Young Black Professional Guide

April 22 is Earth Day, a time to celebrate gains we have made and create new visions to accelerate environmental progress. The push, especially for Americans, to reduce pollution and help save the environment is based on evidence that the decisions we have made, and continue to make, are damaging the air we breathe and the land we live on. What have you been doing to be more “eco-friendly”? If you’re not sure exactly what to do, here are some tips courtesy of kaboose to help you get started living a green lifestyle.

• Save water by decreasing your shower time — or rather take a bath, which uses less water than a shower.
• Get in the habit of brushing your teeth with the water off.
• Recycle – junk mail, cell phones, paper products, plastic bags, and more.
• Switch from paper and plastic bags to reusable bags and totes.
• Forget the electric or gas dryer, and hang dry your clothing.
• Opt for direct deposit, online banking, and paperless statements to reduce your paper usage.
• Try your hand at composting (planting scraps from fruits, veggies, and coffee grounds outside), which will help create better soil and less landfill waste.
• Don’t purchase disposable water bottles, but rather use recyclable (and refillable) beverage containers that you can fill with filtered water.
• Unplug all of your appliances when you leave the house to save energy (and prevent a fire hazard).
• If possible, take public transportation or walk.
• Don’t use plastic storage containers, and definitely do not heat food within a plastic container in the microwave.
• Save stained or ill-fitting clothing to use for dusting and cleaning.
• Use rechargeable batteries.
• Rent movies and borrow books, instead of purchasing.
• Select products made of recyclable materials.
• If possible, buy items that use less packaging.
• Buy groceries in bulk, as it reduces packaging and the number of trips you take to the grocer. Purchase a membership to a wholesale club, such as Costco or BJ’s.
• Purchase locally produced food at farmer’s markets and even road-side stands.
• Use healthy and environmentally friendly cosmetics, such as mineral-based cosmetics and natural bath products.
• Purchase organic foods, as they don’t contain pesticides and harmful chemicals, in addition to organic cotton.

Also check out our daily “Eco-Living Tip” from idealbite.com on the right sidebar.

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