"Going Green" may seem like an overused phrase-- that you and I have probably heard a thousand times: Recycle, Don't Waste Water, blah blah blah. But here are some things you can do without even leaving your home and apartment that you may not have thought about that can drastically impact the environment.
Instead of leaving your computer on sleep mode or on all night, turn your computer when you go to bed at night. This can save 40 watt-hours per day, which adds up to 4 cents a day or $14 a year. Don't want to wait up for the computer in the morning? Turn it on while you are making your coffee or getting dressed in the morning.
Use both sides of papers when writing things down. What's neat about paper is that is has two sides! Just because one side is used, does not mean the paper needs to be thrown away. Another good tip is to use old notebooks that haven't been all the way used up or have just been lying around your house for a while. When using your printer, set it to print double-sided. It may seem small-- but this can make a huge difference. American businesses alone throw away 21 million tons of paper every year, equal to 175 pounds per office per worker. Save a tree-- use both sides of the paper and recycle when you are done.
Wrap creatively. The holidays are coming up (Scary, huh?.... Time flies). Instead of going out and buying new gift wrap, reuse old gift bags, bows, or ribbons. Or use your creative noggin and use old newspaper, cloths, maps, or paper bags to wrap your gifts. One of my favorite things to do as a child was take paper bags, turn them inside out, decorate the bag with stamps and paint and wrap my parent's Christmas gift. This will add a personal touch to your gifts-- plus as a bonus your helping save the environment.
When you go grocery shopping, use reusable bags. Each year, the US uses 84 billion plastic bags, a significant amount of the 500 billion used worldwide. By using reusable bags, you can benefit too. WholeFoods will give you .05-.10 off, depending on the location, for every bag used. (They don't have to be WholeFood bags to qualify either). CVS will give you $1.00 Extra Care Buck every 4th visit when you purchase a Green Tag for your reusable bag from their store. Plus, I find, groceries are easier to carry and won't fall out as easily compared to plastic bags.
Flying out of Logan soon? Fly with an E-Ticket. The cost of processing a paper ticket is approximately $10, while processing an e-ticket costs only $1. The financial savings and the sheer amount of paper saved will help the environment significantly. E-tickets save airlines about $3 billion a year. Plus, checking in online and printing your own boarding pass saves you time.
Go Vegetarian once a week. One less meat-based meal a week helps the planet and your diet! It requires 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef. For each hamburger that originated from animals raised on rainforest land, approximately 55 square feet of forest are destroyed. Need ideas for good vegetarian recipes? Check out Vieshnavi Rattehalli's blog In Search of Flavor. She has lots of great ideas for yummy vegetarian dishes. Coffee lovers! Ditch the coffee stirrer. Each year, Americans throw away 138 billion straws and stirrers. Determined to stir? Break off a piece of pasta form the cupboard. You can nibble on it after using it, compost it or throw it away and feel less guilty.
Have any other suggestions? What are some other ways us Bostonians can save the planet without doing much? Do anything environmentally friendly lately? Let me know. I'd love to hear.
