Top 5 Tips for Living a Greener Life

To live a greener life means to conserve and preserve the earth’s natural resources while we live our lives, without impacting any of the ecosystems or natural habitats of wildlife and biodiversity. It also means to ensure sustainability of our existence on this planet.

Sustainable living or “green living” saves energy, resources and money. Living a green life also means reducing waste by reusing and recycling old materials as much as possible. When we give the earth’s resources a chance to regenerate, we will never run out of resources.

Today, green living is also connected with green technology. Technology is always looking for ways to save energy and get more output with minimum inputs and waste. Green technology and green business are finding ways to power homes and machines with cleaner and reusable energy sources, that are abundant and have less negative impacts on the planet.

However, a green lifestyle doesn’t have to be complicated. It just means making some choices that are eco-friendly, doing certain things a little differently, so that all the goals of green living could be achieved.

Here is a list of top 5 ways you could live a greener life and also make this planet a little greener.

1. Turn down the heat

Using less energy for your home could help reduce environmental impacts as well as your energy bills. Turning your thermostat down a bit in the winter will save you on energy cost. Also try to reduce your hot water use by washing your clothes in cold water. Reducing household energy demands will also reduce carbon emission and your bills.

2. Reuse & recycle common household products

Look for products that can be rebuilt or reused. If you have things in your house that you don’t use or didn’t use for a long time, chances are you do not need then anymore. Get rid of your unwanted products, but not into the landfill. Try to recycle as much as possible. If you don’t need something, like your old clothes, old furniture and appliances, it could all be put to good alternative use. Donate them, recycle them or sell them in a garage sell, so that someone else can use them.

When you use fewer materials or recycle materials, there is less pressure on mining. Our landfills don’t need to exist; every bit of used material could be reused and rebuilt into something else.

3. Use less paper

Cut down using paper. When you use paper, you are destroying trees that were cut down to make that paper. Paper industry also uses fuel and water, which is wasted every time you throw away your old newspaper. Try reducing environmental impacts by using less paper whenever you can. Instead of regular newspaper read electronic media, pay your bills online; use recycled paper, and use cotton napkins and towels instead of paper towels. It would not only save trees, but also save a lot of landfill space and trash.

4. Turn off all electronics before bed

Electronic devices can draw power even when they are turned off, if they are plugged in. Before you go to bed, turn off all electronic devices. You don’t only switch them off, but switch off the power switch form where they are plugged in. This will save you electric bills by preventing power wastage from standby or “phantom draw.”

5. Ride greener rides

Our transportation systems waste way too much energy. American automobiles, buses, and trains are not as efficient on fuel as they should be. Last year’s average fuel efficiency record was 23.6 miles per gallon. Compare that to a Honda or Toyota that averages 45-50 miles per gallon. We could save thousands of dollars every year if we drove a car with that kind of fuel efficiency. Overall, most of our cities need renovations with transit systems, better public transportation systems and better fuel efficient automobiles.

Some of the renewable energy industry is already making progress with clean sources of energy. Electric vehicles are making magnificent progress and gaining popularity around the world. Electric trains that run from renewable sources could be a solution for mass public transit. Overall, try to use public transportation or carpooling more often.

These are very simple tips that anyone can follow. If you think you are too small to change the world, you may be wrong. Just imagine if every one of us started living green, how much of an impact it would have on the planet? Living a green lifestyle may not combat climate change or greenhouse effect over night, but collectively, green living is sustainable living and it’s the only way to a greener future.

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Source: Environmental Professionals Network

Top 5 Tips for Living a Greener Life