Guest Post: Shane Shirley-Smith from Environmental Booty

I don’t know about you, but life seems to move very fast these days.  I seem to never have enough time in my day to finish all the things that I would like to. Trying to fit in a green lifestyle, though, doesn’t have to  be time consuming.  Here are 5 ways to start greening your life today…with very little effort.

1. Never leave a room with the light on - I have heard the argument that the power company will keep making as much power even if you turn off your lights, computer and electronics when not in use.  But it will save on your power bill and eventually, if we all reduce our electrical use, the power companies will be forced to produce less energy…or they will be forced out of business.
2. Stop using plastic water bottles - each time you drink from a plastic water bottle, you are contributing to the 1.5 Million barrels of oil it takes to make bottled water in the U.S. each year (enough energy to power 250,000 homes).  Four out of 5 water bottles do not make it into our recycling bins and, instead end up in our rivers, streams, lakes, oceans and landfills.  Plus, every time you drink from a plastic water bottle, your BPA levels go up 70%.  The jury is still out in the US but BPA’s have been linked to cancer in animals.  A recent study showed a correlation between moms who had high levels of BPA in the first trimester of pregnancy to having 2 year old girls who are hyperactive.
3. Turn off the water when you are brushing your teeth - Just doing this will save about three gallons of water.  Think water is an endless resource?  It’s not.  Just ask people who live in California.  Republican Senator Dave Cogdill says the Delta, and California, can’t go on like this.“We have a system that was built for 18 million people,” Cogdill said. “There are now 38 million of us, and as a result of some pretty extraordinary technology and conservation efforts, we’ve been able to get by. But we all know that we’re all living on borrowed time.” Our future water supply is dependent upon our conservation efforts of today.
4. Bring your own bags (reuse plastic, paper or use cloth)  for groceries and take-out - In 2005 the EPA estimated that only 5% of our plastic bags get recycled.  Check out reuseablebags for a second by second update on how many plastic bags have been used in the US this year and your jaw will drop. Where do they end up?  In our landfills and no one knows how long it will take for them to biodegrade.  We do not have unlimted places and spaces for our trash.  We need to think past today and into tomorrow to insure our future generations’ sustainability.
5. Become aware – begin to think about the choices you make every day and how they are affecting your health and the health of our environment.  Just open your mind to a new way of thinking. read what you can and talk to your friends.  Join communities of like minded people like EnvironmentalBooty.com to gain more information and understanding of the issues we face for our health and sustainability.

Remember, it’s not about feeling guilty for what you aren’t doing or what you don’t know yet.  It’s about waking up to a new way of thinking, sharing those ideas and patting yourself on the back for every little step you take on the path to a greener, healthier, more sustainable lifestyle.

Come join our community if you treasure self, people, and the planet!

Photo Credits: Brooklyn Skeptic & Polar Ice Capz

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Posted on November 6th in Going Solar by Taylen.