Simple Steps...
Reuse and Repair Old Furniture
Before buying new, think about purchasing used. Check out local antique shops for unique furniture- something no one else has. You will be amazed at the compliments you receive from others on your individual style.
Buy and Bring Reusable Containers
You can prevent a lot of trash by taking these easy steps: Take a reusable mug along for your delicious Peace Coffee or Tea. Bring canvas bags to the market for your groceries, and pack your lunch with reusable containers. Use your Klean Kanteen to carry your water, rather than continually buying those nasty plastic bottles.
Reduce the amount of paper you need to recycle and de-clutter your life by reducing the amount of junk mail that enters your home. For more information on:
Stop Unwanted Mail
How to stop junk mail: Green Dimes
Eliminate credit card offers: www.optoutprescreen.com
A national movement to reuse unwanted items: www.freecycle.com
Bring Home the Goods, Not the Packaging
Buy in bulk when possible, and purchase products with the least amount of packaging possible.
Composting Food and Yard Waste
Yard waste and food scraps also add to what each household throws away. Composting allows you to convert that waste and use it as an enriching soil additive.
Those Darn Light Bulbs
Replacing old light bulbs with compact fluorescent ones could trim up to 5% on your monthly electricity bill. Traditional bulbs can be thrown away in your regular trash, but compact fluorescents cannot. Contact your local hardware or home improvement store, there is a good chance they accept compact fluorescents for recycling.
Recycle TV’s, Monitors and Other Electronics
Keep mercury and lead out of our environment (and protect our health) by recycling your old TV’s and monitors. Replace bulky computer monitors with a flat LCD monitor. LCD monitors use about one third the electricity of conventional tube monitors- the equivalent of leaving a 50-watt light bulb on all year. Save our natural resources and keep electronics out of our trash.
Don’t Burn Your Trash Green power is electricity generated from renewable, high-efficiency, or low-pollution energy, such as wind or solar energy. Your purchase of green power will replace electricity that would otherwise come primarily from burning coal- one of the dirtiest fuels for producing electricity. Buying green power helps our health, our environment and economy in the following ways:
Burning your trash in a burn barrel or fire pit releases poisonous toxins that pollute our air, water and soil, ultimately ending up in the food we eat. Get rid of your trash the safe way- through your local trash hauler or at local drop off site.
Paint with a Purpose
Choose a paint low in volatile compounds- VOC's. Inhaling VOC's can cause health problems as well as harm our environment.
Green Power
Helps prevent acid rain by reducing sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions.
Reduce mercury emissions from power plants, which significantly contribute to fish consumption warnings.
Helps keep our air clean by reducing small particulates and several other unhealthy emissions.
Significantly reduces carbon dioxide, the primary contributor to global warming.
Improves the economy, especially in rural areas where farmers can lease their land for wind development.
Creates additional demand for clean, renewable energy above and beyond any legislative requirement that utilities must meet.
How Does It Work?
Buy small amounts of green power for a small charge per month, or buy as much as 100% of electricity usage. Every dollar spent by green power customers goes directly toward the purchase of new green power. Green power does not go directly to your house, because utilities cannot direct specific electricity to a specific place. However, when you purchase green power, the total amount of green electricity that travels over the entire system is increased.
Source: Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance
Look for recycled content products when shopping to help save valuable resources, conserve energy and reduce pollution