The Little Things
In addition to some of the larger changes that I’ve been making, there are a host of little things I try to do that also have environmental consequences. Time for my first list!
I:
- Turn the water off while soaping my hands, brushing my teeth, and doing dishes (and generally try to waste as little water as possible)
- Turn the lights off whenever I leave a room
- Shop for groceries with a reusable bag, and when I do end up with a plastic or paper bag I use them as trash and recycling bags, respectively (I never have to use actual trash bags)
- Recycle everything that is recyclable, including electronic waste
- Unplug chargers and other electronics while not in use (also, I’ve turned off the circuit breakers for my electric heaters, since they draw power even when not in use)
- Use my cell phone in lieu of having an alarm clock
- No longer initiate or renew subscriptions to magazines or newspapers (they are painfully wasteful and obsolete these days)
- Never buy non-rechargeable batteries (they are awful for the environment, classified as household hazardous waste, and way more expensive in the long run than simply using rechargeables)
- Collect any extra unused napkins given to me at restaurants, etc. for later use, and use cloth napkins for dining at home (I never have to buy napkins)
- Take the stairs
- Reuse packing materials myself, or take the peanuts back to UPS/FedEx stores for reuse
- Pay bills online, and cancel all paper statements from financial institutions
- Try to stop as much junk mail as possible (see this helpful article)
- String as many trips together as possible if I have to use the car (and carpool when possible)
- Let my dishes air dry instead of using heated dry
- Buy environmentally friendly personal care products such as 100% recycled toilet paper, paper towels and facial tissues that are whitened without chlorine bleach, phosphate free dishwashing soap and laundry detergent etc.
There may be some small things that I should be doing that I’m not doing. Feel free to share some small green tips!
August 17th, 2007 at 7:04 pm
I have a ‘Battery Xtender’ which ‘refreshes’ alkalines … works pretty well. My dad has had a device that did something similar for 10 years or so now … (for some reason they weren’t that popular …).
June 27th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
If you let your dishes air dry instead of heated dry, then that means you are using a dishwasher. If you want to reduce your environmental footprint, why don’t you wash dishes by hand. It takes little time if you keep on top of it and it takes significantly less water and energy.