This post is dedicated to planet Earth. We wanted to share some of the changes that Sarah and I made that will help the environment and save us money. These are easy things that anyone can do that do not require large lifestyle changes--very small if anything. So here we go!
1) Buy cloth napkins! Using cloth napkins instead of paper napkins/paper towels decreases trash, saves trees and saves money. If you use paper towels for spills and stuff, get cheap dish rags; you can get them anywhere for very little. Ikea has 4 cloth napkins for $1.99.
2) Use compact florescent bulbs! Yes, they cost a little more up front (we found them at the 99 Cent Store), BUT they use about 75% less energy, which means less pollution used to generate that energy. They also last 8-10 times longer; every hard-to-reach bulb should be compact for this reason alone. They come in all sizes so you don't have to worry about them fitting in any fixture.
3) Starbucks drinkers should bring their own travel mugs! Millions of these cups are going in the trash everyday (they can't be recycled since they are soiled). Starbucks gives you a few cents discount when you do, AND they will do it for both hot and cold drinks.
4) Recycle! It's a no-brainer. If you don't have a recycle bin from Waste Management, like us, buy a couple of plastic baskets (dollar store) and find where you can drop off your recycled trash at www.bottlesandcans.com.
5) Paper or Plastic? Neither! Bring your own bags--canvas bags or woven plastic (looks like canvas). The USA throws away 1 trillion plastic bags per year, 1 billion of which ends up in the rivers and ocean, killing marine life. Sea turtles eat the plastic bags because they look like jelly fish, their main source of food, and die because of it. Plastic bags take more than 100 years to decompose; surprisingly paper bags take about the same time due to the conditions at landfills. 14 million trees get cut down to produce the 1 billions paper bags we use each year.
Bring your own bags! www.reuseablebags.com
6) Change your thermostat! We have all heard this one, but it really makes a huge difference. Two degrees can make almost a 10% difference in our C02 emissions. 78 degrees in the summer and 68 in the winter.
7) Turn off the water. Turn off your water when you brush your teeth and minimize the water you use when you wash your hands; it saves about 5 gallons a day per person, so that's 180 million gallons per day for California alone.
There are tons of things we can all do, but these are all easy ones that can make a big difference.
