10 Ways To Go Green

Climate change is eminent; resources are diminishing and the need to become sustainable is pressing.

Below are 10 ways you can lighten your impact on the Earth, while often saving money at the same time. Our grandchildren-and their children will thank us for making minor adjustments to our lifestyles, so why wait?

  1. Save energy
    • Be conscious of how much energy you use.
    • Adjust the temperature in your home a few degrees lower in the winter and a few degrees higher in the summer. This will save energy while saving you money on your heating and cooling costs.
    • Only heat one room at a time.
    • Close the damper on your fireplace when you do not have a fire burning.
    • Use compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs).
    • Turn lights out when not in use.
    • Unplug appliances (especially cell phone chargers) when not in use. Alternatively, invest in a "smart" power strip that senses when appliances are off and cuts phantom energy use.
    • Turn your computer off at night (and over the weekend at work).
    • Wash clothes in cold water (heating water to wash clothes accounts for up to 85 percent of the energy required).
    • Use cold water over hot whenever possible.
    • Hang dry your laundry. At the very least use dryer balls to cut drying time.
    • Use energy saving settings on appliances when available.
    • Install double or triple paned windows to conserve indoor temperatures.
    • Consider alternative renewable energy sources.
    • Install appliances with high energy star ratings energystar.gov/
  2. Save water
    • Abstain from washing your car too often and hosing down outdoor areas.
    • Do not leave the tap running while washing the dishes or brushing your teeth.
    • Wash dishes in the dishwasher, if you have one, and fill loads completely before running it.
    • Take shorter showers.
    • Install low-flow showerheads. They don't cost much, and the water and energy savings can quickly pay back your investment.
    • Install water saver flush kits or water-saving toilets.
    • Install faucet aerators on your faucets. These inexpensive appliances conserve heat and water, while keeping water pressure high.
    • Plant drought-tolerant native plants in your garden. These will require minimal watering.
    • Fix leaky faucets.

    For some great ideas on how to make your home more sustainable visit oee.nrcan.gc.ca/

  3. Eat smart
    • Eat less meat. Eating vegetable matter is more resource efficient than eating meat (the amount of land used to feed an animal could be used alternatively to grow food to feed many more people than the animal would feed).
    • Eat locally grown food to reduce the carbon footprint of your food associated with transport and to keep money in the local economy.
    • Eat organically to reduce environmental contamination caused by pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers.
    • Be conscious of where your seafood was caught and if it was caught in a sustainable manner. Visit vanaqua.org for more information about sustainable seafood and the Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wise program.
  4. Think before you buy
    • Think about where things come from and how they got here. It takes a lot of energy and resources to manufacture products and transport them.
    • Reduce whenever possible. Less bought means less energy and resources consumed and less waste produced.
    • Buy second hand products.
    • Buy things made locally.
    • Borrow instead of buying.
    • Borrow from libraries instead of buying books and movies.
    • Buy in bulk. Purchasing food from bulk bins can save money and packaging.
    • Buy clothes that don't need to be dry-cleaned to cut down on toxic chemical use.
    • Invest in high-quality, long-lasting products. You might pay more now, but you'll be happy when you don't have to replace items as frequently (and this means less waste!).
    • Skip the bottled water, use a water filter and a re-usable water bottle.
    • When buying wood products, choose products that are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified. fsccanada.org
    • Eat-in instead of take-out or bring your own re-usable containers.
    • Buy things with reduced packaging or if unavoidable, in recyclable packaging
    • Check out storyofstuff.com to learn about where stuff comes from and where it goes.
  5. Reduce your consumption of resources

    All objects are derived from resources. The more resources we use, the slower they regenerate and the less there are left for future generations. Everything from using a plastic bag in the produce section to wrapping leftover dinner can be a needless use of materials that ultimately tax our earth. Try and find alternatives, like putting a plate on top of your bowl in the fridge instead of plastic or foil wrap, or get really wild and go bagless at the store!

  6. Re-Use

    Find unique ways to re-use disposable items and packaging. There are literally millions of ways to re-use in ways we would never imagine. Simply google “unique ways to re-use things”. The endless ideas await you!

  7. Reduce your pollution - Re-evaluate your cleaning supplies
    • You can make very effective, non-toxic cleaning and skincare products whenever you need them. All you need are a few simple ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, lemon, salt and soap.
    • Keep contaminants out of our water system by diluting cleaning products. It is surprising how little product is actually required to achieve the same result.
    • Purchase biodegradable cleaners when possible and choose less toxic alternatives lesstoxicguide.ca
  8. Reduce your pollution - Keep electronics out of the trash

    E-waste contains mercury and other toxics and is a growing environmental problem.

    • Keep your cell phones, computers, and other electronics as long as possible.
    • Donate or recycle electronics responsibly.
    • Recycle batteries.
    • Recycle compact fluorescent bulbs at participating local retailers as they contain mercury.
    • More information about electronics recycling programs and hazardous waste collection can be found (link to our other page – “other recycling programs”)
  9. Reduce your pollution - Use less gas
    • Walk or bike to work - reduce carbon emissions while improving your health.
    • Live closer to work.
    • Encourage the local government to invest more in sidewalks, bike lanes and transit/carpool lanes.
    • Carpool or take the bus.
    • Do not idle your car idlefreebc.ca
    • If you drive a diesel, look into using biodiesel, one of the cleanest burning fuels, to reduce carbon emissions and support a renewable fuel source. Visit vancouverbiodiesel.org for more information about biodiesel.
    • When driving: accelerate gradually, use cruise control on the highway, obey the speed limit, combine your errands into one trip,
    • Keep your car tuned, don't top off at the gas pump, replace your car's air filter and keep your tires properly inflated.
    • When shopping for your next car, look for the most efficient, lowest pollution model.
    • Consider local vacations. Air travel is a major contributor to carbon emissions.
    • Go Carbon Neutral; offset your carbon footprint by purchasing carbon credits. Visit davidsuzuki.org for more details.
  10. Reduce your pollution - Garden organically
    • Refrain from using fertilizers in your garden, natural alternatives such as compost work just as well and have less of an impact on surrounding environments.
    • Refrain from using pesticides in your garden. These are liable to cause superbugs (artificially selecting for resistant individuals can lead to entire populations that are resistant) and are known for contaminating surrounding groundwater and soil.