It’s not difficult to become more environmentally responsible. There are simple steps you can take - even in your conventional home to live more sustainably. Many of the suggestions below might simply be common sense but others just might change your perspective on environmentalism.

• Change from incandescent lightbulbs to Compact Fluorescent or Light Emitting Diode technology. Despite a marginally higher initial cost, CF and LED lighting lasts longer and uses a fraction of the energy that conventional lighting does.*

  *Recent information shows that some persons may develop health problems as a result of being exposed to compact fluorescent bulbs. Health Canada has initiated a study to measure UV emissions and electromagnetic field exposure levels from compact flourescent lights. The results of this study are expected to be published by autumn of 2009. LED bulbs are an eco-friendly alternative as well, although the current price of these bulbs may be somewhat prohibitive for the average family. Be sure you are fully informed about any eco-decision you make for your household before implementing it.

• Open your south facing blinds or curtains during the day. In addition to getting valuable heat units into your home, you also enjoy the benefits of natural light. The use of sunlight to illuminate reduces the need to have lights on and helps your body generate much needed vitamin D.
• Use water-saving bathroom and kitchen fixtures wherever possible. There are a host of affordable, water-saving options out there today - everything from low-flow showerheads to foot-operated sink controls. One of our personal favourites is the “shower switch”, a small valve placed between your shower head and the supply line neck. This switch allows the bather to close the flow down to a trickle while lathering up, switching the flow back to normal only for rinsing.
• Consider low-flow or composting toilets rather than conventional, old technology. A standard flush toilet will consume up to 30 per cent of a homes average water usage accounting for thousands of litres of unnecessary waste every month. The water savings will pay for your green decision in a few short years.
• Kitchen composting is one of the easiest ways to reduce, reuse and recycle. By taking your biodegradable kitchen scraps and placing them in an outdoor composter, you can reduce the volume of waste going into the landfill and create rich soil for your home garden.
• Install block-heater timers or temperature sensitive cord switches on your vehicles in wintertime. Most people have o be at work at a certain time. These folks can plug their vehicle’s block heater cord into a timer unit. Instead of having your vehicles plugged into power all night, set the timer to engage two hours before you need to go to work. Voila – up to a 30 per cent savings on you winter power bills!
• Look for green consumables at the grocery store. Buy your eggs in recycled cardboard containers rather than plastic or Styrofoam. Purchase laundry detergents that are low in phosphates, salts and perfumes. Look for products that have reduced or recyclable packaging.
• Make recycling a priority at home. Set up a special area in the house, close to the kitchen or entryway, where multiple bins can be set up to contain recycled materials. Take recycling back on the same trip you take to get more groceries. Municipalities usually place recycling bins in mall and grocery store parking lots.
• Do more physical activity around the home. This not only reduces our reliance on mechanized, power-gobbling conveniences but also encourages fitness and, in turn, longevity. By growing and tending a garden for example, you produce much needed food but also burn unwanted calories. Why pay for a gym membership and expensive produce at the grocery store when you can satisfy both needs in your own garden.
• Find alternative uses for products and waste materials. By giving a product a “second life” you reduce pressure on landfills and even recycling programs. Use small mason jars for drinking glasses instead of buying new ones. Stuff pillows with scraps of old fabric. Make pillows from worn out blue jeans. Be creative, have fun and be proud of your creations rather than guilty about unnecessary spending.
• Bring your own bags when shopping. Every 14 plastic bags from the grocery store requires enough oil to have driven one kilometre – nasty! Most grocery stores are now providing heavy duty, reusable bags for sale rather than giving out the standard, single use plastic bags. Keep a dozen such bags in your vehicle - this will prevent you from taking home the plastic variety unnecessarily. With luck, the flimsy, plastic variety will be outlawed soon.
• Support your local Farmers’ Market. Buy encouraging the production of healthy, chemical-free food products from small producers we show our support for each other, our community and for planet. Home-grown always tastes better, stays fresher longer and is much healthier.
• Ride a bike when able. When going to a friend’s house for supper, ride a bike. When going to get a litre of milk from the corner store, ride a bike. Plan your days better so you have time to walk or ride a bike on trips when you don’t need to carry much. Many people have cut their fuel consumption by one third by doing this.
• Lobby your civic, provincial and national government to be more responsible in their recycling initiatives and energy use policies. Nobody likes keeping track of politics but this is important. If people don’t band together to take care of the planet - the Mother that has taken care of us for millennia – greed and consumerism will continue to trample on the environment.
• Suggest more green ideas to the ESP website. By sharing information and suggesting additional green initiatives, we can all learn to live better. One of the only shining aspects to our current modern society is our ability to share information quickly, cheaply and efficiently.

Email greenbox@EcoArksaskatchewan.com to share your tips!

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