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green living
Simple Steps
You Can Take
To Be Green
By Linda Maranno
M
any of the choices we make in our daily lives
can have an impact on our planet, but you don’t
necessarily have to make drastic changes to your
everyday routine to be greener.
We’ve put together a few simple ideas that you can easily
incorporate into your busy day that won’t require a lot of effort
to implement. Hopefully, you’ll be inspired to try at least a
couple of things from the following list in the next few months.
GO PAPERLESS
According to the Natural Resources Defense Fund, the
paper industry is the third largest industrial contributor to
global warming pollution. Pulp and paper mills that use virgin
timber generate hazardous air pollutants that include dioxins
and other cancer-causing chemicals. Here are three simple
ways to reduce your personal consumption of paper.
Contact your bank, credit card and utility companies to
ask if they offer electronic statements. Not only does this save
paper, it also protects you against identity theft by reducing the
amount of private information in your mailbox.
Make the switch to paying all of your bills online directly
from your bank account. It’s simple to set up, and you’ll wonder
why you ever wasted time writing and mailing checks each
month.
It is estimated an average of 41 pounds of junk mail is sent
to every adult in the U.S. each year. Approximately 44 percent of
this mail goes into a landfill unopened. You can do your part to
reduce this unnecessary waste by getting your name removed
from mailing lists of companies you’re not interested in. You
can call them directly yourself or pay an online service to do it
for you, such as 41pounds.org, which charges $41 to stop your
junk mail for five years. They donate one-third of each new
subscriber’s fee to an environmental or community organization
of their choice. For more information visit www.41pounds.
org.
SAVE ENERGY—UNPLUG ELECTRONICS
According to the U.S. Energy Star program, 40 percent
of the electricity used by home electronics is consumed while
the items are turned off. The biggest energy drainers are TiVo,
40 percent of the electricity
used by home electronics
is consumed while the
items are turned off.
cable/satellite dish boxes, sound systems, VCRs/DVD players,
computers, printers, cable/DSL modems and TVs. By grouping
these electronics onto one surge protector or power strip, you’ll
be able to easily remove their power source all at once, rather
than unplugging each item individually.
USE NATURAL CLEANERS
EPA studies have shown that indoor pollution levels can be
two to five times higher than they are outdoors, and household
cleaning products play a major role in contributing to that
pollution. Toxic chemicals used in these products evaporate
into the air we breathe and have a negative impact on our
health. Ordinary products that you already have in your home
24 HERLIFEmagazine.com