Green Tips

As I post tips to Twitter, I will keep a running list of them below…

#1. Why are you still buying regular lightbulbs? Replace those cheap things with CFLs and save time, energy, and MONEY.

#2. Plastic/paper grocery bags = BAD. Cloth/fabric/reusable grocery bags = GOOD. And don’t think you need to spend more than $2 for a good bag!

#3. Buy a programmable thermostat – and then set it! There’s no “cents” in air conditioning an empty home if you aren’t there!

#4. It takes 1,000 regular batteries to equal the lifespan of one rechargeable battery. Buy rechargeables – then recycle them.

#5. Combine errands. When you leave the house, ask “where else do I need to go?” Build your trip so you can avoid excess driving.

#6. Compare recycling symbols on packaging with your local county curb collection rules. Find recycling centers for all the rest.

#7. Like to read? Reuse – don’t buy new! It’s been years since visiting the library, and now they have DVDs!

#8. Stop using paper napkins and towels. Buy stylish dishtowels (like these from @CrateandBarrel )- wash when needed!

#9. Besides saving money, taking your OWN cup of coffee to work reduces all that paper waste. @Starbucks charges $.10 less if you bring your own cup!

#10. Have a house with rooms you don’t use? Use magnetic vent covers and shut doors – don’t cool unnecessary spaces.

#11. Turn off the faucet while you brush your teeth – that will save NINE gallons of water.

#12. Reduce a toilet’s output by putting two sand-and-water-filled bottles in the tank. Save up to 10 gallons a day!

#13. Closing curtains and blinds can reduce the amount of heat that passes into your home by as much as 45%.

#14. Make a sunny day work for you – skip the dryer & hang laundry on a clothesline – saves money, energy & it will smell great!

#15. Keep bugs away from your porch without harmful chemicals – pot marigolds in useful places, while adding to the outdoor decor.

#16. Go to Energy Star and get a customized list of how you can save energy in your home.

#17. Lower your water heater setting from avg 140F to 120F – it is sufficient, safer, and will save 6-10% in energy costs.

#18. All those paper towel squares you use in a public bathroom go straight to a landfill. Use the air dryers when they are available – and keep an eye out for the new ones that dry hands faster than ever!

#19. Food is most of what we throw out and clogs landfills while it breaks down into the dreaded methane. Eat your leftovers at least twice a week and save up to $520 a year (and help the environment at the same time!).

#20. Stop buying bottles of water! Fill an insulated cup or thermos with ice water before you leave the house, and refill it at work throughout your day. You can even try the newest type of water bottle: glass.

#21. Can’t bring yourself to finish that glass of water? Don’t dump it down the drain! There has to be a plant somewhere nearby who would appreciate the drink.

#22. Get on the Meatless Mondays bandwagon! Beef production produces THIRTEEN TIMES as many greenhouse gases as chicken production.

#23. Buy in bulk to reduce packaging waste. Forget those 100-calorie mini bags – buy one big and then portion out amounts into reusable containers.