It's Easy Being Green

It seems that talk of "going green" is everywhere these days, but not everyone is ready for major expenses like buying a hybrid vehicle or installing solar panels. Try out these inexpensive ways to make your lifestyle a little greener.

The production of paper from trees uses a great deal of energy and is one of the leading causes of water pollution. Finding ways to decrease the use of paper products in your home is an excellent way to help the environment. Try using micro fiber cloths instead of paper towels for clean up around the house. The thousands of fibers on these cloths do a great job of capturing dirt, and they are machine-washable so you can use them over and over.Another environmentally friendly option is using cloth napkins or bandanas instead of paper napkins. If you can't do without paper napkins, look for those made with recycled paper.

Another way to go green is by skipping the plastic or paper bags at your grocery store and bringing your own reusable bags. Billions of plastic bags end up in landfills or as litter. These plastic bags put toxins into our soil and water as they breakdown. Many grocery stores have inexpensive reusable bags for sale, or you can get something a little more stylish from a variety of online sources. Reusable bags aren't just for the grocery stores either, consider taking a cloth tote on your next shopping trip to the mall.