Simple Ideas for Going Green

Going green has become a popular thing to do, and with new products, websites, and every store offering canvas shopping bags, its never been easier to walk a bit more lightly on the earth.  I grew up in a family where composting, recycling, and buying in bulk were expected, but even if you’re new to the game, there are plenty of things you can do to lessen your impact, live healthier, and be more aware of your surroundings.

Vibhu and I do what we can to be earth-friendly without getting radical to the point of completely going off the grid. The things we do to lessen our impact have become transparent aspects of our daily life that have required a minimal amount of effort and reflect a philosophy for the way we want to live our lives.

Here’s a few of the rules we live by:

• We’re vegetarian, and buy locally grown, in-season, organic as much as possible
• Buy in bulk
• Never put fruits & veggies from the grocery store in plastic bags from the produce section
• Always bring our own bags to the grocery store & farmers market
• Use only 100% recycled toilet paper
• Use only energy-efficient light bulbs
• Drive a Prius (sparingly). We use it only when the trip is longer than 2 miles (1 mile in the winter!) or when going to the grocery store
• Live by the philosophy, “First try to DIY, if that’s not possible, buy it second-hand. If second-hand isn’t available, buy it local. If buying it local isn’t possible, buy product with the least amount of packaging.”
• No paper towels. No plastic wrap. No aluminum foil.
• Wash & re-use Ziploc bags many, many times before recycling them
• Recycle and Compost enthusiastically
• Use only 100% natural, flushable kitty litter
• Unplug all appliances when they aren’t in use
• Only use the cold cycle on the washing machine
• Never use the dryer. I’ve learned to LOVE hanging clothes to dry. It’s calming and meditative.
• Use laundry detergent that non-toxic, biodegradable, and free of dyes and perfumes
• Another philosophy to live by…”If it’s yellow let it mellow, if it’s brown flush it down.”

We live in a small province where eco-friendly is far from the norm. And while there are plenty of other things that we wish we could do (e.g. buy entirely organic and local, have a year-round garden, and have access to public transportation options), this is a great start. If we can do it, so can you!