| Living green doesn't mean you have to wave | | | | bought fresh from a Farmer's Market. You'll |
| goodbye to all the niceties and luxuries of | | | | notice the difference in taste. And if you |
| modern life. In fact, once you start to | | | | buy just what you need (rather than the |
| investigate the advantages of living a | | | | supersize pack your grocery store normally |
| greener life, you may well discover all sorts | | | | sells) it probably won't cost much more. Plus |
| of extra pleasures. Your taste buds will | | | | you'll save all those miles that the often |
| certainly notice and it's highly likely your | | | | tasteless food your grocery store stocks has |
| wallet will as well. | | | | been forced to travel. |
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| There are plenty of things you can do which | | | | 4. Turn off unused appliances at the socket. |
| will help you to live green without total | | | | Standby mode still uses lots of energy. Cut |
| sacrifice. Here are seven tips that are quick | | | | your fuel bills by turning off televisions |
| and easy for you to implement. Most of them | | | | and other items when they're not in use. That |
| will barely change the way you operate but | | | | includes your computer's monitor as well. |
| will help save the environment, especially if | | | | Screensavers only stop the screen from |
| you can gradually persuade your friends to do | | | | getting burned in images. Energy saving mode |
| the same things. | | | | cuts power usage but nowhere near as much as |
| | | | the on/off switch does. |
| 1. Re-use the bags you get every time you | | | | |
| shop are good for more than one trip. Re-use | | | | 5. Wash your clothes at a lower temperature. |
| them or, better yet, buy a "bag for life" and | | | | Modern detergents work fine at lower |
| use that. Collectively, we use millions of | | | | temperatures. Or throw away the detergent in |
| plastic bags on a daily basis. Saving a | | | | favor of Eco washing balls, saving on the |
| couple bags here and there may not seem to | | | | fossil fuels that are used for most modern |
| make a difference, but as more and more | | | | detergents as well as cutting your washing |
| people do this, the savings will mount up. | | | | costs without compromising wash quality. |
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| 2. Re-cycle as much as you can. You probably | | | | 6. Turn down your thermostat in the winter |
| already have a recycling collection service. | | | | (and turn it up in the summer if you use |
| If not, look out for recycling places local | | | | air-conditioning). One or two degrees |
| to you and drop off your newspapers, bottles, | | | | difference is barely noticeable, except when |
| cans, etc next time you are passing. Don't | | | | the fuel bill arrives. When you get used to |
| make a special trip though. For larger items, | | | | the new, lower temperature, turn it down |
| if they're still usable then look up | | | | another degree or two! |
| Freecycle for your local area. They offer a | | | | |
| great way to give unwanted items a new, | | | | 7. Compost waste if you have a garden, saving |
| welcoming home. | | | | on fertilizer cost and giving your plants a |
| | | | treatment they'll love. |
| 3. Eat local produce. Especially if it's | | | | |