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Live Green at Heart

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Fashion & Beauty

  • Throw a clothes swap party! Dying for that sweater your friend wore the other day? Well, maybe she'll trade for that old t-shirt you have. Here's a website that helps you organize a swap party (www.swapstyle.com), or just plan your own!
  • Old is the new new. Go vintage shopping! Vintage clothes shopping is back in style. Go to your local vintage clothes shop or Salvation Army and raid the racks. You might find some gems and more than that, you'll help your wardrobe to be more sustainable.
  • Go natural with organic make-up. Applying unnatural products directly on your skin wasn't exactly what nature intended. Try switching to a line of organic make-up and cosmetics for a different way to bring out your natural beauty.
  • Switch to cruelty-free products. It's no secret that many of the products we use have been tested on animals. Consider switching to cruelty-free products. You can find a list of them here: http://search.caringconsumer.com/search.aspx
  • Indulge organically. Hard week at work? Need some pampering? Try out these do-it-yourself recipes for organic spa treatments.


Food

  • Prioritize your organic grocery list. Organic food can be expensive. To save a few pennies while eating more healthily, try prioritizing your shopping list by going organic with foods mostly likely to be treated with heavy pesticides, like lettuce, tomatoes and strawberries.
    www.foodnews.org
  • Support regional farmers. Most produce in the U.S. travels at least 1500 miles to get to your supermarket. When you buy from a local farmer or producer, you help cut the environmental cost of transportation and invest in your community at the same time.
  • Grow an herb garden. Sometimes the only way to know what's really in your food is to grow it yourself. In addition to planting tomato and cucumber in your backyard, try creating an herb garden in your kitchen. Basil, rosemary, and mint make for great indoor plants.
  • Drink beer from the draught. You can help cut down on waste at your local watering hole by drinking draught beer instead of bottled.
  • BYOB – Bring Your Own Bag. If you're like most people, you probably have a collection of plastic grocery bags somewhere in your kitchen. Cut down on your clutter by bringing a reusable canvas bag on your next shopping trip.


Home

  • Drop a brick in your toilet tank! Literally! According to the EPA, flushing makes up 30 percent of a household's water use (about three to six gallons per flush). By placing a brick in your toilet tank, you can help to conserve the amount of water used during each flush.
  • Turn down your heat, lower your gas bill. This is a no-brainer. Turning down your heat in the winter just two degrees saves you money and energy – you can cut your energy bill by about 10 percent.
  • Unplug your gadgets. Just because your TV isn't on doesn't mean it isn't sapping energy. Americans waste over $1 billion a year powering electronics and appliances that have been switched "off." Try plugging multiple devices into one power strip so you can cut the power to all of them at once.
  • Wash clothes efficiently. 90 percent of the energy used in washing clothes is to heat the water. You can reduce your energy bill by washing in cold water and hanging items to dry.
  • Switch to energy saving light bulbs. These are all the rage right now. And no wonder! Using compact fluorescent light bulbs is an easy way to save money on your energy bill. CFLs use about one-fifth as much energy as regular bulbs, and last about 12 times longer.

Work

  • Make your coffee break greener. There are many ways to make your coffee break eco-friendly. For example, putting sugar in your cup before you pour your coffee will eliminate the need for a stirrer. Also, use a ceramic mug instead of a Styrofoam or paper cup.
  • Print smarter. Printing and copying can be one of the most costly operations in any office. To save on ink and paper costs, print double-sided and try to fit more than one page on a sheet. More printing tips can be found here: lifehacker.com
  • Turn off your computer. Do you leave your computer on overnight? If so, you're using up a good amount of electricity. When you can, try turning off your computer and the power strip it's connected to. If you can't, at least shut off your monitor. Remember, screen savers don't save energy.
  • Recycle at the workplace. It seems easy enough, but if your office doesn't do it already, suggest putting recycling bins in your kitchen and copy rooms. You'll feel less guilty about throwing away all that paper.
  • Use eco-friendly utensils. Replace those plastic knives and forks in the break room with silverware or biodegradable utensils. If you have the space, try to get everyone in the office to bring their own mugs and plates from home.

Transportation

  • Organize a carpool. There are many benefits to carpooling. You save on gas, reduce wear and tear on your car, and you get to ride in the HOV lanes. Get connected with your neighbors and co-workers to start sharing rides and check out this website for more tips: www.erideshare.com.
  • Take public transportation. With gas prices as high as they are, public transportation has never been more popular. Hop on your local bus or rail system to save yourself gas and the hassle of sitting in traffic.
  • Properly inflate tires. Having the right amount of air in your tires not only keeps you safe, it helps improve your gas mileage by about four percent.
  • Let your car breathe, check your air filters. A clean air filter can improve your gas mileage by about 10 percent. Get it checked while getting your oil changed.
  • Lose the car, get a bike. If you live close to where you work, try taking a bike instead of driving. You'll keep in shape and save on gas!

Did you know?

Only 1% of China's 560 million city residents breathe air that is considered safe by the European Union.

How to...

Learn some new tricks to help you live a greener life.