Trends make me giggle. Someone, somewhere does something that someone else says is cool and before you know it, it's everywhere. Bell-bottom jeans and peace signs in the '70s, big hair and tight leather in the '80s...
I always wonder who really starts these trends. I mean, how do I start a trend that spreads like wildfire? Oh, well.
To get to my point, a recent trend that I have noticed is this "being green" thing that is suddenly the trendy, cute, cool thing to do.
In all honesty, it annoys the heck out of me. Not "being green," but rather the fact that it's nothing more than a trend. We finally seem to be onto a trend that could be somewhat beneficial to the planet...but how many people really, truly understand what "being green" is all about?
I don't really care if you have a peace sign tattoo, own a t-shirt with a the recycle symbol on it or wear TOMS. You're not a hippie. You're not a tree-hugger. You probably don't recycle. You probably don't even know what being environmentally mindful really means.
Okay, okay. I'm stereotyping (and ranting). But how many people go out and buy a pair of TOMS because it's for a good cause? How many people actually understand the process of recycling and actively recycle appropriate materials? How many people actually understand what the entire "green" movement is all about?
So now that you all know how strongly I feel about this (at least I hope you do), I am going to take the liberty to share with you a few tips on actually "being green." Follow these steps and you'll look trendier and cooler than anyone else out there. Dear Mother Earth will think so, anyway.
If you are thinking about taking the environment a little more serious and being a little more appreciative of all that this earth has provided us with, I recommend treehugger.com. They have done a wonderful job of providing practical information about what you can take to be more earth-friendly in every area of your life. They also have several links to other helpful websites.
So, we can't all go out and buy an eco-friendly car and remodel our house so it's solar-powered and filled with pricey new appliances that run on less power and waste less water. BUT, I guarantee that everything on my list is perfectly doable.
Think about these things:
1. Next time you visit the coffee shop, don't use the paper or plastic cup.
If you're going to be there for a while, ask you're barista if they have a cups "for here." They do, and they will let you use them. Your coffee or tea will taste much better in a real cup, anyway.
If you're on the run, take your own tumbler or cup. I understand that cups and lids are made of whatever percentage of recycled materials now...blah, blah, blah... This is fine and dandy, but they still wind up piled in the landfill somewhere and making the cups (from recycled materials or not) uses up a considerable amount of energy.
2. Stop buying bottles of water. Or if you do, reuse them. If cute and trendy is your thing, find a cute and trendy water bottle and make use of it. Plus, it's way less expensive in the long run if you just keep refilling the same bottle as opposed to spending $1 or more every time you are thirsty. You can fill your handy dandy water bottle with other beverages, too.
3. Invest in some cute cloth napkins. Mine are just solid green...but I like them. Instead of going out and buying napkins that will just wind up alongside all of those Starbucks cups and plastic bottles in a landfill, I just own a couple sets of nice cloth napkins that I can wash and use over and over again. Extra points for the cloth napkins that are made of organic materials. This helps cut back on the use of harmful chemicals and pesticides in the environment.
4. When doing laundry, try to avoid the "hot" cycle setting. Cold water is best, but even warm is better than the energy-eating full on hot wash. Wear things like jeans two or three times before tossing them in the wash, and use the same towel a few times too. Avoid the dryer by hanging things to air-dry, when possible, and cut back on ironing (who enjoys ironing, anyway?).
5. Shut off the water while brushing your teeth. Wet the toothbrush, shut the water off, brush, then turn the faucet back on to rinse. Simple enough. Don't take half-hour long showers, either.
Likewise, when doing dishes, avoid leaving the water running constantly when rinsing.
6. Walk or ride your bike. It's good for your body, and the environment will appreciate it too. If you're only going to the coffee shop down the street or a few blocks away to pick up an item or two from the grocery story, walking won't kill you, I promise.
7. Never, ever, ever litter. This one really gets to me. Very little irritates me more than when I'm driving down the highway and see the driver in the car in front of me roll down the window and throw an empty cup or whatever else out. You'll probably run into a trash can shortly after parking, so just leave it in the car for a few more minutes.
Smokers, don't throw your cigarette butts on the ground.
And if you see a big piece of trash, do a good deed and pick it up. You'll feel good about it.
8. Start a recycle bag or basket. Just have a bag in the kitchen that you can drop newspapers and magazines in when you're done with them. You could also have a basket for aluminum cans or bottles or whatever else you tend to use lots of. When it's full, stick it in the car and drop it off next time you drive by those big green dumpster-looking things for materials to be recycled.
9. Take your own bags to the grocery store, or recycle the ones you take from the store. I actually pick up a reusable shopping bag as a souvenir wherever I go. I have a Dallas Cowboys one... and my favorite one is probably my Whole Foods bag from Santa Fe.
These are just a few simple things I try to live by. Nothing elaborate, but it makes a big difference. Imagine if everyone lived by a handful of eco-friendly rules.
Love this! Great job Brit!
In my opinions paper napkins are a menace, people use it like anything without knowing its consequences.