Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Live Better, Live Smarter

By Simon M Skinner

You hear a lot these days about how important it is to live a greener life? that you should lighten your carbon footprint on the earth. Sometimes it seems like we're getting lectured everywhere we turn.

Most foods are grown using pesticides; there are natural ways to get rid of these pests without polluting the earth. Commercial meet producers use growth hormones and antibiotics to grow the animals bigger and faster to gain more profits. You can buy organically grown foods or grow your own if you live where this is possible. You will be able to eat fresh food and meat daily, full of nutrients, and free from chemicals and the bad effects they can cause. This will greatly improve your health and also help the environment.

Driving can be very stressful and contributes to emissions which are said to aid in the destruction of the ozone. If you drive less you save money and risk being in an accident that could disable you or even end your life. Riding with someone else when possible will save money and pollution as there is one car on the road instead of two. This will also help keep traffic down. Walking or riding a bike is good exercise and ideal for shorter trips, it is also great for the environment.

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.

Other things you can do will just make your home more comfortable. Larger windows can help let in more natural light so you don't need to turn your lights on early. Using compact fluorescent bulbs can save you money and will save energy. Use energy-efficient appliances and don't leave your air conditioner on when you're not at home. You'll be amazed at how much this impacts your energy usage.

Another place to go green and save money is with batteries. Today's rechargeable batteries last a long time, recharge easily, and save you money. When they finally do run out of their charging ability, rechargeable batteries are recyclable. Just drop them off at your local hardware store for recycling along with any broken fluorescent bulbs.

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. - 15266

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