What Does Going Green Mean

Going green means implementing certain lifestyle changes designed to help you live in a more eco-friendly way. It means becoming more environmentally aware and changing your behavior and lifestyle to reduce the amount of pollution and waste you generate. The decision to go green is a gradual process for most people. Any action you take that contributes to sustainable living makes a positive impact on the environment. Everyone can implement small changes into his or her current lifestyle to make a difference for the Earth and future generations.

How Will Going Green Help?

While most people are aware that going green is good for the Earth, they may not fully understand the extent of its impact. Going green leads to a healthier lifestyle, a cleaner environment, it saves you money and is good for your children’s future. The green initiative is about conserving resources so that your needs and the needs of future generations can be met. The goal of green living is to use resources responsibly and to contribute towards cleaner air, alternative fuels and green energy.

Going green is often simply a matter of replacing old habits with new ones. Each time you make a conscious decision to conserve natural resources, you take another step toward green living. Here a just a few:

  • Turn Off Lights: Switch off lights as you leave a room, which saves energy
  • Conserve Water
  • Take shorter showers. Turn water off while brushing your teeth or shaving. Fix leaky faucets. Run your dishwasher and washing machine only when you have a full load.
  • Recycle
  • Recycle aluminum, cardboard, glass and plastic materials if possible. By doing so you reduce the amount of waste headed to landfills.
  • Reuse
  • Find ways to reuse things that can’t be recycled rather than throwing it away. Old clothing can be used as rags. Large containers can be turned into planters. Consider donating large items you no longer want or need.
  • Bring Your Own Grocery Bags
  • Reduce waste by bringing your own grocery bags to the store to use again. Purchase reusable cloth grocery bags to keep in your car for trips to the store.
  • Eat Greener
  • Support locally grown produce which reduces greenhouse emissions by reducing the demand for shipments of processed food products.
  • Carpool, Bike or Bus
  • Carpool with your co-workers or take your bike when weather permits. Familiarize yourself with your city’s public transportation and bus systems. You’ll cut your gas bill and reduce your car emissions.
  • Unplug
  • Even when appliances are turned off they continue to draw electricity. Unplug seldom-used appliances or plug related appliances into a power strip to turn off when finished using them. Unplug electronic chargers when not in use.