green made easy

Helpful and easy green tips for our dedicated and busy readers.

When I became a part of the Sustainable Sandhills family I thought, “I need to set an example for my friends and family when it comes to sustainable practices.”  There are opportunities around every corner to be friendlier to Mother Earth.  So, I thought it would be helpful to provide some easy, everyday green tips for our dedicated and busy readers to use as well.

• Use a toaster oven for small jobs.  It will use a third to half as much energy as a full-size oven.

• Buy in bulk whenever possible.  This will reduce packaging waste from buying in smaller quantities.

• Adjust sprinkler heads and water flow to avoid watering hard surfaces or structures, or water by hand to eliminate wasteful water use.

• Return old eye glasses to your local vision center to be donated to those less fortunate.

• Buy rechargeable batteries and a battery charger.  Most rechargeable batteries can be recharged up to 1,000 times!

• Buy a paper shredder and use it to shred non-recyclable paper, which can be used as packaging material.

• Keep your vehicle tuned up.  A well-tuned engine will conserve gas and reduce the toxic emissions produced by your engine.

• If you have more than one car, always drive the most fuel-efficient car when it is available to you.

• If your home will be vacant while you’re traveling, turn the thermostat down in the winter and up in the summer to a temperature only necessary to protect household plants or pets left behind.

• Report tap leaks and faulty toilets in public places to management so they can be fixed.

I hope you will find these tips helpful and easy enough to incorporate into your everyday life.  Be on the lookout for more tips in our next newsletter!