The opportunities to be more responsible and promote a healthier and more vibrant Earth has far surpassed common household recycling. Today, if one makes an earnest effort to seek out environmentally friendly alternatives, there are many products and services available on the market that are Earth friendly. This is true in all areas of consumption and daily living, not just in the more well known areas that focus on green cleaning products, organic foods, more efficient appliances, and fuel conservation.
Here are fourteen ways you can go green that you may not have thought of:
1) You can find casual shoes made from hemp or organic cotton that are biodegradable. You can also find shoes made out of recycled cork, plastic or rubber.
2) There are many eco-friendly clothing lines available with fashionable garments made from hemp, organic bamboo, soy, linen, cotton and wool.
3) You can get fashionable eyeglass including reading glasses, sunglasses and optical glasses made from bamboo, as well as recycled metal, plastic and glass.
4) Cosmetics made from mineral and plant based materials are a great choice for a natural look of beauty.
5) You can outfit your kitchen with cutting boards, utensils, plates, and bowls made from biodegradable bamboo.
6) Instead of purchasing candles that have synthetic fragrances, choose soy candles that are naturally scented.
7) Place a plain old brick in your toilet tank to reduce the amount of water used in flushing.
Look for home furniture that is made from certified sustainable wood products.
9) Seek out lines of jewelry that only use supply chains from responsible suppliers who utilize mining and product development methods that support a healthy environment.
10) When purchasing flowers for that special occasion, buy locally from an organic supplier so that the flowers need not travel great distances and are not treated with dyes, fungicides and pesticides.
11) If you need to call in an exterminator to expel infestations of insects or rodents, find an environmentally friendly pest extermination company who will use such things as natural organic products, vacuums, and sealing methods instead of harsh and abrasive chemicals.
12) When mowing your lawn, allow the grass clippings to remain where they fall on your yard, which will naturally nourish your lawn with nitrogen, help with soil fertility and water retention which reduces the need for fertilizer and watering.
13) Believe it or not, for home improvement projects, you can even find sources of natural interior paints such as clay paint, lime wash and milk based paint.
14) Shop online. A green study by Carnegie Mellon University’s Green Design Institute found that shopping online reduces carbon dioxides emissions by as much as 35% compared to shopping the traditional way.
Certainly, a commitment to living green is required because using these methods requires more shopping time as well as a strong will to learn new ways of doing daily living activities.
