It Is Easy Being Green
It seems like everyone is “Going Green” lately. Wherever you look, there are billboards, magazines
and commercials telling you to jump on the bandwagon and “GO GREEN”, but what does
that really mean?
We all want to have a positive impact on the planet. We want to be less wasteful and conserve energy, but where do we even start? Between classes, assignments, friends and work it's hard to find the time to sit down and examine your life from an environmental perspective. Unfortunately, this is a change that you've probably put off way too long. Making environmentally conscious choices is no longer, well, a choice at all. In 2009, the amount of damage done to Mother Nature is pretty much irreversible. We're on to Plan B now; reducing any further damage from occurring.
Even when we know what we're supposed to do, the fact is we're creatures of habit. It's so easy to toss your empty container into the trash and walk away or drive to the store to save a few minutes. Like any new routine, “Going Green” is going to take some effort at first. Once you get going though, you'll start noticing new ways everyday to save energy and reduce waste. The great thing is that often the Greener choice is a less expensive choice too. Soon you'll find yourself saving money and feeling better about yourself!
So, how do you start? Like any major change, every little bit counts in the beginning. Here is a simple list of changes you can make today to become a GREENER you!
1. Buy new light bulbs: If every home in North America replaced just one light bulb with an energy efficient bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than three million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars. Energy efficient bulbs use about 75 per cent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer.
2. Take the bus: As a Fanshawe student, you've already paid for a bus pass through to the end of August. Why not take advantage of this service? Not only is it way more environmentallyfriendly to take public transportation, but you save money too! Just by leaving your car at home during the week you will save gas money and you won't require a parking pass! Plus, you can usually catch up on some reading or grab a quick power nap on your way to class; two things you cannot do while driving.
3. Switch to reusable cloth shopping bags: It's not news that choosing cloth bags over paper or plastic is a simple way to make a difference. Some of the statistics on the subject are staggering though. Did you know that a plastic bag has a lifespan of over 1,000 years? It's estimated that 500 billion to one trillion plastic bags are used worldwide each year. That works out to over one million per minute. Paper bags are not much better; it takes four times more energy to manufacture a paper bag and it's killing our forests as well.
4. Pack reusable containers: Many students bring their lunch from home as a way to save money, but the way they pack it might not be environmentally friendly. Try packing crackers, veggies and sandwiches in reusable plastic containers and purchase a reusable water bottle as well instead of purchasing bottled water. Additionally, bringing washable cutlery and cloth napkins from home can make a big difference.
5. Cold water wash: This choice may require the least amount of effort, but can have pretty incredible results. The next time you put in a load of laundry, simply push the “cold/cold” button on your washing machine. If you can wash four out of five loads in cold water, you'll cut 72 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions in one month alone. About 90 per cent of the energy your washing machine uses is just for heating the water, which means that only 10 per cent is running the motor.
6. Stop Littering: Yes, this one sounds like something most of us would have learned way back in elementary school, but it's incredible how much trash still ends up on the ground. As the snow melts, a blanket of pop cans, plastic bottles and cigarette butts has been revealed. You should never be throwing anything onto the ground. This of course includes cigarette butts and coffee cups, but applies to spitting out your gum as well. Treat the ground beneath your feet as you would the floor in someone's home. Every inch of space around us is precious and deserves to be treated with respect.
7. Stop wasting paper: As a student it can be incredibly hard to avoid wasting paper. Assignments, PowerPoint notes, schedules and essays all require paper. There are ways that you can reduce the amount of paper you are using. Print notes on both sides or use the back of old assignments and notes as scrap paper at home. Try reading magazines and newspapers online. Reduce the amount of junkmail you receive by visiting www.greeddimes.com . Approximately 100 million trees and 28 billion gallons of water are used to send junk mail to Americans every year. Most importantly, when you are done using (and reusing) paper, be sure to recycle it!
8. Precycle: Environmentalists are urging consumers to not only follow the 3R's: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, but to consider a fourth option; “Precycling”. This is the practice of considering a product's waste, packaging and environmental impact before making a purchase. This can include buying in bulk to reduce packaging, using rechargeable batteries and eliminating unnecessary purchases.
9. Shut off your computer at night: Letting your computer take a rest while you sleep can save you $90 a year on electricity and reduce wear on your system. Also, try to shut off your monitor if you'll be out of the room for more than half an hour and shut down the whole system if you'll be gone for more than two hours.
10. Check your carbon footprint: Throughout our day each of us is contributing to the greenhouse gas emissions that are causing our climate change. Visit this site https://www.earthlab.com/createprofile/reg.aspx to measure your impact. The calculator will estimate how many tons of carbon dioxide and other harmful gases your choices create each year.
Being aware of the changes you need to make is the first step. Starting today, you just need to begin to make better choices; think before you toss something away and pause before you purchase. Everyone can make the changes listed above and you can start today.
