Here is an in depth list of 47 ways you can GO GREEN! Most of the tips here are free and relatively easy to employ. So YOU can start to help the earth today. A lot of these tips will help you save money as well as the environment. If you don't have the time to read it all at once you should bookmark this page or subscribe. Share this with your friends so we can reach a wider audience and make a bigger impact!
1. Use public transport when you can. This reduces carbon emissions as well as being a lot cheaper for you.
2. Invest your money in renewable energy. This is a great way to make an impact. Buying solar panels or a wind turbine can be costly, but they pay for themselves in the long run. If you are making more energy than you use, then you can even sell your excess energy back to the grid. However it doesn't have to cost thousands, there are many new technologies that you can create yourself for the cost of a take-out.
See: Energy By Tesla
3. Recycle. Recycling a tin can uses only 4% of the energy it takes to make a new one from scratch. Some scrapyards will even buy your old cans, so get saving!
4. Re-use. This is even better than recycling as no energy is required to re-use a plastic carrier bag for example.
5. Buy green products. For example when shopping pick up a 'bag for life' instead of a plastic carrier bag.
6. Take part in car share schemes. These are beneficial for everyone involved. If your local area does not have car share schemes (a quick Google search to find out), then ask friends or family who go the same way as you.
7. Grow your own crops. You do not have to own a farm. Just plant some fruit or vegetables in your garden and cut your food costs while helping the environment. However be careful when using pesticides as these can harm your local ecosystem.
8. Buy energy efficient appliances. Buy kitchen appliances that are 'energy efficient' and use less energy. This will reduce your electricity bill and your carbon emissions.
9. Don't buy bottled water. It is no different from tap water in most countries. If it is not regulated in your country then buy a cheap filter for your tap.
10. Wash your clothes with cold water. Around 90% of the energy used to power your washing machine is used to heat the water. It is not necessary to heat the water, it is a waste of money and harmful to our environment.
11. If you must drive, de-clutter your car. Taking all the unneccessary items out of your car before driving will reduce the weight of your car. Less weight means less fuel, which means more money for you and less emissions for planet earth. So take that old toolbox out of the boot.
12. Buy locally. Buying food from local suppliers has many benefits. It means there are less trucks transporting things in bulk (releasing emissions in bulk) and it keeps money in your local economy.
13. Line dry your clothes. If the sun is out of course. This means you can reduce your thermostat reducing your energy bills and carbon footprint.
14. Instead of driving to the shop, walk! If it is only down the road then it wouldn't take much effort. This will help you be more green while improving your health and saving you money at the same time!
15. Unplug unused chargers and aplliances at night. This will stop 'phantom' energy. The energy that leaks out of unused appliances without you knowing.
16. Don't leave appliances on standby. This wastes a lot of energy per year and a lot of money for you. Turning appliances off fully when not in use will save more than you think.
17. When printing documents, print double-sided pages. This saves paper which saves trees and money.
18. Switch to renewable energy suppliers. There are many energy suppliers which focus on providing clean energy. Do some research and switch today.
19. Power saving. Use power saving options on your phone, laptop, television etc. Have them shutdown automatically if they are idle or reducing the brightness can reduce energy consumption.
20. Rather than buying a book, reading it once then leaving it to clutter your house, borrow it from your local library. This will save you money as well as re-using.
21. Buy a 'smart eco strip'. These are extension cables that sense when appliances are idle and stop phantom power leakage. These would be especially useful in offices where there are many computers or appliances.
22. Invite your biggest friends round for dinner (which you have made from your own produce. ;) ) and tell them you want to move your fridge away from the oven. Doing so will stop the fridge using excess energy to overcome the heat produced by your oven. This is a very simple tip that will save a lot more energy than you think. As always, reducing your energy consumption means reducing your bill.
23. Invest in a dishwasher. There are multiple benefits to this. Using a dishwasher will use less energy than washing the pots by hand, as well as less water. This mean you save water, energy to heat the excess water and time to wash the pots.
24. Turn down your thermostat. Yes listen to your Nan. Stick on a jumper, turn down the heating and turn down your energy bill.
25. Use the sun wisely. If the sun is out and your house is cold, open your blinds or curtains. This will heat up your home. Meaning your central heating wont have to use as much energy.
26. Check your lightbulbs. If you have incandescent lightbulbs, then your not keeping up with the Jones'. When your old lightbulbs run out, buy compact flourescent bulbs. These use 75% less energy and last up to ten times longer on average. Great tactic to save energy and money!
27. Free-cycle. One mans trash is another mans treasure. If you're going to bin something that you think someone else could use, then give it away. What's the harm in free-cycling?
28. Insulate your home. This can be costly but will help you save in the long run. Most heat is lost through the roof of your home, so consider loft insulation. Also if you don't already have double-glazed windows, then I highly recommend you invest. A quick Google search will point you in the right direction.
See: Home Improvements To Conserve Energy
29. Turn off the lights. Sounds pretty obvious and patronizing, but lots of people forget. Make it your goal to turn off the lights if you're not in the room.
30. Even better, use candles where appropriate. The candlelight might even raise the romance of the self produced meal with your partner. ;)
31. Take a shower instead of the bath. If you must get a bath however, share the water with your partner. Taking a quick shower will use only a small percentage of the energy used to run a bath, saving you energy and money.
32. Instead of buying CDs, download music online. It is usually cheaper for you and always better for the environment.
33. Don't watch television everyday. Play games with your family such as monopoly etc. This will also help you to bond with your family even better. Preferably go out with your family to a natural tourist area. The Lake District in the UK is a good example.
34. If you drink beer, don't buy cans. Buying glass bottled beer is much more efficient for the environment. Just make sure you recycle when your done.
35. Donate cash to green causes. Preferably in your local area. This means you are keeping money in your local economy and helping the environment. You may find your money has been used to build more green spaces in your local area which you can use! Again, a Google search will get you there.
36. Donate to charity clothes shops. This is great because it is reusing and for a good cause.
37. Use solar powered chargers. If a wind turbine or solar panels aren't right for you just yet there are many smaller renewable appliances you can buy. 'Changers' solar charger is a great example.
38. Eat lower on the food chain. Eating meat is not sustainable for our current rising population. Energy is lost as we move up the trophic levels of the food chain. Eating vegetables is the best way to help the environment, however you must get your daily protein as it is imperative for good health. Check with a nutrition before changing your current diet as it is a very complex subject.
39. Keep your car tires inflated. This will help you use less petrol saving money and reducing carbon emissions.
40. Reduce consumption. Do you really need that new fuel guzzling 4x4? Buy an efficient vehicle unless you live in the middle of the grand canyon.
41. Look for fair trade labels. Usually fair trade products have a lower impact on the environment and reward the local producers fairly.
42. Drive at the speed limit. Not only is it dangerous to break the speed limit, yet it also uses more fuel and releases more emissions.
43. Driving in higher gears can also reduce fuel consumption. Therefore reducing emissions and saving money
44. Ask your boss to see if you can work from home. This may not be suitable for everybody but it would reduce travel costs for those of you that can.
45. Use your microwave where appropriate. It is more efficient than using the oven, saving energy and money.
46. The best thing you could do for the environment, with the littlest effort, is to share this post with your friends/family/followers to spread the word and make the biggest impact possible.
47. Subscribe to this blog for more advice on going green and information about what you can do to help and prevent climate change.
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If you have any questions about any ideas listed here please leave a comment. Also I would like to hear any more ideas you might have so leave a comment.
:-) Stay Green!
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