reasons aside, the fast food drive-thru is a great thing to avoid.  According to the Sierra Club, roughly 50 million gallons of gas are wasted every year by cars sitting in line waiting for their burgers and fries.

Easy ways to avoid wasting so much gas is to park and walk in to order your meal, or even better, try packing a lunch a few days a week and avoid the lunchtime drive all together.

5. Green Products – Reusable Bags
Paper or plastic?  Tough choice really – paper kills trees and plastic will be sitting in the landfill for eternity.  The easy solution is to bring your own bags when you go shopping.

This tip is actually becoming much more widespread as evidenced by the “green bags” that most grocery stores are willing to sell you right at the check out.  Why not pick up a few with your other impulse buys the next time you check out (we promise not to tell anyone you like to buy the National Enquirer…. as long as you buy some reusable bags as well).

6. Going Green Saving Green
These are some of our favorite tips, and to tell you the truth a vast majority of our hints and tips fall into this category, so its kind of hard to pick just one for this section.  Therefore, we are going to cheat here and say “Check out the rest of the site and specifically the Go Green Save Green” section.

As you will see with the above tips and many others throughout the site, there are indeed many easy ways to go green.  All you have to do is to be aware of them and begin making some small changes.

What do you think about our easy ways to go green tips?

Have any other easy hints you would like us to write about?  Just let us know below in the comments.

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