The buzz word these days is "green." And while you may want to do
your part to live a more environmentally friendly lifestyle,
advertisers only serve to confuse you. But experts say there are quick,
easy tricks to living a more cost-effective green lifestyle. "Green
living is more important when considering health care costs and the
impact to our planet," says green living expert Amy Todisco, who runs greenlivingnow.com from Vermont. "You have to do your research."
Todisco recommends:
- Switch to nontoxic cleaning products. "Advertising tells us that we need 10 products to clean our homes, but the truth is we need maybe three," she explains. Bon Ami cleanser, which costs less than a dollar at most stores, cleans well and is nontoxic, Todisco says. Or make a mixture of 50 percent distilled white vinegar and 50 percent water to clean your home.
Los Angeles-based Jessica Jensen, co-founder of lowimpactliving.com, offers more tips on how to save green:
- Change to compact fluorescent lighting bulbs. These are major energy savers and will pay for themselves.
- Turn down your hot water heater to medium or 120 degrees.
- Run full loads of laundry or dishes. "It takes the same amount of energy to run a half load as to run a full load," Jensen says.
- Turn the thermostat to 78 degrees in summer and 68 degrees in winter. "Better yet, get programmable thermostats so you are not heating and cooling your home while you are at the office," she says.
- Buy an insulation blanket for your hot water heater. They cost about $25, and it's an easy way to save energy.
- Install low-flow shower heads, which can save 3,000 gallons of water per person per year. Also, install similar attachment to your sinks.
- Get a low-flow toilet, which can save 10 gallons of water per day.
- Freecycle: Reuse or swap unwanted items with others to save from
filling landfills. "Look on Craig's List and eBay when you want to buy
something or get rid of stuff," Jensen says. "It will save you tons of
money and save the environment at the same time."
- Air dry your clothes. It will make your clothes last longer and saves money.
--Beverly James
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