There are no more excuses for not doing your part.
We all want to have a positive impact on the planet. We want to be less wasteful and conserve energy, but where do we even start? Between classes, assignments, friends and work it's hard to find the time to sit down and examine your life from an environmental perspective. Unfortunately, this is a change that you've probably put off way too long. Making environmentally conscious choices is no longer, well, a choice at all. In 2009, the amount of damage done to Mother Nature is pretty much irreversible. We're on to Plan B now; reducing any further damage from occurring.
Even when we know what we're supposed to do, the fact is we're creatures of habit. It's so easy to toss your empty container into the trash and walk away or drive to the store to save a few minutes. Like any new routine, “Going Green” is going to take some effort at first. Once you get going though, you'll start noticing new ways everyday to save energy and reduce waste. The great thing is that often the Greener choice is a less expensive choice too. Soon you'll find yourself saving money and feeling better about yourself!
So, how do you start? Like any major change, every little bit counts in the beginning. Here is a simple list of changes you can make today to become a GREENER you!
1. Buy new light bulbs: If every home in North America replaced just one light bulb with an energy efficient bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than three million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars. Energy efficient bulbs use about 75 per cent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer.
2. Take the bus: As a Fanshawe student, you've already paid for a bus pass through to the end of August. Why not take advantage of this service? Not only is it way more environmentallyfriendly to take public transportation, but you save money too! Just by leaving your car at home during the week you will save gas money and you won't require a parking pass! Plus, you can usually catch up on some reading or grab a quick power nap on your way to class; two things you cannot do while driving.
3. Switch to reusable cloth shopping bags: It's not news that choosing cloth bags over paper or plastic is a simple way to make a difference. Some of the statistics on the subject are staggering though. Did you know that a plastic bag has a lifespan of over 1,000 years? It's estimated that 500 billion to one trillion plastic bags are used worldwide each year. That works out to over one million per minute. Paper bags are not much better; it takes four times more energy to manufacture a paper bag and it's killing our forests as well.
4. Pack reusable containers: Many students bring their lunch from home as a way to save money, but the way they pack it might not be environmentally friendly. Try packing crackers, veggies and sandwiches in reusable plastic containers and purchase a reusable water bottle as well instead of purchasing bottled water. Additionally, bringing washable cutlery and cloth napkins from home can make a big difference.
5. Cold water wash: This choice may require the least amount of effort, but can have pretty incredible results. The next time you put in a load of laundry, simply push the “cold/cold” button on your washing machine. If you can wash four out of five loads in cold water, you'll cut 72 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions in one month alone. About 90 per cent of the energy your washing machine uses is just for heating the water, which means that only 10 per cent is running the motor.
6. Stop Littering: Yes, this one sounds like something most of us would have learned way back in elementary school, but it's incredible how much trash still ends up on the ground. As the snow melts, a blanket of pop cans, plastic bottles and cigarette butts has been revealed. You should never be throwing anything onto the ground. This of course includes cigarette butts and coffee cups, but applies to spitting out your gum as well. Treat the ground beneath your feet as you would the floor in someone's home. Every inch of space around us is precious and deserves to be treated with respect.
7. Stop wasting paper: As a student it can be incredibly hard to avoid wasting paper. Assignments, PowerPoint notes, schedules and essays all require paper. There are ways that you can reduce the amount of paper you are using. Print notes on both sides or use the back of old assignments and notes as scrap paper at home. Try reading magazines and newspapers online. Reduce the amount of junkmail you receive by visiting www.greeddimes.com . Approximately 100 million trees and 28 billion gallons of water are used to send junk mail to Americans every year. Most importantly, when you are done using (and reusing) paper, be sure to recycle it!
8. Precycle: Environmentalists are urging consumers to not only follow the 3R's: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, but to consider a fourth option; “Precycling”. This is the practice of considering a product's waste, packaging and environmental impact before making a purchase. This can include buying in bulk to reduce packaging, using rechargeable batteries and eliminating unnecessary purchases.
9. Shut off your computer at night: Letting your computer take a rest while you sleep can save you $90 a year on electricity and reduce wear on your system. Also, try to shut off your monitor if you'll be out of the room for more than half an hour and shut down the whole system if you'll be gone for more than two hours.
10. Check your carbon footprint: Throughout our day each of us is contributing to the greenhouse gas emissions that are causing our climate change. Visit this site https://www.earthlab.com/createprofile/reg.aspx to measure your impact. The calculator will estimate how many tons of carbon dioxide and other harmful gases your choices create each year.
Being aware of the changes you need to make is the first step. Starting today, you just need to begin to make better choices; think before you toss something away and pause before you purchase. Everyone can make the changes listed above and you can start today.
There are no more excuses for not doing your part.
