Green Living Tips

• Buy local to support the local economy and reduce transportation impacts.


• Buy goods with less packaging and/or recycled packaging.


• Buy in bulk to save money and energy.


• Buy used clothing, books and other products.


• Exchange and share tools, clothing and toys.


• Use canvas bags for all your shopping.


• Buy fair-trade products, which support local economies.


• Use non-toxic cleaning materials and organic linens.


• Go carbon neutral - investigate and buy green tags.


• Buy less. .

These suggestions provide a way for us to Vote with our Dollars. As a consumer, I sometimes forget the power I have in the decision making process. When enough of us say through our pocketbooks,(okay, for you men out there, wallets, too) "We don't want it any more", corporate America sits up quickly, with ears perked, pens poised for action, and changes start to roll. Look at the shift from conventional food to organics that has resulted because of consumer demand.

For Me Personally, I have made a conscious effort to purchase as much as I can locally, especially in the area of food. Our family has joined the local CSA to insure we have good quality, fresh produce as well as to be able to support these great young farmers.

Also I hate things that are over packaged...besides wasting resources, they are just a plain pain to open and dispose of all the wrappings. We actually do quite a bit of things on this list, but are by no means the poster family for Green Living, we still have a lot more we can do before aspiring for that position. But we do feel good about the start we have made and actively work towards doing more all the time.

What are some of the things you do to Live Green?