Be Green Tips
1. Lower your thermostat. Buy a programmable thermostat.
2. Reuse your water bottle. Avoid buying bottled water. In fact, reuse everything at least once, especially plastics.
3. Check out your bathroom. Use low-flow faucets, showerheads, and toilets.
4. Start a compost in your back yard or on your rooftop
5. Turn off lights and electronics when you leave the room. Unplug your cell phone charger from the wall when not using it. Turn off energy strips and surge protectors when not in use (especially overnight).
6. Recycle your newspapers.
7. Ride a bike.
8. Go to your local library instead of buying new books.
9. Buy products that use recyclable materials whenever possible.
10. Bring your own bags to the grocery store. Given a choice between plastic and paper, opt for paper.
Environment 101
There's no doubt about it, our environment is in crisis. Everywhere you go, people are talking about it: how the earth is warming up as a result of too much carbon dioxide in the air and too few trees left to absorb it, how oil-drilling is ruining natural habitats, how trash is overflowing into our waterways, and how chemicals used in various products are making people and wildlife sick. Ugh. You don't have to run out tomorrow and build a car that runs on vegetable oil, or ship out to South America to save the rain forests. You just have to get informed and then start making small changes, one at a time. Decisions to shop, drive, and even party differently can have a huge and positive impact on the health of the earth. That's what Environment 101 is about. You'll find tons of real things that people can do to make a difference. Some things are as easy as eating less meat, planning a green date, or learning to shop vintage. Others are more involved, like hosting a green film festival for friends, creating an environmental task force at school, or going on an eco-adventure to gain a deeper love and appreciation for this beautiful spinning rock we call home. Why you? You might ask. The answer is simple. You''re strong, creative, and motivated. You're doers and dreamers. And you're also the ones who will inherit the planet. If change is going to happen, it has to start with you. There are differing opinions on which approaches are best to take in order to protect our natural resources, and even day new research offers new ways to counteract climate change. We have made every effort to ensure that the information presented is accurate and timely, but we know that with modern technology, new solutions come about almost daily. We encourage you to use what Chaba Decor offers here as a stepping stone to your own personal quest to help save the planet, and to keep investing the path to a greener life in every way you can.
* We will be updating these tips weekly. *
16) Get the Right Stuff
When you were just starting school, the "right" supplies were the ones with Elmo on them. Now, you know it's not so much what your school and work supplies look like - it's what they're made of.
How to Do It
Here how to get started:
When supply shopping, be aware of the following:
- Buy products that are not made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which is toxic when burned for disposal and hard to recycle. To check if a product has PVC, see if the packaging has the number 3 or the letter "V" underneath the recycling symbol. You can also use your nose: PVC products has that plasticky smell, like a new shower curtain.
- Buy refillable pens, so you dont need to throw out as much plastic.
- Buy stuff that has been recycled. That means anything that is made with post-consumer recycled materials, from cardboard and plastic binders to special pencils.