10 Go Green Tips for Your Home: Quick, Easy, Cheap!

Follow us on Twitter
Find us on Facebook

Today is the first in a new series of 10 Tips posts I plan to bring you over the next few weeks. I hope you find these inexpensive and easy ways to green up your home to be helpful. The goal is to keep them simple, quick and cheap. I won't be talking about major appliances or hybrid vehicles, just little things you can do to save energy, money, your health and the environment, all in one swoop. I bet you can guess what the first item on today's list is:

1. Replace burned out bulbs with the newer, long-lasting CFLs. They use considerably less energy, so they last years longer than incandescent bulbs.
2. Wrap your water heater with an insulating blanket, to help it retain heat. This step will take you less than an hour, cost about $20, and save you a much larger chunk of change over the life of your water heater.
3. Unplug small appliances and electronics when not in use. Their indicator lights draw small amounts of electricity, which all add up, when you have dozens of these items around your home. FUN FACT: I tested this premise one month by comparing this activity and my electric bill. Sure enough, I saved about $10 when the appliances--like toasters, flat irons, and stereos--were kept unplugged.
4. Switch to old-fashioned, basic cleaning products that don't contain toxic chemicals: vinegar, lemon juice, vegetable-based soap (I like Dr. Bronner's), Boric Acid, Baking Soda, and club soda. There's no need to buy high-priced "Green" cleaners, when you can make your own for a fraction of the cost.
5. Be cognizant of your water use. You can save hundreds of gallons by simply turning off the faucet while you brush your teeth, using a sinkful of water to rinse soapy dishes, and adding a spray nozzle to your hose, when washing the car. Ideas like these will save you more than water; they'll save you money, and help to protect this precious resource.
6. Recycle everything you possibly can; make good use of that recycle bin!  Also, check with Earth 911 and Terracycle, programs that recycle products that may not go in your bin. One final tip on this note: if you have a large item to dispose of (say, a couch or old dog crate) that still has useful life in it, offer it on Craig's List to someone who may put it to good use. That's much better than tossing it into a landfill.
7. Using natural laundry detergent not only keeps phosphates and sulfates from entering the environment and polluting groundwater, it also assures that you are not wearing clothing and sleeping on bedding that is laden with toxic cleaning agents. Your body spends its entire life with cloth against it, whether it be clothing or bedding, so be mindful of the traces of chemicals in that cloth.
8. Change your A/C filter at least every 2 months, depending on the type of filter you use and your system requirements. Clear air flow through your filters, reduces strain on your unit, and saves energy by allowing better air flow.
9. Wash your laundry in cold water, with the exception of germy items like socks, underwear, etc. Shoot for washing only full loads, to save on electricity.
10. Avoid plastic as much as possible. The chemicals emitted from heated plastic (think microwavable containers, warm TVs, and plastic food containers), called Pthalates, have been linked to dramatic health issues. What's more, plastics are not as easily recycled as glass containers, and cause more pollution in the process. Stick to glass, whenever possible.

There you have it--my top 10 tips for greening up your home. If you're reading this and thinking, "I don't have time to do all this stuff!", just pick one thing from the list. Start there and add slowly. You'll be making a difference that counts.


Meanwhile, watch for more articles in this series on topics like personal care products, lawn and garden, eating healthier, and reducing your landfill contributions. Have you got an idea for other topics? Leave me a comment or drop me an email. I'd love to hear it: CarrieLeaJohnson@gmail.com.

Here's some more help, if you're up for the task:



Related Reading:
Always Room for Improvement

Want to subscribe to The New Kid on the Green Block? It's free and easy:

Subscribe in a reader

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

Follow me at Twitter