10 Tips for Living Green at Home

Besides recycling and water conservation, there are many other ways to live a little greener at home. We’ve put together 10 easy tips to help you get started today.

1) Use reusable bags everywhere you shop. Most retailers even sell their own reusable bags at checkout, but you can always bring in your own. It’s a good idea to keep a few in your car for those spur-of-the-moment shopping trips. Think about how many plastic bags we’ll keep out of our landfills!

2) Have you ever considered buying in bulk? It can help you save on fuel with fewer trips to the grocery store each week. You’ll also consume less packaging material and spend less money in the long run.

3) Keep heating and air conditioning contained to the spaces you use daily. If you have rooms you only use for guests or storage, close off the vents and doors to help reduce costs and increase efficiency.

4) A programmable thermostat can make a big difference in your energy/gas bill. They’re inexpensive and easy to install.

5) Does your computer or TV run 24/7? That’s unnecessary energy consumption for items that aren’t in use. Set your computer to sleep mode when you’re finished with the task at hand. If you need the comfort of the TV to fall asleep, you can set the sleep timer to automatically shut off.

6) The morning shower… it’s a necessity to get the ball rolling, but to help conserve water and energy, you could install a low-flow showerhead or solar water heater. They’re both highly efficient and low cost.

7) For less than $150, you can install ceiling fans in your living room and bedroom. You can reduce the thermostat temperature and the room will still feel cool with the fan on.

8) Painting a room is an easy way to redecorate, but when you do repaint, try to find low Volatile Organic Compounds  (VOC) or no VOC paint. Avoid most latex and oil-based paints to eliminate toxins being released into the air.

9) Anytime you remodel or redecorate, try to find green furniture manufactured from recycled or reclaimed furniture. The local thrift stores, antique shops and flea markets have great options allowing you to recycle and save money at the same time.

10) At any given time there are at least 10 items in your home that require batteries, so why not switch to rechargeable? You’ll help keep all the remotes and gadgets going while keeping dead batteries out of our landfills.

List courtesy of American Home Shield