| The human race puts a huge strain on the | | | | bottles and paper products. Check your local |
| environment, and our dependence on fossil fuels | | | | recycling center for other packaging products like |
| to create the lifestyle to which we are | | | | plastic and Styrofoam. Keep your recycling bin |
| accustomed in the United States continues to | | | | right next to your trash can, and always consider |
| grow. Environmentalists have been talking about | | | | which bin it belongs in before automatically tossing |
| global climate change for decades, and their | | | | it in the trash. |
| message has finally made it into the mainstream | | | | 4. Use recycled products |
| and is even impacting national policy. | | | | From paper towels, a staple in most kitchens, to |
| When we think of big concerns like the entire | | | | paper napkins, paper plates and other |
| planet, it can be difficult to imagine how any single | | | | paper-based materials, you can close the loop on |
| individual can make an impact, but the old adage | | | | your recycling efforts by choosing products made |
| of "think globally, act locally," has never been | | | | from recycled products. All that paper that you |
| more appropriate. You can in fact make a | | | | diligently recycle finds its home in these products, |
| difference in the world by making a few simple | | | | and they work just as well as less |
| changes in your home to reduce your negative | | | | environmentally-friendly alternatives. |
| impact on the world. | | | | 5. Green energy |
| 1. Buy organic | | | | Your appliances can use a significant amount of |
| The US organic food community has been slowly | | | | electricity, so the next time that you are replacing |
| building a multi-billion dollar alternative to industrial | | | | them, look for the Energy Star seal, which means |
| agriculture over the past three decades. In | | | | that the appliance has been certified to have a |
| addition to some of the trail blazers, mainstream | | | | low rate of energy use. Also look into your lighting |
| brands are also jumping on the bandwagon as | | | | - if you have traditional incandescent bulbs, replace |
| they recognize consumers' demand for organic | | | | them with one of many energy saving |
| options. You can now find organic produce in most | | | | alternatives. As with many "green" choices, you |
| grocery stores. Remember that there are organic | | | | will save your wallet as well as the Earth! |
| options for almost every item in your pantry, | | | | 6. Shopping bag savvy |
| including staples like flour, pasta and canned goods, | | | | How much plastic do you waste every year by |
| that can be produced without toxic pesticides. | | | | using shopping bags only once? You can reuse the |
| 2. Bigger packages; less packaging | | | | free shopping bags that you get from the |
| Whenever possible, buy products in bulk to avoid | | | | grocery store for years if you take care of them |
| the plastic packaging that goes into most food | | | | properly. When it comes to shopping bags, the |
| items. The recent trend towards 100-calorie snack | | | | options are many, and bags range from trendy to |
| bags may be great for our waistlines, but it can | | | | basic, from canvas to recycled plastic or even, in |
| increase the packaging of the same amount of | | | | some cases, vintage clothing refashioned into |
| product by 20 times. Instead, buy in bulk and | | | | stylish totes. Keep 5-10 in your car at all times, |
| repackage smaller quantities in reusable packaging. | | | | and, more importantly, use them! |
| It ends up being a benefit to your wallet as well! | | | | If everyone in the U.S. took just one of these six |
| 3. Recycle | | | | steps, the damage that we are doing to our |
| Many of the items used in the kitchen can be | | | | environment would be reduced. So think about it - |
| recycled, and it is a natural place in which to house | | | | what can you do today to make an impact on |
| your recycling bin. Most cities easily accept cans, | | | | tomorrow? |