Eco Friendly Tips to Save Money Now!
There are many ways to be eco friendly and save money now! Cut back on energy use and work in unison with the environment and you'll help save our planet. It’s a shame that it took so long for us to wake up and smell the recycle bins! The earth is precious. Lets keep her that way!
When you’re talking about Ecology, you should remember your 3 R’s. They’re a bit different from reading, writing, and arithmetic! The three ecology R’s are refuse, reuse, and recycle. Whatever you consume, wherever you live, the three R’s are the most environmental eco friendly rules to live by as much as possible!
Protest Animal Cruelty!Each year millions of laboratory animals, such as rats, mice, dogs, monkeys, and cats, suffer needlessly because companies use them to test new products. These include many cosmetic and personal-care products. These animals may be burned or injected with poisonous substances. Many of the products for which they are tested have ingredients that have already been proven safe! Some companies don't conduct these types of tests. They often label their products "not tested on animals". If you had a choice between a product which caused harm to animals and a similar one that didn't, which one would you choose?  The next time you go shopping be ready. Think about the way the three R's fit into your life before you pull an item off the shelf. Read labels. They tell a story you'll either like or dislike! If something is over-packaged or wasteful, refuse to buy it. If something is made or packaged in a material that can be used again, then reuse it. If it's something that can be renewed and used again by processing it, then recycle it! Economy Friendly TipsCut Back on Fast Foods - Most fast foods are over-packaged and their companies are responsible for contributing to the amount of trash we have in our landfills. By avoiding fast food and taking your lunch from home, you'll help reduce this needless waste and lose some weight! Ride a Bike - Riding your bike instead of driving a car saves energy and reduces pollution. It is also great exercise! That gives it a double benefit and makes it a perfect eco friendly choice! Boycott A Product - Start with one product you consume that you feel is not good for the environment and boycott it. Once you decide not to buy it, write a letter to the company's president (the address is often right on the package) and let them know why you have decided not to buy their product. If enough people did this, companies would start making more environmentally responsible products for consumers! Replace Light Bulbs – Energy star qualified bulbs use about 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an energy star qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year. That’s more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and would also prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars. By replacing a standard bulb with a compact fluorescent one you will get more light for less money and save a lot of energy. Adopt an Animal – Adopt any animal, stream, or whale. There's almost no limit to the number of environmental causes to which you, your family, and friends can contribute. If you adopt an animal, you'll get back much more than you ever thought! Close Your Refrigerator - By leaving a refrigerator door open for just a few extra seconds, you waste tons of energy. Decide what you want before you open the refrigerator door. Get whatever you need and close the door immediately. America's refrigerators use about 7% of the nations total electricity consumption. That's enough energy to run about 25 large power plants!
Buy Products Made Of Recycled Paper - How can you tell if a package is recycled? Look right on the package. Many have specific claims, such as " made of 100 percent recycled material". Some manufacturers don't advertise the fact that they recycle, but there are some investigative way ways you can tell. When shopping for cereal, cookies, crackers, and other groceries packaged in cardboard boxes, look to see if their boxes are made from recycled paper. If the underside is gray or dark brown, it's eco friendly cardboard is made of recycled paper. If it's white, it is made of new material. Ban Aerosols Cans – Hello! Pump sprays have been around for years. You can even refill some times. Aerosols can’t be recycled so get used to pump sprays soon! Sprays are much more eco friendly than aerosols! Buy Organic Produce - Organic produce contains far fewer chemicals than regular produce. They’re bettyer for your health and better for the environment. Chemical run off from fields that are farmed with pesticides and insecticides pollute the water. Many of these chemicals are made from petroleum and other non-renewable resources. Elect "Green" Candidates - During election campaigns, ask candidates you like about their eco friendly positions on the environment. Ask specific questions that relate to your community. Ask if they support a mandatory recycling program or if they plan to give big fines to companies that pollute the environment. Feed The Birds – Mary Poppins would have liked this one! Birds need ample water to drink and foot to eat. Feeding birds in your backyard is not only eco friendly, but they also eat many kinds of irritating bugs that hassle you when you’re in your yard. Place a bird feeder outside your kitchen window, or build a birdbath in your front yard. Mother Nature will thank you and so will the birds! Dispose of Hazardous Waste - All households have some kind of hazardous waste materials. They can be old paint cans, used motor oil, leftover pesticides, and weed killers. If you dump them down the drain, you pollute the water supply. If you dump them in your yard, you pollute the environment and may even kill an animal. These products should be disposed in a site specially designed for hazardous or toxic wastes. Some cities and counties have monthly or annual pickups available. Other counties have special drop-off sites. Call your city or county government to find out the proper way to dispose of hazardous wastes in your area and be eco friendly and conscious! Grow A Garden – How does your garden grow? A garden provides flowers, vegetables, and other environmental benefits. They can reduce soil erosion and may help to reduce some kinds of air pollution. Use eco friendly organic products like diatomaceous earth to control insects and parasites. Use seasoned horse or cow manure in place of chemical fertilizers. Use as few chemicals as possible. Plan A "Green" Picnic – Instead of going out of town to have fun, plan a picnic in your local park. Or, plan an outing that doesn't create a lot of waste or pollution. If you're having a barbecue, avoid using lighter fluid as it contains naphthalene, an air pollutant suspected of causing Cancer. Buy a charcoal starter funnel that you uses newspaper to start coals. Use real plates and utensils and use washable hard plastic cups from home. Wash the cups and use them over and over. If you’re having a large party, put out separate trash bags for paper, glass, and aluminum. Just because you're partying doesn't mean you can't recycle. Keep Helium Balloons on the Earth – Helium balloons are fun to let go of and watch fly away, however, they can be harmful to fish and other wildlife. These balloons fall back to earth and can be blown around in the wind into our oceans. Some marine life might mistake balloons for jellyfish and then eat them and this kills them. Insulate Your Home - You may find a lot of energy being wasted right in your own home. After you've finished your energy audit, make a list of the things you believe should be done. Your local hardware-store sales person can help you determine how much the improvements will cost, how much energy they will save, and how much money your family will save in reduced energy bills. Adjust the Thermostat - In order to save money now and be more eco friendly to energy usage, your thermostat should be set on two settings as much of the time as possible! In the summer, set the thermostat at 78 or above. If you need cooler air when you sleep, turn it back at night only. During the winter months set it at 68 or below. When you leave home for the entire day, turn it back. By turning your thermostat back 10°–15° for 8 hours, you can save about 5%–15% a year on your heating bill. Don't constantly change the temperature either. Stick with one setting as much as possible and keep it there to be as energy efficient and eco friendly as possible! Don’t Drive - Automobiles are one of the single biggest sources of pollution and larger vehicles are not eco friendly at all. Most driving trips we take are under five miles or less. Try walking, biking, running, strolling, or taking a bus. Look At Labels – A label tells a thousand tales! When you carefully read labels, you can learn a lot. Read the ingredients of the products you consume. Many contain ingredients that might be hazardous to your health or the environment. Labels always contain a contact number or address for product's manufacturer. Use the contact information to let them know what's on your mind! Do you think their product is good? Could it be better? Let them also know if you've decided not to buy their product for environmental reasons. Companies do listen to what their consumer's have to say. It doesn't take very many complaints for a company to think seriously about making eco friendly changes. Didn't find what you were looking for? Use your keywords and this handy tool to find it fast! To go to the next Going Green page, here's the link:
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