Going green has gone mainstream, with restaurants, clothing lines, groups and clubs all being dedicated to the eco-movement. While some suggestions for going green might be considered over the top, there are women incorporating little bits of environmental friendliness into their everyday lives.
Green home
The most obvious place to start going green is in your home. In addition to switching out old, incandescent light bulbs to CFL, saving about 25 percent on energy usage, check out a few more ways women are bringing green into their homes by reducing and reusing:
A good majority of kitchen junk is made from nonrenewable plastic and comes with a ton of wasteful packaging. “I had to clear out the clutter in the kitchen and just leave room for the basic cooking utensils”, says Julie, a mother of three.
“I saw a decorating tip on making pillow cases out of my old bridesmaid dresses, so I gave it a try! I loved it and since I’ve been a bridesmaid so many times, I may even have enough for curtains!” We hope to wish you congratulations one day, Susie.
Green food
We hear a lot about the benefits of organic food for the increased nutrients and reduced additives, but there are other popular ways women are going green with their food in the new decade:
“We go to farmer’s markets whenever we can” says Julie, 39. Not only is the produce available at farmer’s markets fresher, you reduce emissions caused by the transport of food from other parts of the country to your neighborhood chain store.
Mary, 28, considered the fact that switching from a charcoal grill to a natural gas grill when redoing their yard as a huge victory. Congratulations, Mary, you were right! Natural gas and propane grills leave less waste and burn cleaner than the charcoal equivalents.
Dustie, 32, says “I thought it would kill me, but I kicked the Starbuck’s habit and started roasting my own coffee beans at home. I pour organic milk into my reusable coffee mug and there you have it – my contribution to reducing waste in the environment”. Thanks, Dustie, we think you’ll live.
Green sex
Oh yes, we went there. Barbie (name changed due to her bashfulness) has a going-green sex tip! “After sex, my husband and I shower together which uses a lot less water, but is a whole lot more fun!”
Green beauty
We’re not talking about the wicked witch of the west; we’re talking eco-friendly beauty products and regimes that actually work!
Mikayla from California has used expensive, department store cleansers since she was a a teenager. Now, at the age of 26, she says “Ever since I switched to washing my face with pure, fragrance-free soap, I have less breakouts and I always feel fresh”.
Oatmeal is a fantastic ingredient for oily and combination skin. Jennifer, 31, says she makes her own oatmeal mask by “mixing one egg and 1/2 cup cooked instant oatmeal with a teaspoon olive oil”. Spread on your face and leave 15 min then rinse.
If your goal is to live more earth-friendly and you don’t know where you start, try some of these ideas from real women. Being green should be a way of life – but it will never work if it is just too much effort. Real women suggest finding little things that work for you and then build on them.
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