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Going Green, Be Smarter

One of the benefits of living green is it can extend your lifespan. This may be surprising, but it is very true. There are many things that not only help the earth, but they help you, too! Eating fresh organic foods, cutting down on driving, and many other things will help you live greener, longer!

Happily, there are some simple steps you can take towards living a greener life. In most cities, there is curbside recycling; so all you need to do is to separate your recyclables and place them out on the curb along with your trash for pickup – the pickup service takes care of the rest, all you have to do is separate your recyclables and take them to the curb.

Try to drive less. By combining your errands, you not only save fuel and reduce the traffic on the roads; you are giving yourself less stress from dealing with traffic jams and other drivers. Carpool or use public transit when you can. If you choose to ride a bike or walk for some of your errands, you also get needed exercise. This will help keep your heart healthy and keep you limber and toned.

Composting your food scraps can save you money in garbage waste and provide you with great soil next season for your own garden. It also keeps a lot of good stuff out of the landfills. Just keep adding your fruit and vegetable wastes, egg shells, coffee grounds, and grains to the compost pile. You can add your raked leaves and lawn clippings as well. Don’t add meat or bones… they will attract insects like flies and will take longer to compost. Water the compost down once in awhile to get the enzymes activated. Come spring, you’ll have some nice compost soil to add to your own vegetable garden for more healthy eating.

Out in the yard, solar lights can save energy and help illuminate dark areas. There are enough different designs on the market now at varying prices to make them affordable to most people. They don’t require an electrician to install them, and with the new solar technologies, they are brighter than solar lights used to be. They even have solar powered holiday lights you can use to decorate your yard without using cords and increasing your electric bill.

Another great way to save money while doing something to live greener is to use rechargeable batteries – these have greatly improved in recent years and are long lasting, easy too use and of course save money as well. When the batteries are finally used up and cannot take another charge, they may be recycled at almost any hardware store.

As you can see, it is easy to begin going green. It is not only good for the environment, it is better for you and it will save you money. Living green will soon become a habit, and before you know it, you’ll be looking for more ways to be even greener. So don’t be afraid to take that first step. It’s easier than you think.

Tags: eco friendly, environment, exercise and health, green, Health, home improvement, home sweet home, lifestyle, money, personal, reference