7 Ways to Green Your Everyday Routine

January 26th, 2012 by

Image by Ben / Creative Commons

People are constantly talking about “going green” or being more environmentally-friendly, but what does that really mean? Does it mean you have to change the entire way you live your life? Should you get rid of everything from your cleaning supplies to your car in order to lessen your environmental footprint? Well, in actuality no, you don’t need to do that.

People shy away from adding “green” actions into their daily lives for a variety of reasons. Some think it takes too much time, others think it will cost more money, and other people believe there is no real reason to change because what they do doesn’t really matter. The thing is, what you do does matter. Even the little things add up quickly. And no…before you start grumbling, you don’t need to move mountains or go to some crazy extreme in order to make a change.

Start with implementing these 7 ways to green your everyday routine, and then go from there. How far you go is your decision. What kind of an impact you want to make is up to you.

1. Waste not, want not. Buying in bulk may work for some families, but it doesn’t work for everyone. How many times have you purchased food at the store to only have it later go bad in your fridge leaving you with “nothing” left to eat? Or you make a large meal and end up tossing part of it because your eyes are bigger than your stomach.

An easy way to prevent this is to plan ahead. Plan your meals, work out your recipes and buy only what you need. Europe is taking a stand on food waste. In fact, Parliament recently called upon the European Commission to take measures in order to cut food waste in half by the year 2025.

2. If you can’t buy eco, at least buy well-made. Not everyone wants to buy eco or organic, even if they do they may not be able to afford buying the “green” items they need. In cases like that it is best to buy well-made. Buy items that will last for years and years to come, not disposable items that have to constantly be replaced.

Image by Joshua Hoffman / Creative Commons

3. Toss your work waste out the window. Not literally, of course. What I mean is while you are at work, take a look at some of your daily routines. Becoming aware of what you do day to day will allow you to see what wasteful actions you can remove from your routine. Do you print documents only to then toss them because you no longer need them? Do you buy bottled water rather than filling up your cup or mug at the water cooler? Do you leave your computer on at night? Do you turn off the lights when leaving a room? All of these things add up.

4. Walk away from your problems. Now this I mean literally. If you are feeling down, maybe a little blue or your having trouble resolving an issue at work or home, go for a walk. Going for a walk can help you clear your mind, allow you to get some time outdoors, add a little exercise into your day, and to top if off, you may just find yourself relaxed enough to be able to resolve those issues.

5. Cut down on water waste. Admit it, wasting water is something most of us do without even thinking about it. You turn on the water to brush your teeth, wash a dish, water the plants, etc. and all of a sudden you notice the faucet has been running a lot longer than it really needed to be.

The easiest way to cut down on water waste is to be aware of your actions. Turn on the water, use what you need, turn it off. Don’t run the dishwasher or washing machine half-full. Turn off the water while you brush your teeth. Take shorter showers. Don’t leave your sprinklers running on rainy days. A bonus for cutting down on water waste is you’ll probably notice a drop in your water bill too.

Image by Diego Torres Silvestre / Creative Commons

6. Fresh air is your friend. Many people spend the majority of their day indoors. Indoor air pollution is a big problem. You may not know how it affects you, but indoor air pollution is often worse than outdoor air pollution. One of the simplest ways to lower indoor air pollution is to air out your home by leaving your windows open at least once a day. Here are a few more ways to reduce indoor air pollution.

7. Reduce, reuse and recycle. Okay, that is really three things, but they really go together. One of the most basic ways to green your everyday routine is by taking a look at your regular actions and determining how you can either reduce, reuse or recycle. How can you reduce your vehicle emissions? How can you reuse that material you are about to throw away? What can you recycle?

When it all comes down to it, many of us have “green” actions built into our daily routines right now. Take some time and see how you can make your daily routine a little greener. Then let me know – I’d love to hear what you are doing to green your everyday routine!

 

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Simple Reasons to Start a Vegetable Garden

January 10th, 2012 by

 

Image by SteveR / Creative Commons

We are very fortunate to live in a time where we have nearly instant access to food of all kinds. That is why when I talk about starting a vegetable garden and growing your own food people give me a strange look. Why spend your time dealing with a garden when you can go to the grocery store and get whatever you want for cheap?

It’s hard to argue with the fact that regardless of where you live and what season it is that you can get pineapples, strawberries or tomatoes. For that reason I can’t argue that convenience is the answer.

There are other reasons that I give and will share with you right now. These reasons aren’t based on scientific research or studies. They are simple and here they are:

We are humans. We grow food.

This is one of the most basic reasons. People have grown their own food as individuals or a community for hundreds and thousands of years. Look back at history and you’ll see how societies and civilizations were built up around fertile land and access to water.

It’s not until the last 100-200 years that we’ve become so far removed from the process and rely upon others (that we don’t even know) to supply us with what we need to survive…

Where is our food coming from?

…The first reason leads into this one. Did you know that your food travels 1,500 miles from the farm to your plates? Eventually when the produce arrives at the grocery store it is at least 3-4weeks old.

Think about the costs involved in transporting the food so far. Also consider the environmental impact – gas and other resources are used to ship. Overall, it’s not a very sustainable practice.

What is being used to treat the food?

Often times the produce is sprayed in transit to either ripen the food or to preserve it. It is common for chemicals, toxins, synthetics and sprays to be used to treat the produce not only while it’s growing, but also when the produce is in transit. It is used to feed the plant, keep off pests and to hurry along the growing process.

There is no study in the world that could convince me that it’s ok for me to consume such toxicants and that my body will fully assimilate them.

You can find more reasons to grow your own food here.

Mike Lieberman - Urban Organic GardenerMike Lieberman is the publisher of UrbanOrganicGardener.com where he shows people with little to no land how to start growing their own food so they can avoid toxic pesticides, eat healthier and not feel limited by their lack of experience and space. Connect with Mike on Twitter, become an Urban Organic Gardener fan on Facebook and get more of his urban gardening tips and advice on Urban Organic Gardener.

I want to thank Mike for his great tips and advice. I’ve spoken with Mike numerous times and seen what he can do. He is an inspiration to all and a true testament that a little bit of work can go a long way, especially when it comes to growing your own food.

Remember, growing your own food is one of the 10 simple, green New Year’s resolutions anyone can make. So, get started today and don’t forget to let us know how your garden grows.

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