How to Live a Greener Lifestyle

Compiled by: Jason Yarmolinsky

“The world is not dangerous because of those who do harm, but because of those who look at it without doing anything”
- Albert Einstein

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”
- Mahatma Gandhi

Replace a regular incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb (cfl)

• CFLs use 60% less energy than a regular bulb. This simple switch will save about 300 pounds of carbon dioxide a year

Move your thermostat down 2° in winter and up 2° in summer

• Almost half of the energy we use in our homes goes to heating and cooling. You could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple adjustment.

Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner

• Cleaning a dirty air filter can save 350 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

Install a programmable thermostat

• Programmable thermostats will automatically lower the heat or air conditioning at night and raise them again in the morning. They can save you $100 a year on your energy bill.

Choose energy efficient appliances when making new purchases

• If each household in the U.S. replaced its existing appliances with the most efficient models available, we’d eliminate 175 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions every year!
• Jason Suggests: Choose Energy Star certified appliances http://www.energystar.gov/

Use less hot water Shorter Showers, Cold Water in the Washing Machine…

• It takes a lot of energy to heat water. You can use less hot water by installing a low flow showerhead (350 pounds of carbon dioxide saved per year) and washing your clothes in cold or warm water (500 pounds saved per year) instead of hot. Note: A five minute shower uses half the water of a bath

Unplug electronics from the wall when you’re not using them

• Even when turned off, things like hairdryers, cell phone chargers and televisions use energy. In fact, the energy used to keep display clocks lit and memory chips working accounts for 5 percent of total U.S domestic energy consumption and spews 18 million tons of carbon into the atmosphere every year!

Install motion detectors

• Ensure those lights are off if you aren’t in a room!

Switch to green power

• Jason suggests: Bullfrog Power: http://www.bullfrogpower.com/

Get a home energy audit

• Jason Suggests: EnWise Power Solutions: http://www.enwisepower.com/Default.aspx

Use the Dryer less often

• In the summer, consider using a clothes line. In the winter, set up a "drying rack" in a spare room to hang-dry your clothes. This helps clothes last longer too.

Utilize “Alternative” Transportation

“'If you live in a city, you don't need to own a car.'
- William Clay Ford Jr, Ford Motor Company

• Use cars as little as possible, walk, bike, public transit are all better options
• When cars must be used, carpool! You can even find carpools online. Jason Suggests: http://www.carpool.ca/
• Consider “Car Sharing”. Jason Suggests: http://www.autoshare.com
• Small cars are more affordable (don’t forget about the new tax credit!) and environmentally friendly
• While more expensive initially, choose a Hybrid vehicle if possible!
• Ensure car tires are properly inflated to ensure you are getting the best gas mileage possible

Food
“Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet”
- Albert Einstein

• Limit/remove meat from your diet (producing meat creates a much larger ecological footprint more water, more space required etc.)
• Choose Organic foods (free of pesticides)
• Purchase fresh foods, limit frozen and pre-packaged foods
• Purchase foods from local providers (farmer markets etc.) Eat foods (fruits/vegetables which are in season for your region)
• Buy less processed food. Food processing uses up water and energy resources in addition to adding chemicals that our bodies can do without.

“The packaging for a microwavable "microwave" dinner is programmed for a shelf life of maybe six months, a cook time of two minutes and a landfill dead-time of centuries”
- David Wann


Clean Green

• Stay away from cleaning supplies, which contains chemicals. They are environmentally unfriendly and can have a detrimental affect on your (and your families/pets) health.
• Choose products that clearly state they’re non-toxic on the label, or stick to homemade remedies (ie: vinegar, lemon juice, baking soda)
• Use cloths, rags, brushes and brooms instead of disposable cleaning supplies to reduce your waste.
• Do not use pesticides on your lawn

Be conscious of your purchasing decisions

• Purchase from firms which have an environmental policy and are socially responsible
• Bring your own reusable bags to the store. Although many stores give out bags for "free", the hidden price is pollution/ wasted plastic production
• Research your options, there is almost always a socially responsible option (i.e.: Fair Trade coffee, even though it is imported is better than other forms of coffee)
• Jason suggests: http://www.coopamerica.org/programs/rs/ and http://www.corpwatch.org/
• Get off corporate mailing lists! Choose electronic options or opt out of lists to converse paper and trees
• Green at School
• Print assignments etc. on both sides of the paper.
• Jason Suggests: Utilize software which will fit multiple pages onto one page, such as FinePrint: http://www.fineprint.com/products/fineprint/benefits.html

Green in the Workplace

• Look for ways to implement your Green philosophies within the workplace.
• Remember Green solutions are often financially rewarding as well!
• Suggesting green behaviors within a firm can save the company money and help you stand out to your superior is the process!
• get Involved
• Join community groups like CSRS to meet like-minded individuals. Educate, support, learn from and become friends with each other!
• Donate your used clothes, furniture, books, appliances, and other items to charity. This helps raise money for social programs and reduces waste.

Things to Consider

• Where you live dramatically affects the ability of a person to live a green lifestyle. (Therefore, choose to live in a community where your green lifestyle will be supported and not discouraged)
• Children create a huge ecological footprint. Consider the benefits of having a smaller family. For more information: Bill McKibben’s book “Maybe One” and the accompanying article by the same author http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/m/mckibben-one.html
• This isn’t an “all or nothing” game. No one can live without any environmental impact it is just not possible. The goal is to limit your environmental impact by as much as possible. Do not feel discouraged; feel empowered by the changes in your lifestyle that you make and look forward to better (Greener!) solutions in the future!

Useful Websites:

• City of Toronto Environment Portal http://www.toronto.ca/environment/index.htm
• National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy
• http://www.nrtee-trnee.ca/
• CSR Wire: A Newswire about Corporate Social Responsibility http://csrwire.com/
• Zero Footprint (contains a great tool to calculate your carbon footprint): http://www.zerofootprint.net

Sources:

1. Global Profts and Global Justice by: Deb Abbey. New Society Publishers, 2004
2. http://www.davidsuzuki.org/NatureChallenge/
3. http://www.climatecrisis.net/
4. http://facilities.usask.ca/sustainability/what_you_can_do.php