Go Green Now! 5 Simple Things You Can to Help the Environment Right Now

Going green and helping the environment is everywhere today. From television to water cooler talk, going green is hot. And for good reason, too. But going green, for some people, means drastically changing your life and habits, but it doesn't have to. In fact, here are five simple things that you can start doing today that will help the environment and possibly start a "green revolution" in your household.

Use cloth bags for shopping
The days of "paper or plastic?" at the supermarket checkout line may be numbered. Many cites in the US have banned, or are considering banning, plastic bags. Those cities that have already banned them, force stores to charge a surcharge when a customer requests plastic bags. The reason for the ban, of course, is to cut down on the harmful effects of plastic bags in our landfills. So, don't wait for your city council to ban plastic bags before you make the switch to cloth bags for shopping. Many supermarkets now offer for sale reusable bags so pick up a few and use them every time you shop for groceries.

Ride your bike more often
With the price of gas this may seem like a no-brainer. Riding your bike to work or to shop can not only save you on gas, you'll be cutting down on your carbon footprint and getting some exercise in the process. It's a win-win for you and for the environment.

Pack your lunch (and your kids' lunches, too) in reusable containers
Instead for "brown bagging it" opt for Tupperware or other reusable containers to pack your food. If you use a brown bag a day and two Zip-lock bags for your lunch, that's hundreds of thrown-away bags each year. Instead use plastic or glassware to pack your lunch. Or, if you're feeling adventurous, check out Japanese-style Bento boxes which are perfect for lunches!

Make your own cleaning products
A few months ago I wrote about making your own cleaning products (and why you'd want to). You can read that full article at http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2605637/going_green_how_to_make_your_own_cleaning.html.

The point of making your own cleaning products is to avoid using commercial cleaning with their harsh chemical products. Here's an easy for Sandra Bullock's easy glass cleaner (and before your ask, yes, it's that Sandra Bullock)
3 Tbsp. vinegar
1/3 tsp. pure liquid vegetable soap (like castile soap)
2 cups water

Pour each ingredient into a recycled spray bottle, shake well, and your windows will be green and streak-free

Don't print this article to share with friends!
Sure, it's a great article filled with some great tips, but don't print it out and waste paper. Instead forward it via email, Twitter, or Facebook to your friends. And with other emails and web pages, too, think before you print it. In this day and age, with all of our technology, is there really a need to print out most things? And if you do have to print something out, use double-sided printing.