how to

LIVE MORE SUSTAINBLY
(compiled by my 601 class- i had to put this somewhere permanently)

*buy local and organic food; know your farmer
(american food travels an average of 1,500 mi before it reaches your grocery store. this means lots of energy/less fresh food. shop at a local farmer’s market/co-op or seek out local products in your supermarket.)
*eat less meat
(reducing/eliminating meat in your diet has health/environmental benefits and prevents the inhumane treatment of farm animals. raising meat/herd animals is more damaging to the environment than CO2 emissions as a whole.)
*grow your own, plant a garden
*reduce waste when eating out and get there without a car
(bring your own coffee mug/a container for leftovers instead of using the restaurant’s disposable packaging.)
*buy a hybrid or share a car
*turn off your car when you’re waiting
(takes less gas to start and stop a car than it does to leave it run for short periods of time.)
*offset your carbon dioxide
(buy CO2 offsets to counteract the greenhouse gases you create, support clean energy, and make a statement)
*buy for the long run, not just today
(reject the throwaway culture to decrease material throughput. why not purchase a pair of shoes that will last you a lifetime? columbia, l.l.bean, northface, chacos, REI all have lifetime warranties on their clothing.)
*buy fair trade
*buy used clothing and household items
(vintage is in!)
*cut down on disposable bag use
(refuse bags for small items. use canvas bags for grocery and other shopping or reuse the paper/plastic bags you already have.)
*skip the bottled water
(tap water usually has the same cleanliness and taste as bottled water and is subject to stricter regulation. avoid the extra packaging, transportation, and plastic used for bottled water.)
*seek out “green” products
*vote with your dollars, buy ethically and socially conscious products
*extend the life of your clothes
(mend your clothes. create new garments from old ones. donate clothes you’ve outgrown.)
*make more gifts than you buy
*scale back your disposable reading
(cancel subscriptions to daily newspapers or magazines you hardly read or share the subscriptions with a friend or neighbor.)
*borrow instead of buy
(get books from the library instead of the bookstore. borrow major household items and offer to share yours.)
*recycle!
*replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents/LEDs
(despite their higher initial cost, they save you money over the lifetime of the bulb.)
*light only what you need
(turn off the lights you’re not using. use a lamp to light the area you’re working in instead of a large overhead light.)
*buy Energy Star appliances
*keep more beer in the refrigerator
(liquid takes less energy to keep cold than air)
*turn off and unplug electrical items when you’re not using them
(TVs, computers, monitors, cell phone charges, and other devices pull a charge from outlets even if they are turned off. plug these into switch outlets and turn the switch off at night. also, unplug these devices if they aren’t being used for prolonged periods of time- like if you’re going on vacation.)
*heat yourself rather than the whole house
*use dishes more than once before washing
(save water and build your immune system at the same time.)
*get your name off ad mailing lists
(do this is at dmaconsumers.org.)
*take shorter showers
(while you’re at it, turn the temperature down.)
*don’t flush so much
(the rhyme goes: if it’s yellow, let it mellow. if it’s brown, flush it down. if you can, get a dual-flush toliet.)
*save paper
(use cloth napkins/handkerchiefs. print double-sided. stock the printer with recycled paper. use blank sides of paper for notes or coloring. send more documents electronically.)
*clean green
(many cleaning products contain toxic chemicals; use natural substances instead. ex: white vinegar diluted with water as an all-purpose cleaner; lemon juice for cleaning copper, dishes, and garbage disposals; 4 tbsps baking soda + 1 qt warm water for scrubbing tile.)
*compost
(create a compost pile for food scraps to reduce the amount of trash you send to the landfill and create rich fertilizer for your garden.)
*incorporate sustainable practices into your job
*live near your job
*learn, teach, educate yourself
*write a letter
(contact your local representative voicing your concern for greater environmental initiatives.)
*share your green practices with others, especially those you love
(if you believe something is important, share it with those you love.)
*get outside, enjoy the environment
*join conservation organizations in your community, volunteer
*vote
*invest in socially responsible businesses or mutual funds
(socially responsible mutual funds/businesses are more prevalent today than at any time in history. vote with your dollar! if you believe in a business or set of businesses, invest in them.)
*micro-lending: invest in others
(lending money for small projects around the world can have a huge effect on individuals’ lives. borrowers will pay you back and you can reinvest or take out your money in the end. check out kiva.org for more information.)
*think about your grandchildren’s children
*love
(practice random acts of kindness. love yourself, your culture, and the people around you. after all, isn’t love the reason you’re getting involved in the first place?)