An eco-friendly lifestyle doesn't need to be difficult or expensive. The 40th anniversary of Earth Day is coming up on April 22nd, and it's a great time to revisit our day to day living to find easy ways to be a little bit greener. Here are our top five recommendations:
- Reusable bags - Some retailers are now offering discounts for bringing your own bags. Check out baggu.com for great designs that can easily fit in your purse for shopping on the go.
- Turn off electronics when not in use - Plug your devices — the TV and DVD player, or the computer and printer — into a UL-certified power strip; switch the whole group off for the evening to prevent phantom electrical draw.
- Run a full dishwasher whenever possible — it uses half or less of the water and energy of washing the same dishes by hand. And don't waste water by rinsing before loading (today's machines are designed to power off the mess).
- Choose concentrated cleaning pacs, which use 50 to 60 percent less packaging than traditional formulas while cleaning just as thoroughly.
- Install dimmers throughout your home and swap out all your bulbs for energy saving CFL or LEDs for significant savings in electricity (and on your wallet!).
What's your tip for greening your life? Tell us on our facebook page!