Comments on: How to Go Green

on 7/7/2008 As an old hippie I have always lived this way to a point anyway! You do what you can and as for the rest who won't do anything. Don't worry, we can carry your load too.

on 7/7/2008 Naah, don't lose any sleep over hurting the environment. It's already been damaged beyond repair. Whatever happened to the concept that what I do, makes a difference?! I'm not losing sleep, I'm taking action in my little corner of the world!

on 7/6/2008 Go ahead with all that if it makes you feel better. The environment will do what it will do no matter what humans do. The money saving parts are the main benefit of some of that stuff. I wouldn't lose any sleep over "hurting" the environment though.

on 7/6/2008 My roommate and I began air drying half of our laundry and unplugging things when we aren't using them, and our electric bill lowered by $30 in one month. That's $360 a year for doing practically nothing. We also starting conserving flushes (kind of gross, but yellow mellows...you know) and this helps conserve water along with lowering our septic and water bills. We also have a kitchen timer in the bathroom to remind us when we have hit the 7 minute mark during a shower.

on 7/6/2008 CFL bulbs are definitely the way to go. I installed 30 in our home. Their virtues are numerous, and for those who shy away because they're "fluorescent," don't be mislead: they don't have that offensively bright quality of traditional fluorescent tubes, and take very little adjusting to. Also: DO check out your local recycling options. We get about $40 a month back by recycling ourselves, and that pays for our garbage bill! Good article. -Larry Fike

on 7/6/2008 Thanks! I hope lots of people read this. We all neeed to be more mindful about everyday life and how we treat our planet!

on 7/6/2008 If you want to air-dry your clothes a faster, easier, more economic and efficient way, try the Tibbe-Lines. Go to www.tibbeline.com. Cut your laundry time, lower your electric bill as well as your electricity consumption.

on 7/6/2008 All great tips, thanks for the great article, 5 stars!

on 7/6/2008 I agree completely with organicsteph. We shouldn't need to use scare tactics and questionable science to motivate us to do the right thing. We should do the things suggested because they are the right things to do. We should all just be a bit cleaner and a bit more mindful of the cumulative benefit that can be accomplished if everyone just did simple things like turn off lights, throw trash in containers designed for that purpose and generally be more respectful of the beautiful planet we live on.

on 7/6/2008 Great article.

However, one doesn't need to believe in the global warming scare to go green. Better tips are at: planetgreen.com and treehugger.com.

And go to greatglobalwarmingswindle.com Such an interesting film!

on 7/6/2008 Amin, making such changes require you to own your home. I am a renter, and I have no intention of purchasing a home anytime soon, so it's difficult to install solar panelling, but I will definitely do the other low-cost options, like turning off the lights when I leave a room and not using electric lighting until the evening time. What me and my friends do now is have dinner by candle light, and it has really gotten us closer together while saving the environment. Also, because of our extensive dinners, we find ourselves watching less television. Thanks for the post!

on 7/6/2008 please protect bees. do not use lawn fertilizer. Bees are dying from all he toxins. They polinate 3/4 of the food on the planet. And are schedualed for extinction in the next 30 years. WAKE UP!

on 7/6/2008 In the tropical and subtropical countries like Mauritius, use a Solar Water Heater. Your electricity or gas bill will decrease and you can enjoy a good warm shower.
See my article: How to warm liquid or soild food using heat transfer from a solar water heater's hot water flowing in the water pipe in the kitchen."

on 7/6/2008 1. Combine and use a carpool, instead of using individual vehicles.
2. If the distance is walkable, then prefer to walk rather than using a vehicle.
3. Use stairs instead of the lift. Keeps you healthy too.
4. Make use of natural sunlight to make your room bright.
5. Use a bucket of water to wash your car, instead of using hose with running water.
6. Carry out proper waste management by segregating organic and nonorganic waste.
7. Make it a Thumbrule: Switch off all lights when not in room.
8. Use solar heaters and cookers.
9. Harvest rain water for refilling the earth water levels.
10. TEACH YOUR KIDS THE VALUE OF GOING GREEN BY DOING IT YOURSELF.

on 7/6/2008 Buy local and organic. Buying local is very important. Remember that you vote with your dollars, put that money into something that's really trying to change the planet. Also, one of the #1 ways to really go "green" is to cut meat out of at least one meal a day (if not all of them!).
A vast sum of water and food products are used to rear meat animals, dropping down your consumption is one of the easiest ways to go green.