Preserving the environment doesn't mean sacrificing your everyday comforts-in fact, in some cases, it means living the life of leisure! Simplify, fancify, and greenify your life all at the same time by following these five easy tips.
Get Your Produce Delivered
You don't need to peruse the fruit aisles of grocery stores, trying to determine which veggies are organic, local, and sustainable like a mere commoner! Instead join Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), a service that delivers seasonal food directly to your door. Buying locally helps support farmers and reduces emissions from planes and trucks used to transport produce. Getting your food direct from the farm also means it's fresher. Some services even allow you to pick and choose so you won't get stuck with five bunches of collard greens. Visit http://www.localharvest.org/csa/ to find a CSA in your area.
Let a Car Wash Do the Cleaning
Why spend your hard-earned Saturday scrubbing the scum off your hubcaps? You can pride yourself in helping reduce the pollution of rivers, lakes, and streams by simply riding through an automatic car wash. Commercial carwash facilities are required to drain their wastewater into sewer systems, and typically use fifty percent less water (and a lot less muscle) than you would at home. While you're there, visit the air pump-underinflated tires reduce your fuel efficiency.
Bring Elegance to Any Meal
Paper napkins are so fast food. Even if you are a takeout junkie, one of the quickest ways to elevate a midweek meal is by using cloth napkins-and it saves money and trees! Have each family member pick out a napkin ring and use the same napkin for a week before tossing it in the wash. While you're at it, hide the paper towels and buy a stack of washcloths-they work better and reduce clutter in your kitchen.
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Use the Computer
If you relax with your laptop (like now?) you're not alone-most people spend 4 to 6 hours in front of a computer a day. So while you're checking out the latest YouTube clip, take care of your bills by going paperless and signing up for online statements. No lost checks means no late payment fees, and setting up auto-pay reduces your headache even more. You'll earn a gold star for being on that laptop after all as it uses 75% less power than a desktop computer.
Cool it on the Laundry
Eco-fashion has come a long way from the burlap sack, but chances are your wardrobe hasn't fully migrated to the green side. In the meantime, check that hamper reflex to get your wardrobe going on the right foot(print). Most jeans, for example, can be worn four or five times before they need a wash. And when it's laundry day, opting for cold water not only brings down your electric bill, but also lengthens the life of your garments. For items a bit more soiled, use warm, which still prevents 500 pounds of CO 2 from entering the environment per year. If you line-dry your clothes, it saves them from even further wear-and means you have less wrinkles to iron out.
Originally posted by Roxanna Font on DivineCaroline
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Ready-to-Waste: The Ugly Side of Fast Fashion
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