Going Green Instantly: Four Ways to Take Immediate Action

"Going green" means many things to many people. Some eagerly dive into the movement with both feet - they buy organic, recycle, drive hybrid cars, compost. Others are more skeptical, or don't know where to begin.

By making a few initial moves that suit your lifestyle, you begin creating your own customized, "go green" plan. Once you start noticing your habits, you'll be surprised how one thing leads to another.

I've chosen to recycle / precycle, plant my first vegetable garden, and find alternatives to toxic pesticides / household chemicals. It's a short list, but one I know I can live up to. By successfully working a few new habits into my routine long-term, I become a better steward of the earth and sometimes even cut costs.

Here are four simple ways to "go green" instantly - may they motivate you to discover even more!

1. Plant a tree with a click!

Visit Odwalla's Plant-A-Tree site, choose one of eleven state park systems, and click before December 31, 2009 to participate in this reforestation project - free and easy.

According to their site, Odwalla donated funds to plant 60,000 park trees in 2008. This year's count is over 18,000, as of June 2009. And if your own state isn't participating, Michigan is always an excellent choice (as my slowly expanding state park slideshow series will confirm).

2. Precycle by discontinuing unwanted print catalogs

If you prefer to shop online, but the catalogs keep coming, visit Catalog Choice. Catalog Choice is a free, non-profit service for consumers who want to go paperless. Register, search your merchants, and control the amount of mail you'll be receiving from now on. Recycling is great, but blocking the arrival of unwanted mail is even better.

Nonparticipating merchants need your direct call or email - contact their customer service departments to stop print catalogs. I tell merchants who claim it takes at least three months to pull my name from their mailing queues that I'll boycott them until I know the catalogs have stopped. Sometimes this speeds up their "unsubscribe" processes.

3. Pull the plugs on appliances not in use

Home appliances can draw power - "phantom loads" - even when switched off. The U.S. Department of Energy states 75% of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off.

Unfortunately, many electronic devices - like VCRs, TVs, or microwaves - lose their settings when the power is cut, so switching off these items can be a hassle. Terrific, should you decide the extra effort is worthwhile, but anyone can easily pull the plugs on other daily use items - coffeemakers, blow dryers, toasters, cell phone chargers, computers, monitors. It's just a matter of acquiring the habit.

Don't forget washers, dryers, extra refrigerators, countertop convection ovens, printers, or other appliances not in constant use.

4. Air-dry clothing and dishes

Skip the dryer, or only partially machine-dry your washables. Air-drying your clothing on racks or non-wire hangers not only saves energy, but reduces garment wear and tear. Pull items from the dryer when they're damp and warm to carefully hang before wrinkles set in. In many cases, you'll eliminate the need to iron.

You can also skip the heated drying cycle on your dishwasher.

Sources:

http://www.parkvisitor.com/odwalla/

http://www.associatedcontent.com/slideshow/18934/michigan_state_parks_muskegon_state.html?cat=16

http://www.catalogchoice.org/about

http://www.energy.gov/applianceselectronics.htm