Food Containers

Going Green Can Save You Some Green
By: Denise Trowbridge

Do you worry about the environment but dont quite know what you can do about it

Global warming smog the plight of the manatees you want to help but feel

powerless to do anything really meaningful. Well dont feel powerless anymore.

You can help the environment and your wallet with some minor adjustments to the

way you live your daily life.

Many environmentallyfriendly actions are also incredibly budget friendly. The good

news is if you want to be rich and save the world you can do both at the same time.

Here is a short list of things you can do to save money and help the earth. Some are

easy. Others are drastic but incorporating just a few of these into your everyday life

is certainly better than doing nothing at all.

Around the House

The Department of Energy estimates that powering one singlefamily house for a

year produces more pollution than driving a car. They also report that most of that

energy is wasted due to leaky windows and poor insulation. Here are a few tips to

bump your bill a bit lower and reduce your impact on the environment.

1. Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs. The next time a light bulb burns out

replace it with a compact fluorescent bulb. They use 66 percent less energy than

regular bulbs and last about 10 times longer. They are more expensive upfront a

4 pack costs about $10 or $12 but you wont have to replace those bulbs for

about 7 years. Over the long haul they are cheaper than regular bulbs. And when

properly utilized they can lower your electric bill by up to $20 a month.

The EPA estimates if every household in America replaced just one regular lightbulb

with a compact fluorescent it would be the equivalent of removing the pollution of

1 million cars from the road.

Also turn your lights off when you are not home or are not in the room. Your mom

was right to bug you about that as a child.

2. Reuse food containers. No need to buy Tupperware or gladware. Just reuse the

plastic tubs and bottles the food you buy already comes in. Theyre especially handy

for storing bulk foods. For instance use a clean cranberry juice bottle to store rice

or barley youve bought in bulk. Use a sour cream container to tote leftovers to work

for lunch. Reusing food containers saves you money and reduces your oil

consumption. Yes plastics are made from petrochemicals which come from oil so

the fewer you throw away the better.

3. Open the window. 44% of a homes energy bill goes to heating and air

conditioning. Save yourself some money and opt for fresh air instead of the

thermostat when weather permits. You can shave serious dollars off of your electric

bill and reduce your impact on the environment by turning the thermostat off and

going au natural.

If you cant stomach the heat set youre A/C thermostat a few degrees higher to at

least 78. In the winter put on a sweater and turn

the heat down a couple degrees.

The EPA estimates you save 6 percent more energy for each degree you raise the

temperature in the summer and each degree you lower it during the winter.

4. Wash your clothes with cold water. Turning the washer setting to cold instead of

hot can save you $160 a year in energy costs. Setting the water to warm instead of

hot reduces your annual energy bill by $60.

5. Dry your clothes on the line. Clothes dryers are the largest home energy users

behind refrigerators. Hang your clothes to dry on the line every once in a while and

you will save yourself money. You may also make your clothes last longer over

drying shortens the lifespan of your favorite clothes.

At the office

1. Avoid being a scourge on the earth by investing in a sturdy coffee mug and using

that instead of a Styrofoam cup every time you want to hit the coffeepot. If you are a

big water drinker buy an inexpensive plastic drinking glass and use that instead of

disposable plastic cups.

2. Pack your lunch. Eating out even if its a $5 a day fastfood sandwich really

adds up over time. The packaging also produces a lot of waste. Pack your lunch in a

reusable container. Itll save you money its usually better for you and you wont

generate as much garbage.

Around town

1. Walk or ride your bike. Take the time to walk or ride your bike instead of driving.

Start slowly by cutting out one car trip a week whether its to work or to the corner

store to pick up some eggs. All those little trips add up. Even an occasional bike ride

or walk will get you into shape cut your gasoline and parking bills and reduce

smog and exhaust fumes in your city.

If you are feeling adventurous and live within reasonable distance of your job bike

to work. If that doesnt appeal to you consider public transit.

2. Evaluate your car. If you already have a gassipping car or scooter pat yourself

on the back. No matter what you drive even a modest increase in fuel efficiency

helps the environment and will save you a lot of money over the cars life. Keep your

car tuned up and get regular oil changes; this will increase your fuel efficiency and

save you maintenance money in the long run.

To save more gas roll the window down instead of using the air conditioner; run all

of your errands in one trip instead of on many short trips; avoid peak traffic times

whenever possible; and clean the junk out of your car the lighter the car the less

gas needed to run it.

When it comes to the environment small changes can make a big difference.

Denise Trowbridge is an awardwinning journalist residing in Ohio. Her work has

appeared in newspapers and magazines across the United States as well as on her

site http://www.DeniseTrowbridge.com.

Denise is also the editor of the womens Web magazine

http://www.PussycatMagazine.com.