Green Lifestyle: 5 Low Cost Tips

Going green has become a popular trend that looks like it's here to stay.  Even if you can't build a new home that is energy efficient or remodel your existing home to make it greener, there are still things you can do at home to help the environment.

First, consider replacing your old incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient compact fluorescent bulbs.  These bulbs use up to 80 percent less energy than the older style bulbs.  As an added bonus, they last longer so you won't have to change then as often.

Second, you can attach aerators to your faucets.  These little devices attach to the faucet where the water comes out, and mix air into the flow. You’ll use less water, but the water pressure will remain nearly the same as before.  There are similar devices available to attach to your shower heads, which will reduce the total amount of water you use while showering.

Third, replace your old thermostat with a programmable one.  This will allow you to fine tune your heating and cooling cycles to the times you’re at home and actively using your living areas.  The energy savings can really add up when you stop keeping the house warm or cool for the entire 8 to 10 hours that you spend at work.  You can set the thermostat to turn off as you leave for work, and set it to automatically turn on about a half hour before you return home. Your house will be comfortable while you’re at home, but you won’t be wasting energy and money while you’re away.

Fourth, install a water filter on your kitchen faucet instead of buying bottled water.  Most municipal water systems in the United States provide clean, healthy drinking water, so a filter is usually not necessary.  But major beverage manufacturers have spent millions of dollars on marketing campaigns to get us to think that bottled water is cleaner and safer than plain tap water. If you just can't bring yourself to start drinking water from the tap, you can at least buy and install a filter.  Then you can stop adding plastic water bottles to your local landfill.

Fifth, start using cloth tote bags for your grocery shopping.  Plastic grocery bags are not biodegradable, and are another of the many disposable items that are clogging up local landfills.  If you don't want to start a collection of cloth grocery tote bags, you can at least reuse the plastic grocery bags.  Many communities also have recycling receptacles for plastic grocery bags.  So when you have accumulated more than you can use, instead of throwing them away, you can recycle them.

These are just a few ways you can help clean up the environment.  They’re fairly easy to implement.  They’ll help you get in the habit of looking for ways to be even more eco-friendly.