5 Simple Ways to Live Green, Reduce, Reuse and Save

With our nation's landfills bulging at near capacity, our cost of living skyrocketing and gasoline prices constantly yoyo-ing between ridiculous and extremely ridiculous, discovering ways to live green by reducing, reusing and saving is the only sensible solution. To live green, reduce, reuse and save does not require a dramatic transformation. Making changes in your lifestyle to achieve these ends often involves some creative thinking and a little work. But it is not hard work. Here are a few simple ways to institute green living into your home. I hope these projects will spark you to search out other ways to reduce, reuse, and save.

Bring Your Own Bag (BYOB) - In and attempt to reduce the amount of rubbish that ends up in the landfill, many retailers are offering discounts off the total cost of your purchase when you bring your own bag. The discount is to encourage their customers to reuse their shopping bags rather than throwing them away. So bring your own bag and save a little on your total purchase. And while you're at it, why not Bring Your Own Cup. A number of coffee shops are also granting discount on the purchase of coffee items to customers who bring their own cup.

Grow Your Own Food - Have you observed the prices of vegetables these days? They are nearly as expensive as meat. Why not try your hand at growing your own vegetables. Doing so would save you fuel because you would not have to drive to the store. It would save you money because you would not have to purchase vegetables at the grocery store. Plus it would help save you from having to diet because working in the garden will increase the amount of calories you burn and tone your body. That's a win-win-win.

Purchase Bulk Packaging - A number of the makers of food stuff, health and beauty aids, and cleaning supplies provide bulk size containers of these items for sell. By purchasing the bulk package and refilling your existing container, you buy less frequently, thus make fewer visits to the store, plus you save money on packaging and products, and you contribute less garbage to the land fill. Sounds like another winner.

Choose to Use Cool - The high cost of heating water has been announced to us all countless times. It is a high cost monthly utility expense. Why not select cold water usage over hot water usage whenever and wherever possible? When washing dishes, when doing the laundry, when taking showers, when washing the dog, and a host of other ways. Look at your family's usage of hot water and ask yourself, should I choose to use cool?

Recharge those Batteries - Lets see...there's the MP3 player, there is the portable video game player, there's the digital camera, there is the...the list goes on and on. The number of items you use in your daily life that need batteries is always increasing. How often do you purchase batteries? A lot more than you think when you look at the number of battery operated devices you have around your home. Buy rechargeable batteries instead, and a recharging unit, that way you can reuse the same set of batteries over and over.

There are lots of ways to reduce, reuse, save and live green. Take the bus rather than drive, donating your old clothes and other household goods rather than throwing them away, borrowing books and DVDs from the library instead of purchasing them new. Caring for the environment and your home is all of our concern and not very difficult to do. Let's all pitch in, you have nothing to loose. Perhaps a few of these simple reduce, reuse, and save strategies will help your get started.

Resource: Living Green - Hawaii Home Remodeling - August, 2009