If you start reading about the positive effects that would occur if everyone suddenly went “green” it would overwhelm you. Yes, it is true that we could solve almost all of our environmental problems by changing daily habits. So, in order to help you become an environmental crusader we are giving you the following green living ideas:

• Audit – most public utility providers are happy to send agents to your home to conduct an “energy audit”. This will let you know where conditioned air is escaping, if you could cut costs and consumption, and more. This is an essential first step to going green because most of the energy wasted in the United States is in the home.
• Recycle…EVERYTHING – go online and look at the many things that can be recycled. You will be shocked. There are very few things that should end up in the garbage, but most people don’t want to make the effort of storing and then delivering household waste and goods to the appropriate locations. If you start small, however, you soon discover that it is not so difficult and pretty inspirational.
• Forget plastic – just ban plastic from the home. No plastic food storage containers, no plastic bottles or bags, no plastic shopping bags, no plastic anything. This is a huge step towards saving the planet because plastic is one of the longest degrading and heaviest polluting materials from start to finish.
• Don’t shop – now, we don’t mean never go shopping again, but instead we mean to consider buying used, antique, or through online sites like Craigslist or eBay before shelling out the big bucks at a store. It is interesting to see how much you can save when you buy things like secondhand furniture and electronics, plus you are cutting down on wasted resources and energy.
• Make your own cleansers – if you have never washed a mirror with white vinegar you are in for a shock. It gives it a sparkle like nothing you’ve ever seen. This should inspire you to seek out “recipes” for other cleaners that use eco-friendly and regular pantry items. Baking soda, salt, vinegar…you’ll be surprised what they’ll do!
• Swap – swap out incandescent for CFLs, get rid of an old toilet for a new low flow one, get rid of old shower heads and use energy saving ones, get rid of the old appliances and use energy efficient models…you starting to get the point?

There are a million ways to go green, but these will make the biggest difference in your home, wallet, and environment right away!