Seven, stupid, simple ways to be green and save green
Buying an eco-friendly car or outfitting your house with solar panels and the latest green tech can be costly and time consuming. Perhaps this is why many are reluctant to go green. However you can be green today with these seven simple ways. Some may seem stupid but they are often overlooked for that reason.
1. Don’t turn your faucet on until you’re ready
This is an interesting habit many of us have. When we want to rinse our toothbrush or fill something with water, we turn on the faucet before the brush or cup is under the water. Think of how many times this is done and how much water is lost over time. It adds up. Hold your cup or toothbrush under the faucet before turning it on and turn off the faucet before moving anything.
2. Take it easy when driving
One of the best ways to save some gas is just to be more relaxed. No tailgating or pushing the petal to the metal. It’ll keep your blood pressure down as well. Also if you’re driving downhill, let your vehicle coast and when you’re coming to a stop don’t slam on your brakes, slowly reduce your speed.
3. Have a dehumidifier? Use the water
It gets very humid in basements during the summer, so you might have a dehumidifier to take the moisture out of the air. Don’t toss the water that fills up the bucket out the window, use it. You can water your flowers and plants. Perhaps you can even use the water to fill a bucket for suds to clean your car.
4. Reuse trash bags
Obviously you can’t do this with your kitchen garbage but you might be able to reuse your bathroom’s trash bag. Most bathrooms have a small can that you throw paper waste in. Well dump that waste into your kitchen garbage and save the smaller bag.
5. Attach funnels to your watering cans
If you’re a gardener, place your watering cans out in the open with some type of funnel in the can’s opening. Then when a rainstorm comes the funnels will catch the raindrops and fill the can.
6. Take the time to start tissue and paper towel rolls
This might seem stupid but when you’re the first one to use a new roll of paper towels or toilet paper, you know what I’m talking about. It always seems impossible to use the first piece of the roll. It always get ripped and shredded, and sometimes if you keep pulling it tears through 5 more sheets. The next time you have to start a roll, relax, breath, and take your time to save that first sheet.
7. Water plant roots, not leaves and flowers
You’d be surprised at how many people don’t understand this. You have to water the plant’s roots, not the leaves and/or flowers. A large percentage of water will evaporate off the leaves and flowers, without the plant getting what it needs. Because of this your plants will probably die. Make sure to water the base of the plant to reduce evaporation.
There are plenty more ways that you can be green. It doesn’t take much and after you practice new ways over and over, they’ll eventually become habits for you.
Photo by Frank E.
21 Responses to “Seven, stupid, simple ways to be green and save green”
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[...] Buying an eco-friendly car or outfitting your house with solar panels and the latest green tech can be costly and time consuming. Perhaps this is why many are reluctant to go green. However you can be green today with these seven simple ways. Some may seem stupid but they are often overlooked for that reason. Read on. [...]
Brake application will have no effect on gas mileage. The common advice to brake slowly is so that people will tend to be able to start from a roll when red lights turn green. The actual application of brakes doesn’t relate to fuel consumption.
#8.) ride a bicycle instead of driving the car…
try it. its easy. healthy. cheap. and green.
@ Bob: I think the point of not preesing the brake down at the last minute mean to say that your not on the peddle for longer than you need to be by waiting to the last minute. So the point is your coasting for a longer period of time. That said if you want to coast and then slam on the brake at the last secound (still not smart) then by all means.
Brake application does save gas. When you break, you are transferring energy from the car’s movement into heat at the brake pad. Any kinetic energy lost to braking must be produced (transfered from stored energy in gas) by the engine to get the car back up to speed. If you plan your approach and brake slow, if at all, instead of waiting to the last minute to slam on the brakes you have a higher chance of the light turning green before you are stopped which will require less energy to be transferred from gas. Less energy means less gas consumed.
[...] Seven, stupid, simple ways to be green and save green via lyved.com [...]
1. Don’t turn your faucet on until you’re ready
As many faucets are made of plastics and base metals, the water sitting behind the valve absorbs chemicals from them.
Letting the water run a second or so before using it flushes the contaminated water before you ingest it.
8. ride a bike or walk if you can. this one’s huge.
#1. Don’t pick up dog doo when dooed on trees/plants/soil.
Brake application does relate to gas mileage in that the longer you’re coasting or decelerating, the better your gas mileage will be. If you’re braking hard, you’re using more gas.
These saving are very minimal, more effort than energy saved.
Solar, geothermal, and wind is the only way to make a dent in our pollution problem from energy waste. In the near term- dont drive a car that gets less than 20mpg; dont waste precious water on your lawn; turn off lights/ appliances when not needed; turn up the AC a few degrees; and recycle what ever you can!
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I think it was Jay Leno, back when he was still a standup act, who said: “The oil companies spill billions of gallons of oil in the Gulf of Mexico, but they want me to pee in the dark to save energy.” All of your suggestions remind me of that comment. Will saving that first square of toilet paper REALLY save the planet?? Gosh, I didn’t realize that this simple act could offset the pollution of millions of cars endlessly commuting, or the daily waste profitably conducted by corporations powerful enough to rewrite environmental legislation to suit their needs, or the sheer unthinking animal greed of people who insist on having a second, and a third, and a fourth child when the planet can clearly support no more of our species. Here I was, worried about all of that, and all I had to do was be more careful with that little square of TP. Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you!
[...] with these seven simple ways. It’s common sense, people xmen 3 callisto photos dania ramirezread more | digg [...]
“2. Take it easy when driving”
I’ve found the best way to get this across to family and friends is to tell them “drive your car like you ride your bike”. Slower, less legwork (torque) going uphill and coasting on momentum downhill. This will save tons in cities with hills like mine.
[...] Buying an eco-friendly car or outfitting your house with solar panels and the latest green tech can … [...]
[...] look at pictures… humorous, serious, ridiculous. But one article caught my eye today on simple ways to go green. At first I was amused. It had good tips: eliminate road rage, don’t waste toilet paper. But [...]
There are also companies out there that allow you to actually buy part of the rainforest, in 1/8th acre plots, that protect it from poachers and illegal foresting. check it out and companies like Ownforest.com or Warriorearth.com
[...] Seven, stupid, simple ways to be green and save green from Lyved.com [...]
People often don’t realize there are also paper alternatives.
This is a somewhat plug but in this situation its more of a “look here and make a difference”. I work really try hard to get the word out and make a difference.
Check out http://www.Ecopaper.com and checkout the paper, its unreal. 100% chemical free, tree free, and toxic free. This not only sustain the environment, but HELPS it. Most posts like these often miss that aspect. One ton of fiber saves an estimated 17 trees!
Anyway remember tree free alternatives exist!
The Grand Canyon wasn’t formed by a Major Flood, but rather by lots and lots of little acts of erosion. Anything changed to reduce waste, saving one sheet of paper, using cloth that can be washed in collected rainwater which then used to water the garden, taking your foot off the gas and gliding to a stop, each is small in itself, but when multiplied against billions of people, the effect is quite measurable.