The home is a place over which we have a great deal of control. It is also a font of pollution and energy usage. We affect the environment by the way we eat, our methods of heating and cooling, the way we handle lighting and ventilation and water, what we grow, how we handle our garbage and trash, and by the chemicals we use. The following are just a few of the ideas we have on our website that can help to reshape your small patch of the globe.
3 Use reusable Aluminum or steel water bottles instead of plastic water bottles
16 Opt out of junk mail sources Read More
32 Use dehumidifier water for plants Read More
64 Buy a personal waste furnace to recycle plastics etc back to oil Debate!
66 Use rags instead of paper towels Read More
126 Borrow or rent items you rarely need
133 Turn useless junk into creative works of art Read More
174 Read online newspapers Read More
177 Get in habit of turning off lights whenever leaving a room
185 Cancel your bank statements and get online Read More
187 Pay bills online Read More
217 Use foams & aerosols based on compressed air rather than other propellants Read More
258 Run cold water instead of hot whenever you can
284 Open drapes to let in the sun/Close to when sun is gone
297 Unplug that plug-in air freshener Read More
305 Raise the humidity in the winter Read More
308 Get rid of plastic hampers and use cloth or wood
330 Don’t use plastic handles on cabinets
390 Use rubber or metal buckets instead of plastic
391 Bookmark your city's recycling site on your computer and phone
448 Use an extra blanket at night and turn down the heat 2 degrees more
453 If you can’t do the green work make a punch list for a insured, certified handyman
481 Have an occasional family meeting to discuss ways you can save energy at home
483 Have rewards for family members come up with great energy saving ideas
484 Keep track of your utility bills to see how much energy you can save at home
499 Use recycled paper towels and tissue
500 Avoid plastic bags like the plague Read More
505 Get your magazines on line Read More
507 Use empty pill bottles creatively to store pins, buttons, nails, etc
613 On hot days in the summer, close the drapes and blinds on the windows
654 Reuse items like envelopes, folders and paper clips
655 print documents with soy-based inks that are less toxic Read More
656 Recycle printer cartridges Read More
668 Reuse packaging cartons and shipping materials
669 Use old newspaper for packing material
679 De-clog your drains naturally Read More
686 Share more with neighbors: tools, ladders, lawn mowers, snow plows etc
700 Find and use local recycling facilities
702 Move in with your partner so you light and heat one home rather than two
705 Donate your leftover paint to a community project
706 Drink tap or filtered water, not bottled or canned water Read More
710 Drapes and curtains keep in more heat than blinds
711 Cut up the plastic rings from six packs or don't buy them Read More
721 Rent things instead of buying them
722 Make your own cleaning supplies Read More
725 Break down cardboard boxes and reuse
726 Use biodegradable trash bags Read More
825 Buy an Eco-friendly mattress Read More
833 Use local library app for digital book loans
841 Email invitations and thank you notes
741 Reupholster instead of buying new furniture
746 Before throwing away old furniture, think about ways to recycle it locally
798 Use pasta, jam and olive jars for odds and ends throughout your home
901 Avoid furniture with particle board in it Read More
942 Adopt a minimalist approach to living Read More
953 Use spider plants and others to enhance air quality Read More
956 Opt out of credit card offers that come in the mail Read More
997 Be familiar with recycling symbols on materials and what they mean Read More
1015 Use biodegradable gift cards Read More
1036 Drink it the European way - un-refrigerated Read More
1039 Use glass vases for flowers
1040 Use wood coasters
1041 Decorate with wall planter art Read More
1043 Buy ceramic or clay decorative vases
1044 Don't use plastic flowers and plants in your house
1045 Buy wood picture frames
1047 Don't buy plastic place mats
1048 Buy metal tools with as little plastic as possible
1078 e commerce packaging a big problem Read More
1082 Take an inventory of all your plastic bottles and make plans to use them
1085 Never dump anything down a storm drain Read More
1094 Know how your local resources get to you - water, electricity, fuel and food Read More
1109 Use mouse traps instead of poisons
1112 Have a metal scrap bin for all discarded metals
1114 Shred newspaper for packing material Read More
1115 Use your local library for magazines
1129 Reduce light waste at night Read More
1132 Buy and use a cargo bike Read More
1140 Reuse those coffee cup sleeves
1151 use cloth wipes instead of toilet paper Read More
1152 Don't print out your on line receipts - save as PDFs Read More
1180 Take the tape off cardboard boxes before recycling Read More
1181 Don't throw paper or plastic that is smaller than 3 inches into recycling bin Read More
1182 Flatten boxes before recycling to help recycling system process
1183 Don't throw shredded paper into recycling system Read More
1186 Don't recycle bottle cap DEBATE Read More
1187 Don't get green washed Read More
1212 DIY Make your own glue Read More
1213 Use good ol' wood cots for camping
1214 Buy cotton tents
1215 Use stainless steel water container for camping
1241 Keep the sound down Read More
1242 Oil your tools to preserve them longer
1248 Conserve water even in water rich areas Read More