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Step 1
Alternative Energy, It surrounds us in every aspect and the goal is to cut the need of burning fossil fuels as well as creating nuclear waste byproducts. The time has come and past for the need to switch to solar, wind, geothermal and hydroelectric. [We know everyone is talking about it but what exactly is being done?] There is 1000s of solutions out there and there is one that has been a fact for a long time "the sun". The sun gives off enough energy to power our entire world for a half a million years! So how much of that energy do we need? less then 1%. Sounds like a simple solution but here is the hard part, it's now our time "We the People" to do our part.
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Step 2
Buy products that are made from recycled materials, In a world that is all about "New cool Products" and being the first person to have it, the amount of products sold daily is astronomical. If "We the People" would shop for what is "Green" and not the "New cool Product" the impact would be off the charts. Today almost anything can be bought made out of recycled materials, from your shoes to your hat, your flooring and furniture, your tissues and cleaning supplies, your refrigerator and everything in it and so much more. If we put a little time and effort into it soon it will become normal living.
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Step 3
Build green, Building a Green home be it new or a remodel it will not be cheap, however, it can and should pay for itself in the years to come. The easiest way to get the most for your money is be your own "Project Manager" cut out the need of using a general contractor or construction firms to manage your project. This will free up extra money to invest into more green products for your house. [hire Freelance Construction Architects, Engineers, Estimators and designers] Besides who really knows more about what you want besides you. The biggest ways to build your home green starts with Roofing and siding, [your roof could be not only made from recycled materials but it can be a power source for your home and the siding could be also bought out of recycled materials] Use water based paint, [It cost just as much as everything else if not less] The Flooring, [all flooring can be bought that was made from Green materials] Solar water heater, [they are not cheap but do pay for themselves] Out door wood furnace, [if you can't afford one they are simple to build and can be added to a home for extra heat and cut heating cost]
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Step 4
Change your Light Bulbs to LED, After changing over to LED light bulbs it takes a little getting use to because they are not as bright. They are not blasting/wasting 40 to 100 Watts but more like 1 to 10+ watts and today a 3 watt LED light bulb can replace a 40 watt. Example: a home with 20 light bulbs that use 40 watt bulbs is 800 total watts. After replacing them with LED that 800 watts gets kicked down to 60 watts.
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Step 5
Donate, What is one persons trash, is another persons treasure. Donate everything Cloths, Toys, Cars, not only are you making a difference in pollution but a difference in you community and someone's life. Be sure to donate to the right cause and not some fly by night non-profit.
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Step 6
Do it yourself, That's right and eHow is the perfect place to learn "How to do just about everything". Some people today are lazy, its easier to pay and or pass the work to someone else then to just take the time to do it yourself. Home repair, oil changes, carpet cleaners, lawn care, all the little things add up. A contractor, landscape company or carpet cleaner will have to drive over to give you a estimate then drive back one of more times to do a job that most of the time can be done by you. Plus doing it DIY you can be sure to use all Green materials when you can. last make your own products, everyone has something they are good at and it should some how be able to contribute to the ability to make 1 or more of your own products that you use right at home.
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Step 7
Eat Organic Produce and Eat Less Meat, Let's face it our country loves meat [how many times a day do you eat meat?] and if you must have meat you should buy Organic meats. [live stock raised on Green/Organic farms] When your at the store if you take the extra time to look you will find that most everyone of your favorite foods can be bought Organic.
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Step 8
Elect the right candidates to help get the job done, Let's face it again countries are dependent on oil and the USA is far behind other countries in the race to energy independents. Not because we don't have the technology or the right people for the job but because we don't have the right people in the right offices fighting for change. The world today has made huge steps forward just over the last 5 years so it is up to us now as to how fast we want to push things forward.
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Step 9
fridges, turning down the temperature is something that takes less then 1 minute to do and it can help/save you year round. Have a mini fridge and a basement? Ever put your hand or feet on a cold basement floor? Keeping can soda on your basement floor will keep the soda the temperature of the floor and cut the energy use of that fridge totally.
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Step 10
Growing A Garden and paint flowers, Save money, gas and give back to the environment. Plus enjoy fresh flowers, fruits and vegetables, its good exercise planting then keeping up your garden.
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Step 11
Insulate Your Home to the max, When building or remodelling insulation will be one of the cheapest materials bought for the project and it's also one of the most importation. Keeping the weather out saves on bills no question about it. So when insulating a home go over board [a little] it will not cost that much extra compared to the long term savings that you will end up with.
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Step 12
Leaks around your home, most all houses have them or will get them soon. Dripping sinks or running toilets should not be over looked and left for another day. yea it is just a drop in the bucket but when there is millions of homes with that one little drip that's like a nor'easter storm hitting that bucket.
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Step 13
Make at home cleaning supplies, ehow as 100s of articles to help you not only make cheap cleaning supplies but organic/green cleaning supplies. Do your part, making cleaning supplies does not require a scientist or someone super smart.
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Step 14
Make your own makeup, Be it for yourself or your kids it again can be made cheap and organically. Making it at home for kids can be a smart investment sometimes some kids get there hands on moms makeup then trashes $70.00+ worth in five minutes. [to be beautiful just like mom] Plus it can be fun and something you can do together with your kids to raise them into the green life style.
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Step 15
Plant a Tree a year, do you know your carbon footprint? do you know how many trees it takes to offset just your carbon footprint? well, It takes 108 maple trees or 72 pine trees to offset just your carbon footprint for 25 years.
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Step 16
Recycle Everything, This is a no cost easy way to help out it saves on natural resources, energy, saves clean water and air from more pollution, saves landfill space. Plus your going green and creating jobs!
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Step 17
Set your thermostat a few degrees lower, 4 to 5 degrees will have a impact on your monthly bill and if "We the People" all did it there would be a Huge savings in world energy usage.
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Step 18
Timers, Look around your house anything that has the little stand-by light on is using power and why everyone is sleeping does the stand-by light need to be on? Set timers to turn everything on/off at a set time. This again is just a drop in the bucket but not when it's "We the People" doing this all together.
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Step 19
Turn down the hot water tank, there is really no reason to have super hot water just by turning your thermostat down 10 degrees [120F] it can save most homes 10% on the energy usage of the home. Also insulation your plumbing and add extra insulation around the tank to reduce heat loss. Next wash your clothes in cold water whenever possible and take quick showers. Last use the dishwasher, It's been said that some of the newer dishwashers use 1/6th of water needed to wash the same amount of dishes in a sink.
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Step 20
Use only rechargeable batteries, look around your home on any giving day and see if there isn't 12+ batteries in remotes and toys around your home. Using rechargeable batteries will save you money and help keep harmful waste out of landfills.
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Step 21
Use your local libraries, How many people really read a book they bought more then twice? and if they did it was more then likely in the first month. Most libraries will let you can check a book out for a month FREE. [Save Trees and Money]
