10 great ways to go green in 2009

10 Tips for Going Green

With the world looking for ways to avoid Global Warming, going green is essential to everyone. Even doing one green activity per household can make a difference. Check out these tips and see how you can help change the world!

1. Keeping our landfills free from unnecessary, discarded debris is as simple as joining your local FreeCycle organization. Yahoo supports groups from all over the world that are easily accessible via the Internet. These sites provide “wanted” and “offer” ads that come right to your email. You can join as many of them as you want, depending upon how far you want to drive to pick up something you “just can’t live without”. Many people post offers of items in great condition that they just don’t want or use any more. You can find anything from a TV and computer games to appliances and car parts. Visit http://www.freecycle.org/ and simply type in your city, and state to find local groups within driving distance of your home. If you don’t see one near enough, you can start one for your immediate area by following the guidelines set up by Yahoo! Groups. I started one with a friend about two years ago and we already have over 2000 members! That’s a lot of “treasure” that is not filling up our local landfill.
2. We all know about recycling plastic jugs and sacks, but did you know that paper can be recycled in a multitude of ways around the home? Try using pages torn from a phone book to fill moving boxes and wrap objects instead of that expensive plastic bubble wrap. Olds newspapers are great for placing underneath your car if you do your own oil changes because they keep your driveway oil-free.
3. If your yard is covered with as many leaves as mine is in the winter, try burning them in the grill instead of stuffing them into non-biodegradable plastic lawn bags. Be sure you never leave the fire unattended, and once the leaves have all burned, spray the grill with a water hose to be sure the embers are all soaked. After the water drains from the grill, spread the burnt leaves all over your yard for great mulch!
4. Donate your magazines to local schools so that kids can create collages.
5. Donate your used books to your library. If a loved one passes on, print out labels that say “donated in loving memory of _________”.
6. Use white vinegar instead of glass cleaner to clean mirrors and windows. The vinegar also works better than most commercial products for removing cigarette tar from glass.
7. Spend time with the kids outdoors by using sidewalk chalk on the patio or driveway instead of using paper to draw their pictures.
8. Take your used clothing that no longer fits but is still in wearable condition to a clothing resale shop or have a swap party with your family and friends. This idea works well with your buddies at work as well because there are so many different styles to choose from.
9. Instead of using pre-packaged air freshener or sprays, try attaching a scented dryer sheet to your outflow vent in each room of your home.
10. Instead of spending money at the car wash, pull your vehicle up into the yard and was h it there. The detergent will repel most bugs for up to two weeks and the water will help your grass grow without having to move the sprinkler all over the yard.