Where to Start?

LovetoLive614

I am looking to transition to a Green Lifestyle but I am overwhelmed with all the changes that I could make and have no idea where to start.

 Any suggestions for where to start..small changes I can make or which products to switch over first?

 

Thanks!

Kibbles09

I'm still relatively new to turning over a new leaf, but I have gotten into recycling and using the reusable bags for groceries. I've been looking into cloth pads and a lunette menstrual cup as well. It can be very overwhelming, but everything little thing you do, no matter how small, makes a difference!

sunshine_day_dreams

PP has some good suggestions.  There are also some very simple changes that you can make that don't require you buying/investing in large changes right away.  Things like consistently turning the lights off when you leave a room, turning up the AC/down the heat (we are set to 80 in the summer and 65ish in the winter), turning down your water heater set point, taking shorter showers, turning off the water when you brush your teeth/lather with soap, buy only the food you need so you waste less, put electronics on a power strip that you can flip the switch on when not in use (this will keep them from pulling vampire power when they're not in use), hang your clothes to dry instead of using the dryer, wash clothes only in cold water, use white vinegar in place of fabric softener/dryer sheets, don't use the heated dry setting on the dishwasher, walk places when you can rather than driving, group errands together so you only have to go out in the car once, carpool when you can.

In terms of what to buy first, I started with cleaners.  As my chemical cleaners ran out, I replaced them with EF options like vinegar, baking soda, borax, etc.  I also opted for the Diva Cup pretty early on.  It's a change to get used to and not one that a lot of people are willing to make, but I love it and will never go back to tampons or pads again.  It gets rid of a ton of waste and costs less than 3 boxes of tampons.

Another big habit that we broke right off the bat was using paper towels for everything.  I invested in some cheap cloth napkins and basic wash rags and we use those for all dinners, messes, cleaning, etc.

You can also start trying to buy local sourced and in-season foods.  That way you know they're not trucked half way around the world to get to you.

It seems overwhelming, but start with baby steps and progress as you feel comfortable.  Every little bit helps.  It's good that you're starting in the right direction. :-)

szczeniak

I use reusable bags at the grocery store, and often at other stores. Groceries stores near me (and Target) give you 5 cents back for each bag, which is nice. I sometimes get looks when I say I have my own bag in other stores (like the mall, Walmart, etc.), but I don't care.

I shop as close to home as possible, and will only go out once to do all my errands (rather than making multiple trips to go to each store). I was given the option to work from home most of the time, so that helps too. All of this has saved gas and also I'm driving a LOT less (used to have an hour commute each way, now I sometimes will only go out once a week to go shopping or a quick meeting).

Around the house I air dry a lot of our clothes, air dry the dishes in the dishwasher (and only run it when it is completely full), use cold water and only full loads of clothes, and we use clothes instead of paper towels in the kitchen and when cleaning in other rooms. I will also do a bunch of loads of laundry all one right after the other, because if I am using the dryer, it's already heated up from the previous load, so it says a little bit of electricity.

We recycle every single thing we possibly can. We also grow our own fruits and vegetables, and we even have a bunch of chickens, so we get free eggs.

I also only make enough dinner for the both of us, so there isn't anything leftover, which could potentially be thrown away. Although, sometimes I will make a little extra and have it for my lunch the next day (saving food and also electricity by not having to use the stove during the day).

No lights on in the house during the day, and at night, only in the room(s) we're in. If we're not using something, it isn't plugged in (with the exception of the TV in the living room because it is hard to get back there to unplug it and plug it back in).

Our heat gets turned down to 58 or 60 during the winter (and we live in a cold part of the country). If we're cold (which is likely), we'll just put a sweatshirt or extra socks or an extra blanket on. It's worth it to see that lower oil bill. In the summer, we have very few window a/c units, and only turn on the one in the room we're in, and have it set around 70 or 75. 

I'm a strong believer in doing anything you can, even if it's only one or two things. Every little thing makes a difference. Sometimes I'll just look around the house and figure out what you use the most of and see if there is a way to cut back. I'm sure you'll find ways

magpie1127

I'm just going to paste a response I made to a similar thread:

Just be smart . Two biggest ones:

1. Remember to always REDUCE and REUSE before you recycle. Plastic water bottles are only really recyclable once - meaning they only really get two lives, so they are never an EF solution. Use the smallest amount of plastic possible - aluminum, paper, and glass can be recycled almost indefinitely. Reduce the amount of packaging, amount of products you buy...and reuse everything you possibly can.

2. Drive less. Live as close to where you/DH work as possible, and try to make your lifestyle a pedestrian one.

About the cleaning products, a lot of those EF products are a scam. You can clean pretty much anything with water, vinegar, and Borax.

 

missaileen

I would say that rather than going out and buying a ton of new "green" products, just replace them as they run out. We use a lot of Seventh Generation and Mrs Meyer's here as far as cleaning products go.

 

One BIG tip I have is to just have less. There are a lot of shoppers in my extended family and I used to be the same way, but it all seems so wasteful to me now. Half the stuff gets thrown in the closet and forgotten about. The less you buy, the less gets produced and less gets thrown into landfills.

We're also really good about buying second hand. Pretty much all of our furniture aside from our mattress or funton are from thrift stores, yard sales or were given to us by friends/family that were going to throw it in the trash to make room for something new.

Your diet can also be green. Eat more local produce and less prepackaged/prepared foods.

Just take baby steps and you'll get there

kaila514

I agree with so many things the ladies mentioned prior.

1. Recycle recycle recycle

2. Love growing my own fruits and veggies, even if you want to start with growing lettuce in a flower pot, its a start!  That's what I did especially when I lived in an apartment with limited growing space.  And you can have your own herb garden too in a small space!

3. I agree with cleaning most things with vinegar and water, but for my laundry i buy from anewleaf.myshaklee.com and I find their detergents work great and they also have a product similar to oxi-clean (Nature Bright) that I love. Phostphate-free, good for the environment, plus 100% satisfaction guarantee.

4. Use a water pitcher and BPA-free water bottles!  My pitcher is also from the wesbite above because it filters out over 50 chemicals vs. Brita pitcher which filters about 5 chemicals. Plus, no more plastic water bottles wasted!  Huge right there!

 Good luck!