Going Green for Good

The US government is supporting energy-efficient products like solar power. The states subsidize weatherizing homes and businesses and stores are removing phosphates and other chemically-based products from their store shelves. If you have not already "gone green" for the environment, now is as good a time as any to join the movement to implementing those products which not only make your life easier and cheaper, but help the environment and your fellow man (and woman) as well. Living in the Northwest has taught me a few tricks and here is my top 6 list of simple and easy things you can do to go green.

1. Fireplaces. You should never, ever be throwing your money down the drain on excessive electricity or gas bills to heat your home. A few years ago pellet stoves were all the rage and it is hard to even come by bags of pellets to fire up one's heating source because they were so popular. If you have an energy efficient wood stove, there are many places across the country that will allow you to enter private or public lands to gather up the droppings left by loggers for chopping at home. Even if you have never chopped wood before, a quick two-minute lesson will have even a 90-lb little old lady slicing those tree limbs into kindling (the secret is slicing into the wood with the axe at an angle - not straight into the stump). Years ago, my family saved thousands of dollars by using a wood stove over one winter. Even the college student in a tiny apartment or condo can use a little electric fireplace with a heater-blower instead of baseboard heaters to save on energy since fireplaces are more efficient in heating the interior 1200 feet or less and not simply the walls and neighboring apartments.

2. Air Conditioners and Purifiers. Overhead ceiling fans, HEPA filtration systems and anything which can blow air around will help get heating and cooling to whereever it needs to go faster. The trick is to use it sporadically and turn it off periodically until really needed again. Set it at a regulated temperature, not too high or low. Clean the filters for goodness sake by simply washing them out in the sink and air drying or go to a home improvement store like Lowe's and let them cut the simple mesh screen to size for your specific needs. Even vacuum cleaner bags (the little round or square additional filtration pads) will do in a pinch for a small table-top appliance.

3. Green products. Anything which removes the phosphates and harsh chemicals from their cleaning products will not only feel better on your body and in the wash, but will move faster down your drains and enter cleaner into your city's water supply system.

4. Ride your bike. Automobiles are NOT the only way to travel. First, other countries know and value bicycling as a simple, inexpensive and FUN way to get around towns. They fit all ages and genders and disabilities. You always see bikes riding through storms, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes and other natural disasters because a bike can go and do what cars cannot. You get great exercise and fresh air and even little dogs love to ride in a basket on a bike. You are less apt to kill people or yourself nor cause carbon monoxide poisoning and there is no expense for gasoline and relatively little on maintenance.

5. Take the bus. Even the tiniest town has a shuttle for college students or farm laborers. Every major hotel offers "airporters" to transport tourists to and from the airport and bus stations to their inns. The bigger and better cities offer everything from discount fares for seniors and disabled and students to rapid transit trains that go the "scenic routes" through town bypassing all that congestion across bridges and usually ride alongside the rivers and coastlines.

6. Recycle. OK, the secret is out about dividing your garbage into paper and tin - some of it ends right back into the local town dump together. However, you can reuse your own plastic tubs and bags. For example, margarine tubs and coffee containers do the job just about as well as name-brand plasticware. You can reuse grocery bags for garbage bags and department store bags (ask for the largest they have) to cover coats in your closet or put away Christmas decorations. Give your old stuff to charities and buy what you need from charity shops. You will get a double blessing in that you will save hundreds of dollars and the charity can then help shelter, clothe and feed the poor. Salvation Army, Goodwill and Union Gospel Missions all have their own little second-hand stores and some will even deliver for the cost of gas and time.