Tips for everyday green living

| The New Mexican

4/19/2008 - 3/21/08

To-do list There are a lot of ways to live a little lighter on the planet. Try some of these to save energy, water and money. Plus some of them are actually fun, too. Do as many as you can through our "Green Week" and then keep going. Caution: Living greener can be habit forming!

1. Green your caffeine. Buy unbleached coffee filters or forgo the filters altogether and use a coffee press.

2. Compost your coffee grounds.

3. If you forget your own bag — as we all do — reuse the paper or plastic bag you get at the store a few times or recycle it at local grocery stores that take such containers.

4. Keep your water heater turned down to the lowest possible setting.

5. Recycle your packing peanuts. Many stores — such as Pak Mail in Santa Fe — will let you drop them off. Buy recycled packaging materials.

6. Buy copy and office paper that's made with recycled pulp or certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

7. Make new soil. Compost your veggie and fruit scraps, coffee grounds and other food waste.

8. Look for Fair Trade certified products made by workers who earn fair wages and use environmentally friendly practices.

9. Buy recycled (or gently used) goods. Clothes, furniture, building materials and housewares are available in Santa Fe.

10. Wash your clothes in cold water — unless you've been out mudbogging or the baby is still in leaky diapers.

11. Hang your clothes out to dry. Dryers are one of the biggest electricity hogs.

12. Look for backpacks made from recycled materials or at least are free of PVCs.

13. Try manual cooling. Open your windows in the evening and close them in the morning to cool down your house.

14. Recycle your old cell phones and computer equipment.

15. Recycle plastic soda bottles and milk jugs by making minigreenhouses. Cut off one end and stick them over seedlings in the garden to protect plants from cold spring nights.

16. Keep a water bottle at work instead of using a disposable cup at the water cooler.

17. Bring your lunch to work instead of eating out, reducing transportation impact and waste from to-go containers.

18. Install rain barrels or a water-catchment tank for rooftop runoff.

19. Mulch your yard well to create a sponge for water that hits the ground.

20. Preplan your trips so you can drive less and do more with each outing.

21. Buy a stainless-steel water bottle, fill it up, and take it with you every day.

22. Turn off your computer when you are not using it.

23. Recycle the plastic pots and trays that come with the plants you buy at garden centers.

24. Ask your mechanic how often you really need to change the oil in your car.

25. Keep the tires of your car or truck inflated only to the recommended pressure.

26. Donate your magazines to local libraries, senior centers and hospitals, if they take them.

27. Switch to electronic statements and pay as many bills as you can online.

28. Use rechargeable household batteries.

29. Reduce junk mail and catalog clutter by removing yourself from bulk mailing lists. Visit newdream.org/junkmail to find out how.

30. Cut petroleum use (and indoor air pollution) by buying unscented, biodegradable laundry detergent.

31. Drive at or below the speed limit.

32. Drive more gently, avoiding abrupt starts and stops. You'll save gas and lower your emissions — maybe your blood pressure, too.

33. Buy shampoo, body lotion, peanut butter, cooking oils and other products in bulk when you can, filling your own (reusable) container.

34. Use cloth dish towels instead of paper towels.

35. Use only the air-dry option on your dishwasher, or turn the machine off and open the door after the last rinse cycle is complete.

36. Turn your thermostat down at night and whenever you leave the house

37. Save and reuse cardboard boxes, padded envelopes, shipping containers.

38. Use cloth napkins that can be washed and reused for years.

39. Cover your pots when you are boiling water or cooking foods (like potatoes and pasta) in boiling water.

40. Use a crock pot instead of the stove top or oven to make a stew or soup.

41. Cook enough food for two meals so you only have to reheat the leftovers.

42. Use washcloths instead of disposable baby wipes — especially when you are at home.

43. Tell the automatic teller machine you don't want that paper receipt and avoid monthly mailings by opting for online banking.

44. Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your driveway and walkways.

45. Clear the air by avoiding scented air sprays, gels, candles and plug-in air fresheners.

46. Check books out of the library instead of buying new ones — especially if they are books your are unlikely to reread.

47. Use a chimney starter instead of charcoal lighter fuel to get your grill going.

48. Look for lump-style charcoal instead of briquettes, which can contain coal dust or petroleum products.

49. When you use your clothes dryer, clean out the filter after every load.

50. Stay at hotels/motels that save water and energy.

51. This summer, use your car's air-conditioner only when you are traveling faster than 40 mph. Around town, just open the window.

52. For picnics, look for biodegradable and/or recycled disposable plates, cups and tableware.

53. Plant a tree.

54. Check out freecycle.org.

55. Smile — it may not use less energy then frowning (as urban legend says), but it sure produces better results.



Check out the Low Carbon Diet, a 30-day program to lose 5,000 pounds (of carbon dioxide emissions, that is). It's a day-by-day, fun program developed by David Gershon of the Empowerment Institute. It tells you how much CO2 you reduce by following the tips each day. Try the diet with a few friends!

For more info, check out www.empowermentinstitute.net.

Some helpful Web sites for more tips:

www.greenlivingtips.com
www.coopamerica.org/programs/livinggreen/
www.sierraclub.typepad.com/greenlife/tip_sheet
www.edbegley.com
www.grist.org

For a list of what the city/county recycling center takes, call 955-2207 or go to www.santafenm.gov, click first on residents and then on refuse/recycling.