The Weekend Leader - Green tips

21 tips to become a Green Citizen in 21 days flat

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Samuel Eddy

30-September-2011

Vol 0 | Issue 1

Can the earth benefit from the action of just one person?

The answer is a resounding YES - and you can reap the rewards too. Many of the simple things you can do to protect the environment can also help you connect with family and friends, boost your mood and conserve money.

There is a common belief that if you do anything continuously for 21 days it will become a habit and so here are 21 different ways on cultivating a green habit. 21 ways to a greener, happier YOU!

01) TURN OUT THE LIGHTS: How about playing a board game with the family with candlelight. This will be a new spin on a green and relaxing family time. Ask everyone to turn off their cell phones and most importantly the TV .You will save electricity and give your senses a much needed break. And its great fun, believe me, try it sometime.

02) Encourage your kids to do green chores: Put a rupee in a jar each time they do something helpful and earth friendly like segregating recyclable garbage. You will help inculcate the green habit in your kids from a young age. At the end of the month let them decide how the family should spend the money. Reward yourself too and treat yourself at the end of the month.

03) Burn Calories: Not fuel: Run an errand on foot or cycle instead of driving and consider the trip your exercise for the day. Besides saving fuel you will also keep fit.

04) Go meat free on Mondays: Eating more vegetarian meals is a delicious way to improve your health and the planet! Why? Animal farming requires more water, energy, fertilizer and pesticides and other resources than plant farming. To know more check out www.meatlessmondays.com.

05) Relax and Recharge outdoors: Look on how you can clean up or volunteer for some outdoor event in your city.

06) Swap your stuff: Update your wardrobe the green and super cheap way by hosting a clothing swap .Ask your friends to bring their unwanted clothes to your house .Serve snacks and presto- You have got a party and a new wardrobe .Check out www.clothingswaps.com for ideas.

07) Enjoy a no-cook lunch: Save time and fuel /electricity by making a salad with fresh vegetables and nuts. Another perk .Food uncooked and in its least processed form has more nutrients that cooked food.

08) Buy in bulk: Shopping for groceries isn’t just kind not only to your wallet. Besides large items usually require less packaging. It is an earth friendly move too. For example buying a 2kg pack is cheaper than buying a 250gms pack. The smaller pack requires more packaging. That leaves a larger carbon footprint. 

09) Go offline: Shut down your computer in the mornings and evenings and you’ll save power and your sanity by cutting back on screen time.

10) Take a trip to a farmers market: Locally grown produce requires less fuel to transport and its fresher too. Find a market near you.

11) De-clutter without trashing the earth: Instead of hauling your unwanted stuff to the dump, get your neighbors together and host a street wide yard sale .You are basically getting paid to clean your house and you will make a lot of friends.

12) Cut the engine: Every two minutes your car idles, it uses about the same amount of gas it takes to travel a mile .Turn off the gas at traffic signals.

13) Ignore a few Chores: Go ahead , let the laundry and dirty clothes pile up. Washing anything than a full load wastes water and energy not to mention time.

14) Take a Coffee mug to work: Sip coffee from a real cup instead of the landfill clogging disposable kind.

15) Take a hike: Learn about conservation issues and get in shape at the same time with your local enviro club. Look for hiking, cycling and more – perfect for families.

16) Save water and add romance: Waste less water by showering with your spouse today.

17) Plant a family herb garden: It’s a great win win activity .Your kids will connect with nature and feel a sense of pride watching their garden grow and you will have fresh seasonings on hand. Use shallow containers which you would otherwise throw away.

18) Recycle PET bottles: Don’t throw away used PET bottles .Cut them and use them as pot holders, candle stands .Use your imagination to design many useful things from old PET bottles.

19) Join a car pool: Are you meeting a friend for lunch or a shopping session at the mall. It’s less wasteful than taking two or more cars and it gives you more time to spend together.

20) Avoid using paper as far as possible. You can store a lot of information on your cell phone and thus avoid using paper .For example you can down load the Shopper application to your smart phone. www.myshopperapp.com

21) Be a natural beauty: Pamper yourself today by whipping up skin and hair treatments with ingredients from your kitchen.

These are just some ideas on how you can do your bit for leaving a green footprint. Protecting the planet doesn’t have to be a hassle .It can actually make life simpler and better than ever. In fact I am sure that if you can apply your mind you can come up with several such green ideas.

Samuel Eddy is a Chennaite based in Maryland, USA. He is passionate about conserving the environment and leaving it a better place for future generations. He can be contacted at [email protected]
 

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