Ten Easy Steps To Go Green

The Go Green Guy | August 23, 2012 | 0 Comments

Ten Easy Steps To Go Green – a guest post by Josh Smith

Being environmentally friendly is something everyone seems to be getting excited about. Saving energy and using “fourgreensteps.com “eco friendly products not only benefits the planet, it usually helps out your wallet as well. Who couldn’t use some extra cash? Here are ten easy change you can make.

1. Kick The Can: It’s amazing how many people still are not on board with recycling plastic, aluminum, paper, and glass. A lot of cities now offer curb-side recycling service along with the garbage. If your city does not offer this service, try writing a letter requesting that they start. Chances are you are not the only one who would be interested.

2. Loads of Power: When doing laundry, do not use the hot water setting. Using the warm and cold settings still gets your clothes clean and uses a lot less energy because the water does not have to get warmed up first. Also, dry your clothes outside. Not only do dryers eat up a lot of energy, but they also decrease the life of clothing.

3. Keeping It Cool: Set your thermostat a little higher during the summer and a little lower during the winter. A good rule of thumb is that you will see a 10% decrease for every degree higher or lower you go.

4. Junkmail: Just like the “do not call” list for telephone solicitors, there are companies that will help eliminate the amount of junk mail that comes to your home. Less junk mail means less paper wasted.

5. Reuse: Shop for products that are made from recycled goods. Also, get creative with reusing things rather than throwing them away. Make new products using old items you no longer need. At the very least, donate them to someone who can use them.

6. Dirty Dishes: When doing the dishes, it is more energy and time efficient to run a full-load in a dishwasher. Some people wash the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. Don’t do that. Let the dishwasher do its job.

7. Shower Power: Most showers average about five gallons of water a minute. While obviously showers use a lot less water than taking a bath, it is still a good idea to keep each shower short.

8. Clothes Make The Man: Recycling clothing and using recycled clothes are easy things to do. Shop at thrift stores or yard sales for clothing. Have clothing swaps with multiple families, groups, or neighborhoods. This helps save a lot of money on buying new clothes as well as helps others to do the same.

9. Go Paperless: Welcome to the online world. Sign up for electronic statements and to use online bill pay wherever possible. This saves a lot of paper for all parties involved.

10. Cloth Money: Some cities have turned the plastic shopping bag into an outlaw. Bringing reusable cloth bags is easier if they are just kept in the car trunk for those impromptu stops for a few items at the grocery store.

Josh Smith is
Marketing Director at Four Green Steps