Re-use: Helps you Live Green
There are a number of small areas where you can make some significant changes to the way you live to start living greener. The ideas are very easy, easy enough that anyone can implement them right away. You won’t even have to give up anything you really need in order to give the environment a big break.
Here are three ideas.
Drinking Water
Our drinking water is really important to us as we drink a lot of it each day. Many people are not comfortable with what comes out of the tap. This is evident as you often see people carrying around plastic bottles of water. This is because the manufacturers of bottled water want you to think there is a difference between bottled water and what comes out of the tap. Most of the time though it doesn’t taste any better than the tap water and is no more pure.
If you do live in an area where it isn’t safe to drink the tap water then you need to make sure you recycle those plastic bottles so they don’t end up in landfills. You can also get bottled water in large containers for use in your home.
That way instead of getting a new bottle each time you need to drink some water all you need to get are some reusable containers. You can fill them up with water and even ice if you prefer and drink them everywhere you go. There are several sizes, colors, and designs that you can choose from. This process will significantly reduce the amount of plastic that is in our environment.
This is a great way to get healthy water and to eliminate waste at the same time. You will also find that getting bottled water this way is cheaper than buying those individual bottles at the store and from the vending machines.
Working on your car
It is common for people to change their oil at home to save money and to get the job done quickly. But you need to make sure you dispose of any pollutants properly as they can be very detrimental to our environment. Find a place where you can drop off your old oil to be reused for another purpose. Never pour that oil on the ground as it will get into the soil. The soil will be contaminated and make it very difficult to grow anything there.
The oil could also get into the water which can result in aquatic life dying. This is very serious as it will upset the balance of things. It is also possible for the oil to get into drinking water if you are on a well. It can result in problems in that part of the water decades after this has happened.
Home remodeling
When you have a painting project in your home you will likely have left over supplies. You may not know what to do with most of it. One thing you need to know is paint is a substance you don’t want to send to landfills due to the chemicals found in them. They can get into the ground and do a lot of damage.
A better alternative is to donate that left over paint and supplies to organizations that collect such items to help others. This can be Church groups, community organizations, and specific programs so find out what is available in your area. You can even search online to find out how to donate such items to a worthy cause.
Another alternative is to take it to a hazardous waste facility. We have these collections around here a couple of times a year.
Reduce – Save as Much Power as Possible
Electricity is used for a lot of things in our lives. Often we do so without thinking twice about it. We turn on the lights in our home automatically by reflex. Not only that but we do the same with electronic devices all the time (TV, stereo, computer, game system etc.). We need to retrain ourselves to save as much power as we can.
You can start by thinking about the type of light bulbs you are using. We can really reduce here and be more friendly to the environment as well. You can buy more energy efficient ones in any size you need for all the rooms in your home. They have really come down in price and what you spend on them you will save with a lower electricity bill each month.
It is simple to even cut back on the amount of lighting you use all together. Try opening curtains during the day to allow the natural sunlight to shine through. This way you will only need to turn your lights on at night when the sun goes down or on cloudy days.
Sky lights are an amazing light source. They have become very popular for businesses and even in newer homes. They allow even more sunlight to shine into a room and so you reduce your use of electricity. Some of the larger retail stores such as Wal-Mart use this as much as possible.
You can also use alternative energy sources to generate electricity. Installing solar panels on your roof which will collect electricity is a great choice. You can use this source for all your home needs when you do need to turn something on. If you run out of the solar power energy you have collected it will immediately kick over to the regular electricity without any interruption to you at all.
There is also the use of wind and water power in some areas. Take a look at these alternative methods and see what you can do with them for your own home.
One of the biggest wasters of electricity is leaving the lights burning when you are away from home. Here again there are some great alternatives to consider.
You can use decorative solar lights along your driveway. There are many styles to choose from. Some of them are very short while others are tall lantern style. The look is completely up to you which would look best for the landscaping of your home. Since you don’t need to plug them in they can be placed anywhere you would like to be.
They collect power from the sun during the day time and as soon as it gets dark they will illuminate your yard. When they run out of energy they simply turn off. When the sun comes up they start collecting energy for use all over again.
Another alternative is installing motion lights. These lights don’t have to be left on when you leave home. They will come on automatically when you pull into your driveway, based on the movement that is detected. They will remain on for a short period of time which allows you to get safely into your home with the light you need.
The use of windmills is also being looked at in many areas to create energy. Sometimes water known as hydropower is also available.
However, the light bulbs you use will help you get the most out of these benefits.
If you are using your electricity in an eco-friendly way from start to finish you won’t feel bad about consuming what you need, to operate lights and the electronics that you use in your home and business.