Go Greener Tips

From Our Friends At eBay Green Team
1. Bag It

Today: When you go out shopping, bring your own reusable bags. This preserves resources by cutting down on the huge number of paper and plastic bags that are discarded after a single trip.

Tomorrow: Combine your routine shopping trips with other errands, which will save you time and fuel.
Save on Electricity

2. Save on Electricity

Today: Shut off the light when you leave the room.

Tomorrow: There are many ways to trim those electric bills. Wash your laundry in cold water instead of hot, line dry your linens, and use a toaster oven for small heating needs instead of a bigger electric stove. Open windows to let the light in, turn off unneeded lights and appliances, and unplug unused electronics to counter the ‘energy vampire’ effect.
Save on Gas

3. Save on Gas

Today: Check your tires to ensure they’re properly inflated, and schedule a tune-up to ensure you’re getting the best fuel economy possible. Every gallon of gasoline you burn produces 19 pounds of carbon dioxide, so it pays to conserve (in more ways than one).

Tomorrow: Resolve to reform bad driving habits. Your car will work more efficiently if you obey the speed limit and avoid rapid, unnecessary acceleration, for instance.
Shop a Farmers’ Market

4. Shop a Farmers’ Market

Today: Shop at your local farmers’ market. This will help support farmers in your area, so they won’t be forced to sell off their land for development, and it will decrease your “food miles,” meaning less fuel will be burned to get food from the farm to your table. Best, your food will be delicious and healthy.

Tomorrow: Eat as much local and seasonal food as you reasonably can. Your meals will be fresher, and will require much less fuel to transport, store and refrigerate.
Conserve Water

5. Conserve Water

Today: Drink water from the tap, instead of buying single-use bottled water, which requires much more energy to produce, store and transport. Barely 20% of those plastic bottles end up getting recycled, and most are made out of petroleum. Use filters if you are concerned about your local water supply.

Tomorrow: Buy a reusable bottle to take with you on the go, so you can always refill it from a tap and avoid buying bottled water. Stainless steel is a good choice, because you don’t have to worry about the potentially toxic chemicals that can leach out of many plastics over time.