GUIDE TO GREEN
What does 'green' mean?
'Going green'... 'Living green'... 'Green your home'...
What does 'GREEN' really mean?
Essentially it means consuming less, conserving where possible, recognizing one's impact on the environment as a whole - and adjusting one's lifestyle choices to lessen that impact.
So how do you 'go green'? Here are a few ideas:
- Use reusable shopping bags - they hold more anyway! Just leave them in your car and grab them as you go into the grocery store. Other retail stores (such as Target) even give you cash back for bringing in reusable bags - and it doesn't matter what 'brand' they are!
- Recycle anything you can (plastics, glass, paper goods, steel, aluminum, wire, electronics, etc.). Many municipalities offer single-stream recycling of these products or you can drop off at a local recycling center (Kirkwood has a great recycling center!).
- Buy food (and clothing) from local sources. Kirkwood and Soulard have great farmer's markets and you can't beat farm-fresh eggs and home-grown tomatoes...
- Use less... period! Around 40% of a homes' electricity is spent on heating and cooling - another 15% or so is spent on artificial lighting. Adjust the temperature a few degrees, turn the switch off more frequently and save!
- Buy goods that have been pre-owned. Websites like Craigslist or Freecycle are a good place to find items at a good price - or even for free - without having to purchase new.
- If you do purchase new, look for a good value over the best price. Think of it this way - it's less about what you spend and more about what you get that determines a good value. Consider how long it will last, if it's 'timeless' (vs. trendy), overall quality and workmanship... this goes for products AND services. If it costs $100 and is disposable - or doesn't work - after just one use, is it really a good value over another that costs twice as much, but can be used 100 more times?
With minimal time and effort, any home can be a 'green' home. To learn more about eco-conscious efforts in St. Louis throughout the month of April, check out our Earth Month calendar below.
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Surprised by your electric bill last month and want a way to see how your electricity is being 'spent'? Check out this link and give us a call.
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