Home : Tips For Green Living

Green Fun

Do you think going green means never having fun again? Of course you don't, but we are going to talk about green fun anyway.

So how much trash does having fun create? More than eighty billion cans and bottles get trashed instead of recycled. Each and every year about two million books, three hundred and fifty million magazines, twenty four million newspapers, twelve hundred thousand CDs and fifty million boxes of software are thrown away.

Another issue involved with entertainment is the massive amounts of energy used. One live event can use as much electricity as seven hundred households use in a year.

Water is another resource used in large volumes in the name of entertainment. So when you weigh the cost of all the trash disposal, energy and water use it gets very expensive for all of us to have a good time. Here are a few tips for having green fun.

Books : I love books, I also love libraries, second hand book stores and yard sales. I seldom shop at book stores. I also never throw books away, when I am done with them they get donated to the annual visiting nurses book sale. Book swapping with your friends is another way to get new reading material and keep your books in circulation. About four hundred thousand trees a year are used to make new books so when you are done with them, reuse or recycle.

CDs : It's possible you download your music off the internet and save several dollars over the cost of a new CD. This music can be stored on your computer and downloaded to your music players when you need them. CDs are packaged with plastic and paper, much of which winds up in the landfills. Do music the green way and download.

DVDs : Movies can be rented saving you lots of money over the cost of new ones. Renting DVDs is also contributing to keeping that much more plastic out of the landfills.

Albums : There is a resurgence in vinyl records these days. If you still have any you don't want, find a vinyl club, or a used record store, and either sell them or donate them.

batteries

Batteries : Do you use rechargeable batteries whenever possible? About three billion batteries are sold annually in the U.S.. The biggest problem created by these batteries is not the mass they contribute to the landfills it is the toxic chemicals, including mercury and lead. Many of these batteries are incinerated releasing these chemicals into the air.

Bottled Water : We keep talking about bottled water and for good reason. It is one of the worst uses of plastic in our society. Sixty million water bottles are tossed out each day so this topic is worth repeating. Tap water is better regulated than most bottled water and should be used instead of whenever possible. Try drinking tap water at restaurants instead of the expensive bottles. Use re-usable water containers at home and keep them in the fridge. Plan ahead and take your own water with you on your trips out and about.

Napkins : This one does not get much attention but consider this. The average American uses, and throws away, about 2,200 standard size napkins every year. At restaurants, use just what you need. Don't grab a handful and only use one. At home, try cloth napkins that can be washed and reused. While we are talking about napkins, lets mention straws as well. Try going without, it is pretty easy to get used to. If you use a straw try using the same one for the entire meal. When they come to refill your glass, remove your straw and save it.

magazines on rack

Magazines : You can save money by subscribing to your favorite magazine, if it truly is your favorite and gets used. This is less expensive than the newsstand and can help to reduce the large amount of unsold magazines that are thrown out each month. Another option for magazines you like, but may not read every article, is to find them online. Newspapers are the same way, if you use them subscribe, if not get what you need online. With magazines and newspapers, please recycle, always.

Plates : This one is simple, use wash and reuse and stop using disposable. This goes for plates, spoons, knives, forks, napkins and glasses.

Soda : If you must your best option is a paper cup filled at the fountain. Avoid cans and bottles as fewer of these are recycled and the energy to do so is greater than paper.

Electronics : Dispose of all electronics properly. They are full of lead and other toxins and do not belong in our landfills. Our city recently had a drop off day at a recycling center. If was free for city residence and you could take electronics, appliances, paints and all sorts of other stuff. These items were then dealt with in the proper manor. If your town does not do this, get it started. A lot of what goes to our landfills does not belong there, we need to start recycling and disposing of stuff properly.

TV : Do you unplug yours when not in use? Plugging your electronics into power strips and turning off the strip when not in use is a real energy saver. If America collectively unplugged their TVs when not in use we would save one billion dollars a year in energy costs.