The phone went “Green Green”. I “pinked” it up and said “Yellow?”

By Kaitlin Rice (Profile)

Did you know that the 40th Earth Day is this week? That’s right. It’s April 22nd (this coming Thursday). So, in lieu of this, I want to give some really good ‘Go Green!’ tips/tricks. I promise to not let get this get preachy, because personally I find it very hard to practice an environmentally friendly lifestyle after being raised in a society where that is not so much the case. So, really, I’m learning this right along with you. Here are some not so well known tips!

Maybe you’d like to celebrate this 40th anniversary with a little wine? Please, be my guest. Get your worries off your chest. (Thank you, Beauty And The Beast.) But did you know that there are eco-friendly wines out there? You did? Well, I didn’t. They can be found in many whole food stores and some chains. Just check those catchy little wine labels to be sure!

1. Get off junk mail lists. (And I do mean the mail that appears inside your home mailbox.) GreenDimes.com can get you started. They’ll even plant a tree for you!
2. Do full loads of laundry and set the rinse cycle to “cold.” Who uses hot water anyway?
3. Give away your goods and find new ones at FreeCycle.org. I LOVE this site. I have given away and gotten some really great stuff from people in my community. Not to mention, it keeps our already overloaded landfills free of useful items.
4. Find your and your family’s carbon footprint. It’s really interesting.
5. Eat less meat. You can help save the rainforest, save water, feed people, refresh the air, and even reduce your risk for heart attacks and high blood pressure. (Not to mention, you’re just being nice!) Whatever your diet, eat low on the food chain. This is especially true for seafood.
6. If you’re in an area where plastic cap recycling is not available, seek out retailers that accept them. Any Aveda network salon or store will accept the caps to be made into new Aveda caps. (And no, I’m definitely NOT advertising for Aveda products, just giving you ideas for recycling!)
7. Certain greens can help remove indoor air pollutants like formaldehyde and benzene. Don’t have the gardening gene? Golden pothos, English ivy and peace lilies are all easy-to-grow toxin fighters.
8. Inform your children about how to live “greener”. They are the future, you know.
9. Keep your tires inflated to improve gas mileage by 3 percent. Every gallon you save also saves 20 pounds of C02 emissions.

So there you have it. Please feel free to comment with more tips and advice for staying green. And maybe we can try to practice these things the other 364 days.