When it comes to going green, every little bit counts and one of those little bits has to do with using paper towels. The less paper towels you use, the lower your carbon footprint will be. While this may seem like a small thing, every little bit adds up!  One great way to lower use of paper towels is to get some good quality kitchen towels that you can wash and reuse and make sure you have them handy for drying your hands, wiping up spills, and drying off dishes. Limit the use of the actual paper towels to the really nasty messes. It doesn’t really take much effort and you soon discover that you’re spending less money on paper towels at the grocery store each week!

Speaking of the grocery store, another thing you can do to help the environment is to stop using plastic bags and switch to those tote bags that you can use over and over again.  While the plastic ones might be convenient, there are literally millions of them that pileup in the landfills every year and may take up to 1000 years to decompose.

Plastic bags are bad for the environment, and plastic water bottles are bad for the environment and your health. Invest in some stainless steel drinking mugs to carry your water in instead of buying water in plastic bottles. You’ll be helping to reduce more plastic in your landfill as well as saving your body from harmful toxins that can leach into the water you are drinking.

Heating your home is another area where you can help the environment and save a little bit of money with your efforts.  Have your furnace serviced to make sure that it is working most efficiently and make sure that you caulk your windows thoroughly so that they are no little places that cold air can get in. Buy a programmable thermostat so you can keep your home at a steady temperature, but try to keep at 68° or below when you are home and 58° when you are sleeping or at work.

Everyone knows that using energy-efficient appliances can help reduce your carbon footprint and save on utility bills, but not everyone can afford to buy new energy-efficient appliances. However, there are some things you can do that will help reduce your electric bill and be good for the environment. If you have a home computer (and who doesn’t these days) then make sure you turn it off when you’re not using it. Don’t leave lights on in rooms that no one is in and take a good look at all the appliances that you normally leave plugged in all the time. Do they have little LEDs or lights? You might consider unplugging them as these little lights do consume some energy even when the appliance is off.

Going green doesn’t have to mean taking extravagant measures like converting your home to solar energy, or driving an electric powered car. Every little step counts, and you will find that these little steps lead to bigger steps and a less negative impact on the environment.

The first thing you should do is switch to compact fluorescent lighting (CFL).  That’s those swirly lights that have a whiter glow to them than the incandescent lights.  While these might cost a bit more than the regular incandescent lights, they use only about 25% of the electricity so they can have a big impact on your lighting bill. They last a lot longer than regular bulbs too so you won’t have to replace them as often.

LED light bulbs are a newcomer to the energy efficient lighting market and have a few advantages over CFL’s.  They have a brighter light and don’t take time to “warm up” and reach their full lighting.  They also cost less to run and last even longer than CFL’s reducing your energy usage by 80-90% and lasting over 100,000 hours.

When it comes to lighting outside the home, the energy conscientious consumer might want to consider solar lighting.  Lights for walkways, driveways and outside the front door can collect energy from the sun during the day and use it to power their lights during the night.  A great way to light up your home without using any energy at all.

In addition to using more efficient light bulbs, there are some things you can do to help reduce the amount of energy you use for lighting. First of all, you want to be sure that you don’t use lights unnecessarily.  When no one is home or when a room is empty, be sure to turn the lights off.  During the daytime, open the blinds and let the sunshine in instead of using indoor lighting.  Using motion sensors can help to insure lights turn on only when needed.

When it comes to lighting, you need to have the right amount for the tasks you intend to do.  While you don’t want to skimp or have poor lighting in important areas like the kitchen, you also want to be cognizant of when to use the lights and when to flip the switch.  Remember reducing your use of electricity helps to reduce CO2 emissions into the air since the plants that produce electricity are largely coal burning plants which can add to global warming.  A little bit of prudence on your part can make a big difference in the stability of our environment.