Day 31: 7 Simple Tips to Go Green

Here it is, our last day in the 31-Day Fresh Start Series, so I want to hit a topic close to my heart: going green. Being more eco-conscious is a great way to simplify your life, because chances are that the steps you take toward being more green will also go a long way toward making your daily routine simpler, with less "stuff" and more "life." There are literally thousands of ways to reduce your impact on the Earth, but let's focus on just 7 of my best tips for going green the simple way.

1. Reduce the amount of "stuff" that you have in your home. Cutting back on the amount of stuff allows you to focus on what you do have and can also keep you from buying more stuff you don't need. Reducing consumption is one of the most important steps toward a sustainable lifestyle. As you shed your stuff, you'll have more energy and focus for "life" and you'll free up time to do things you really want to do instead of worrying about taking care of and accumulating more stuff. Dispose of unwanted and unneeded stuff responsibly, by selling it or giving it away to people who really need it and by recycling as much as possible what's unusable. Save the landfill for the last resort.
2. Find a good reusable water bottle and a good reusable mug and use them. Almost 75 percent of plastic water bottles are not recycled – they end up in landfills, litter roadsides and pollute waterways. Public tap water is subject to strict safety regulations, while the bottled water industry is not required to report testing results for its products. According to one study, 10 of the most popular brands of bottled water contained a wide range of pollutants, including pharmaceuticals, fertilizer residue and arsenic. Brew coffee at home and use a reusable mug for taking it on the go, and take your reusable mug to local coffee houses – many places offer a small discount on coffee when you bring your own travel mug.
3. Plant a garden, whether you live in an urban loft or a suburban neighborhood. Growing your own vegetables is a simple way to bring fresh food to your table, and you might get some exercise as well. Growing at least a little of your own food, whether in a vegetable garden in the back yard or a planter box on the window, can give you healthy veggies and herbs and reduce your grocery bill.
4. Reduce your meat consumption. Livestock production accounts for almost 20 percent of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions and almost 25 percent of water used globally in agriculture. Even if you're not up for becoming vegetarian or vegan, simply try cutting back on the amount of meat you consume and try substituting one or two meals a week with vegetarian fare.
5. Audit your electricity usage. Many utility companies offer energy audits free or at low cost, so check with your utility company. Knowing where your power is going is the first step toward reducing your usage. To save energy, make sure your doors and windows are adequately insulated against air leaks, and unplug electronics when you're not using them. Use power strips to control banks of electronic gadgets. Switch out your regular light bulbs for CFL or LED options. Turn off lights when you leave a room, and bump your thermostat up a couple degrees in the summer and down a few degrees in the winter. Use cold water cycles on laundry washing machines to save the energy that goes into heating the water.
6. Save water by fixing dripping faucets and leaky toilets. Switch out shower heads for low-flow models. Turn off the water while you brush your teeth or soap up. Run dishwashers and laundry washing machines only when they're full, and choose the shortest cycle that will get the job done. Water landscaping responsibly, and catch rain water in a rain barrel for watering gardens and plants.
7. Keep a few reusable shopping bags in your purse or car, and don't forget to use them. Plastic shopping bags are a huge strain on an already overtaxed garbage system, and many blow into streams and waterways and make their way into the ocean. Bringing your own bag may also save you a little money too – many stores offer a discount if you have your own bag, and an increasing number of stores are now charging for every disposable bag you use if you don't BYOB.

Thank you for sticking with me for the past 31 days! I would love to hear about how you're doing with your efforts to simplify and create your own Fresh Start. Please email me at FreshStart@modern-simplicity.com with what you're working on, and feel free to include photos. I'll feature them in a future project I'm working on! I'd love to hear about how your simplifying is going, so emails and comments are always appreciated!

This post is part of the Fresh Start Series, 31 days of tips and tricks to simplify in the new year.