| Going green, also known as eco friendly living, is a | | | | 3. Turn off the water. U.S. households waste |
| growing trend around the world. Now more than | | | | thousands of gallons of water every year. A |
| ever, people are beginning to realize the impact their | | | | significant amount of this water goes down the sink |
| actions and decisions have on the world around us. | | | | while we are brushing our teeth, washing our hair, or |
| Every time we get in a car, ride on a plane, or make | | | | soaping up in the shower. Turning off the water |
| a purchase at the grocery store, we know that | | | | during these activities can save a huge amount of |
| energy is consumed, greenhouse gasses are created, | | | | water, which not only helps the environment, but also |
| and landfills get a little fuller. It's easy to become | | | | saves you money. |
| overwhelmed by the vastness of it all, but relax and | | | | 4. Ride your bicycle. For short trips around town, air |
| take a step back. No one of us has to save the | | | | up the tires and ride your bike. It will save you gas |
| world alone. But what we can do is each take a few | | | | and give you some good exercise. If you don't have |
| small steps every day. Small changes make a big | | | | a bicycle, you can walk, ride rollerblades, or even a |
| difference in the grand scheme of things. With that in | | | | skateboard. |
| mind, we're going to discuss a few easy things that | | | | 5. Install low flush toilets and showerheads. This is |
| you can do at home to make a big difference in the | | | | another way to consume less water in the bathroom. |
| world around you. | | | | Even better yet, if you're getting ready to put in a |
| 1. Recycle. Experts agree that recycling is one of the | | | | new toilet fixture, look into composting toilets. These |
| best and easiest ways to make a difference. If | | | | fixtures are clean and odorless, and will save you a |
| every person on the planet recycled, we could | | | | significant amount of money in water and sewer |
| reduce landfill waste and greenhouse gasses in a very | | | | costs. |
| significant way. Most communities have recycling | | | | While the suggestions above may seem like really |
| programs in place already, making it easy to | | | | small things, don't underestimate the impact these |
| participate. If your city doesn't, inquire with local | | | | changes can make. If every person in the United |
| officials about starting a program. | | | | States made a conscious effort today to turn off |
| 2. Don't throw it away! We have a tendency not to | | | | the water while brushing their teeth or shampooing |
| think about items we throw away. They disappear | | | | their hair, think how many millions of gallons of water |
| from our sight, so they are out of our minds. But all | | | | would be saved! Now multiply that over the course |
| those things that the garbage truck hauls away | | | | of fifty years, and the result is astronomical. So what |
| every week do have to go somewhere, and that | | | | are you waiting for? Now is a great time to jump on |
| place is a landfill. Landfills are a major cause of | | | | the going green bandwagon by recycling, saving |
| greenhouse gasses and ozone depletion. So next | | | | some water, and using less energy. The environment |
| time you get ready to throw something away, ask | | | | will benefit, and in many cases, your pocketbook will, |
| yourself if you could possibly use the item in another | | | | too. |
| way or donate it. | | | | |