Why Go Green?

Everywhere you turn you see evidence of a "green revolution" sweeping the nation and the world. Not only is this revolution alive and well, but the warriors of this green craze are winning the hearts and minds of your neighbors, co-workers and loved ones.

So what is it that would make a person want to go green? Is it the melting ice caps? The disappearing ozone layer? Maybe. But perhaps the biggest motivator to us common folk to want to save the environment is the amount of cash we can save for ourselves. What seems most evident of this is the fact that people didn't seem to care about the ozone layer and the ice caps when these problems were first brought to our attention over almost two decades or so ago. What really got people off of their behinds was the rising cost of gas. As soon as gas topped the three and four dollar mark, self proclaimed "environmentalists" started sprouting up left and right flaunting their hybrid electric cars and new bike shorts. Make fun of them all you want, but they may be on to something. Keep these tips in mind next time you take a look at some of your financial statements.

Water:

It costs money, so use less. Easy enough, right? Then why do so many people insist on taking baths to wind down after a long day? The difference in a year of baths compared to a year of showers is hundreds of gallons of water. Had a bad day? Opt for scented candles or incense instead of bath salts and bubble soap. If you already opt for showers, try shortening their length. Setting an egg timer to five minutes will give you plenty of time to do what you have to do. In between lathering up and rinsing off, make sure that you cut off the water. Track your savings by comparing your last month's water bills to this month's (when you start using the egg timer tactic").

Electricity:

It costs money, so use less. Remember when your dad use to yell at you for leaving the lights on after you left a room? Well he was right. Turn them off. Additionally, all of your portable electronics aren't helping you either. When you plug something into a wall outlet the electricity continues to flow to the device even when the battery is charged. How do you think the "battery charged" icon gets the juice to display itself? Stop leaving items plugged in overnight. Charge them up when you get home and keep an eye on them so that you can unplug them when the item is charged.

Heat:

It costs money, so use less of it (starting to see a pattern?). Sixty to seventy degrees Fahrenheit is comfortable for the average home, but that doesn't mean that you have to heat the entire home when you're only using one room. Close vents and shut off heat to rooms that get minimal use. Also, next time you start to feel cold, opt for a sweater over touching the thermostat. It'll give you a chance to get some use out of those hideous holiday sweaters that you grandmother insists on knitting.

Gas:

You know all those times you said "I'm just going down the street"? Well, take a hike...literally. Opt for walking over getting in your car for those quick trips down the street, across the street, up the street, etc. A good rule of thumb is if it's under a mile then get out your walking shoes. Not only will you save gas money, you may lose a few pounds (unless you're going to the ice cream parlor, then you may just only save the gas money).

Paper:

Here's something interesting about paper. It has two sides. So use both. Those pieces of "scratch" paper can be used more than once. For jotting down phone numbers and other short term notes, invest in a dry erase board next to your telephone. And next time you have a paper or report due, look over for mistakes on your computer screen a couple of times before you commit yourself to printing the document.

Music:

If you're still buying CDs (or even worse, cassette tapes) then chances are you aren't reading this in an online format. Just in case, make an upgrade. Sites which let you download music (legally) will also let you (most of the time) buy individual songs from artists. Keeping your music in a digital format will cut down on worthless CDs and cassettes taking up land fill space which is becoming more and more precious by the year. By buying individual songs, you'll save the money you spend on songs that you usually skip over.

Live Green, Die Green:

This may be a bit grim, but it can save your loved ones up to thousands of dollars if you care enough about them and their financial situations. Many funeral parlors are offering "green funeral" options. Basically, when you pass, your body is placed in a completely bio-degradable coffin that will disintegrate with your remains when it is buried in the ground. This is also a very symbolic approach to your own passing because the idea is that your remains will be returned to the earth to provide nutrients for the soil and environment. Many options also allow families to plant some type of remembrance tree in your honor that will grow above your plot as your body returns to the earth.

These are just a few of the simple ways that you can contribute to your wallet and the environment at the very same time. Many more techniques exist to move you along your green journey, but half of the fun is discovering them for yourself. Hopefully, the above tips have given you the stepping stone you need to become a true warrior. Who knows, maybe you can save enough money to buy that new SUV.

Just kidding about the SUV.