Going Green: You Make it Happen

Going green can really become a reality for you and your family. If everybody pitches in on this concept we can succeed together to take back our planet and prosper from it. So what does the phrase that has become so popular really mean? Whenever you make changes to your lifestyle or habits it will generally affect our environment for the better.

Some aspects of going green are energy conservation, recycling products and anything that can be done to improve the environment. It has become a world wide social movement where people are now pro-active, instead of re-active.

You can start a new club called 'Going Green You Make It Happen'. Get the kids involved and make up some t-shirts with this slogan that you wear on the weekends while your out in the parks or at the lakes. The kids will get a real kick out of it, and you might get people to take up the idea!

Why not join in like your neighbors and start going green? Let's look at some positive actions that you can do to participate in going green. Keep in mind that these ideas require you to make changes, so you may want to work on a few at a time just to get started.

When you have the opportunity be sure to jump on your bike for a ride. Bike riding helps to reduce pollution and save energy (gas) too. You will inherit some added benefits of toning muscles and burning some extra calories.

When you are shopping look for packages that are made with recycled paper. If the product is in a box and the undersides are dark brown or grey then you know it is made from recycled materials. White is not a recycled paper product and it is not going green.

All you gardeners out there with the green thumbs get your compost pile started. Use some spoiled vegetables, coffee grounds, egg shells, plant trimmings and dirt. You just hose it down every now and then and periodically turn it.

Crush and save your aluminum cans. If you live in a household with children and you all drink soda those cans will add up to some real money. In just a few months for just two people we had 21 pounds! Take them to a recycling center and get the cash.

Boycott buying anything that is packaged in aerosols, because they just fill up the landfills. Look for products that are packaged in spray bottles or roll-ons.

Whenever possible always use real plates, silverware and cups. Do not buy disposable plates and cups even if it is for a picnic. You can just as easily bring these pieces home to be washed. Remember going green, you make it happen!

Without even thinking about it one day I began to save envelopes that came in the mail for scratch paper. Many of them have a great amount of blank space on them where you can write notes. Just keep them in a handy pile by your desk and you will not have to spend a dime on scratch paper.

My gosh, I wonder what a difference it would make to the land fills if everybody started carrying their own mesh or canvas bags to take their groceries home in and then reuse them for the next trip.

Look for products made from recycled paper at the stores that you shop in. You will be surprised that you can find newspapers, writing paper, books, paper towels and toilet paper all made from recycled paper.

Visit a local recycling center to find out what types of goods they will accept. Then start a bag to hold the contents of each type of goods such as plastics, paper, aluminum cans, glass and cardboard. Just take them to you're recycling center as they fill up. The idea of going green is not as hard as you once thought.

Save money on your electric bill by un plugging electric devices when they are not in use. Some items you may not want to continually plug in and out. But if you look over everything in your house carefully I bet you will find quite a few such as radios, fans, fax machines, PC printers and portable heaters that you will not mind plugging in and out. Many electric items still siphon off power when they are not turned on.

Water conservation has become a huge issue and putting your lawn on a strict watering schedule can make a difference when everybody in your neighborhood participates too.

Going green will be easy because you will make it happen. Once you start thinking of ways to save and reuse it will become second nature to you.