It's Not Too Late for a Green Year's Resolution...

Now that the year is half over, how are you doing on your New Year’s resolutions?  Most of us have probably long forgotten what we said we were or weren’t going to do in 2010.  There is good news though; it’s never too late to make your Green Year’s resolution! January or July, it makes no difference when you decide to start doing your part to make the world a better place, and it might be easier than you think too. There are many low-cost/no-cost ways to make a positive impact on the environment with a simple lifestyle change. In fact, many popular New Year’s resolutions are essentially green if you think about it. For example, someone who resolves to exercise more in 2010 can choose to park their car and walk or bike whenever possible. Not only are they achieving their goal of getting more exercise; they are also eliminating the emissions from driving their car on those trips. Here’s a list of simple ways you can Go Green in the second half of 2010:

Health and Beauty

• Quit Smoking – not only is it better for you, you are eliminating the emissions caused by producing, transporting, and smoking cigarettes.
• Eat Healthier – whenever possible purchase fresh, organic produce from your local farmers’ market. Organic food is grown without pesticides and chemical fertilizers, and contains more nutrients than conventional foods. Buying locally reduces emissions from transporting foods.
• Buy clothing made from organic cotton.
• Walk or ride a bike whenever possible – you will be getting exercise and reducing emissions.

Home and Garden

• Buy natural cleaning products or make your own out of household items like baking soda or vinegar.
• Buy in bulk to reduce transportation emissions and packaging waste.
• Compost vegetable peelings, coffee grounds, etc. and use the compost to grow a garden
• Buy clothing made from organic cotton.
• Reduce your demand for paper products by using reusable plates, silverware, napkins, table linens, and cleaning cloths.

Energy and Water Conservation

• Turn the thermostat down at least 2 degrees in the winter and up at least 2 degrees in the summer and install a programmable thermostat so you are not heating/cooling your home when you are not there.
• Open window shades in the winter to let in sunlight, keep shades closed in the summer to keep heat out.
• Conserve water by limiting showers to 5 minutes and fixing drips and leaks in faucets and toilets.
• Conserve energy by washing clothes in cold water and hanging clothes out to dry when the weather permits.

The foundation of a green lifestyle is the three R’s – Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Reduce your impact on the environment, Reuse everything you can, and Recycle everything else. All it takes is a small step to have a Happy Green Year!