Go Green, Save Green - Big Y® World Class Market®

10 Easy Tips to Living a More Environmentally-Friendly Life

You know organic farming, with its lack of chemicals and Earth-friendly methods, is good for the environment — but since you don’t have an organic farm in your backyard, what can you do in your own home to “go green”? Are there steps you can take in your everyday life that will make your day-to-day living more environmentally friendly and help preserve our planet for generations to come? There sure are. Just follow our quick, simple strategies to help make your home a “green” oasis.

1. Get in touch with nature.
How? Try composting the 23 percent of your household garbage that is made up of food scraps. As long as you have a backyard, even a small one, you can compost discreetly and economically to produce your own soil full of nutrients. Imagine the money you’ll save by not spending a lot on mulch and topsoil at the gardening center come planting season! Just pick up a compost bin at your local hardware store. Now take all those egg shells, coffee grinds and what’s left of the good-for-you organic products from Big Y, and toss them together with fruit and vegetable peels, even grass clippings. Before you know it, you’ll have fresh soil for your flower pots on the porch, the beds in your front yard, even your window herb garden. Just remember to keep the compost moist and churn it with a stick or rake every time you add to it.

2. Grow a garden with newspaper.
Newspaper can be an effective weed deterrent; in fact, it works just as well as those sheets of black, plastic weed control that you probably have in your flower beds right now. The next time you plant a flower bed, lay down the Sunday paper, draw out a plan and cut holes in it. Now pop a plant in the center of each hole. Then cover with fresh soil — maybe soil you’ve composted yourself (see tip #1). Voila: new flowers, no weeds, good environment.

3. Recycle.
It’s amazing to consider that a full 25 percent of us still don’t recycle, even though it’s one of the simplest steps you can take to help preserve the environment. Most communities offer regular recycling programs along with their waste removal — if yours does, take advantage of it! If your neighborhood doesn’t offer curb-side pickup of recyclables, contact your local waste management company to locate a drop-off place nearby. When shopping, look for labels indicating the product was made from recyclable materials. Reuse those paper grocery bags by filling them with newspapers to be recycled and use plastic ones to clean up after Fido or dispose of trash. Use and reuse cloth bags (available at Big Y) for your grocery shopping.

4. Drink smart.
For all those after-school drinks and after-school sports, why not make a one-time investment in a thermos or reusable water bottle, and then refill it with beverages from your local Big Y? One 64-ounce container will fill a whole lot of small portable ones.

5. It’s as easy as changing a lightbulb!
Compact fluorescent lightbulbs use a third of the power and last 10 times as long as incandescent bulbs. Worried about the harsh look of fluorescent light? Fortunately, that’s a thing of the past. Today’s fluorescent bulbs have come a long way. CFLs now come in a wide array of models that produce a warm glow and can even be attached to dimmer switches.

6. Become energy conscious.
Approximately 40 percent of the total energy used to run home electronics is consumed when the appliances aren’t even turned on. Energy courses through the cords of plugged-in, but unused, cell phone chargers, curling irons, coffee makers, computers and other electric items. Unplug items when not in use and put both your computer and monitor in sleep mode. You can also buy products that have the Energy Star label. This label represents a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy. Products with this label can help you save money and preserve the Earth by using less water or electricity through energy-efficient products and practices.

7. TLC for the fridge.
The household refrigerator is one of your home’s biggest user of energy. Make it as energy-efficient as possible by not filling it to capacity and allowing the cold air to circulate around the food. For maximum energy savings, set the fridge thermostat at 37°F and the freezer at 0°F.

8. Don’t be a drip.
One drop per second from a leaky faucet can waste up to 20 gallons of water a day, so tighten up those faucets. Save more money and water in the bathroom by installing water-efficient showerheads. A family of four can cut water usage by nearly 280 gallons a month with a simple switch to low-flow models.

9. Turn down (or up) the heat.
By lowering your thermostat 2 degrees in winter and raising it 3 degrees in summer, you’ll prevent the annual emission of nearly 700 pounds of carbon dioxide. Plus, every degree dropped during the winter saves you 5 percent on your heating bill. Other energy and cost cutters are programmable thermostats, regular servicing of your furnace (this can net a 10 percent heat bill savings and a 1,250 pound reduction of carbon dioxide), sealing leaks around windows and doors and installing proper insulation.

10. Watch your water temperature.
Electric water heaters made after 2004 have plenty of insulation, but if your home has an earlier model, you can wrap it in insulating blankets to save 10 percent on your bill each year. A switch to cold water for your laundry saves nearly half of the energy needed for washing in hot. And setting your dryer on the moisture sensor, not the timer, will further cut energy use by 15 percent.
Earth Day may only be recognized one day out of the year, but respecting the earth and protecting it for the enjoyment of future generations is an everyday commitment that requires everyone’s participation. By implementing even a few of these small changes, you’ll not only reduce your ecological footprint on planet Earth, you’ll also save money and lead a happier, healthier life. And your great-great-grandchildren will thank you for making their world a safer and healthier one.