Everyone can make a difference. Yes, it’s cliché but too true to avoid. So I’ve listed some EASY ways for individuals to lead more energy-efficient lives and help out our environment. Earth Day is in one month on April 22 so hopefully you can get a head start on changing the wasteful habits of your life and replace them with more sustainable ones.
Set up a recycling can near your desk/kitchen (always somewhere nearby) so it is more convenient for you to recycle than to throw away.
Unplug appliances when not in use, especially computer monitors. This will decrease your power bill, as well as increase your battery life!
Walk more. You’ll save money on rising gas prices and reduce the carbon emissions released into the environment. Plus you might even lose some weight.
Only run a full dishwasher, if at all. Hand washing uses less water AND energy.
Wash clothes in cold water.
DO NOT paper or plastic it. Try to bring your own cloth tote bag to the grocery store.
Print double-sided.
Change your light bulbs to CSL.
If it’s yellow let it mellow, brown flush it down. You know the drill.
BYOM–Bring Your Own Mug to the coffee shop (they usually grant discounts for this sustainable behavior!)
Being more environmentally conscious and leading a more sustainable and energy-efficient life is a difficult detour for many to make. But changing wasteful habits makes can leave you feeling healthier, happier and richer. Yes, richer.
I recently attended an educational forum held at the University of Georgia entitled, The Power of One. Three panelists discussed various ways individuals can make an impact on the environment by leading more sustainable lives. One of the panelists, Environmental Coordinator for Athens Clarke County Dick Field, said that for every $1.50 we spend on a water bottle we could buy 350 gallons of water from Athens Clarke County water supply. This is a whole lot of potential money saved if we carry reusable water bottles instead of recyclable plastic ones.
Check out this student-made environmental PSA. It’s yet another money and energy saving easy tip we all can incorporate into our daily lives.
Because Earth day is approaching on April 22 I encourage everyone to attempt to take some detours and change some habits.
My name is Jackie Barnett and I'm a 23-year-old college graduate with a B.A.J. in Public Relations and a B.A. in Spanish. I uprooted myself from a life of comfort in St. Louis, Missouri to make a permanent move abroad to Barcelona, Spain.
I am actively exploring the world of social media and how our lives are inextricably intertwined within it. Thus, I started this blog to help me understand the Web 2.0 world better.
The detours in our life should not be viewed as interruptions, but rather mere pauses that force us to re-evaluate and examine the experiences and decisions we make.
"An unexamined life is a life not worth living." --Socrates
