So you read a lot of green articles on the Internet, in the magazines or hear people talking about it wherever you go. You accept that the environment is rapidly being affected by the choices humans have made over the years. You are an advocate of green living, but at the time believe going green involves a lot of changes that have heavy cost attached to them. The decision to adopt a green lifestyle keeps being delayed because you don’t have money to install solar panels, replace your cooling & heating systems with green equipment, wearing clothes made from natural fibre and purchasing organic food.  To you, going green means increasing your expenses. And that’s where you are wrong!

Living green is not about the products you buy; rather it’s about the products you don’t buy. It suggests that before making a decision, you must first consider its impact on the environment. The forests are being chopped down, mountains are being levelled and landfills are bursting with consumer debris. As much as, we may want to turn a blind eye our choices are certainly affecting our surroundings. Going green means committing to choices that are good for the earth. With plastic money in hand, people throng grocery stores and supermarkets buying items that they probably don’t even need.

Green living is about taking conscious decisions and careful choices. It doesn’t have to be a frightening experience at all! Below are some exciting and fun ideas that will guide you to take your initial steps towards a greener lifestyle:

1. Regular Tuning & Maintenance: Unless you have a gas guzzler, there is no need for you to replace it with a new hybrid car. The hybrid car may offer you several green benefits, but by buying it, you are encouraging manufacture of new cars and that’s not what green living is about. Regularly tuning-up your old car and looking after its maintenance will keep your car energy efficient for a long time. Instead of washing your car at home, take it to a car wash you will be saving water that way.

2. Organic Food: Can’t afford organic food because it’s slightly more expensive than the pesticide infected stale inorganic food? Well, you can grow your own small vegetable garden. You don’t need to own a mansion with a huge front or backyard to grow your own crops. You can grow your garden on your window sill, on the roof or even in pots. Organic food is not only healthier for you, but for the planet as well. There are several crops that can be grown regardless of the space constraint. For others which cannot be grown, you can approach your local farmer’s market and purchase fresh chemical free fruits and vegetables from them.

3. Reduce Your Energy Consumption: If you cannot install solar panels or replace your appliances with greener equipment, then you should at least cut down on your energy consumption. Encourage family sittings whenever possible instead of illuminating the entire house while there are just two or three occupants. Not only will it bring your energy bill down with extra lights and fans turned off, but also strengthen the family bonding and communication. Furthermore, as a habitual practice clean-up air filters every month. Most cooling systems become inefficient and consume more energy due to clogged air filters. Turn down the thermostat in winters and bring it up during summers, you will save 10% of energy. Replace incandescent bulbs with energy savers. On a sunny day, make use of the sunlight and dry your clothes on the washing line. Build up trellis on the outer walls of your house. In summers, close blinds and shades of west windows to block sun’s entry.

4. Buy Durable, Reusable, Sustainable Products: No matter where you go, always make a sustainable choice. Reduce plastic or paper bags and instead carry a canvas shopping bag with you. Purchase reconditioned electronics instead of buying brand new items. Opt for salvaged materials such as wood scraps for your building needs.

5. Green Detergents and Liquid Soaps: Everyday, we expose ourselves to harmful chemicals and toxic substances. The products used at home to clean dishes and surfaces contain ingredients such as chlorine bleach and ammonia. Continuously coming in close contact with these compounds can be damaging for your health. As an alternative, buy green cleaners or make your own compounds at home.

6. Biodegradable Packaging: Packaging material made from polyethylene and polypropylene takes a lot of time to degrade. Choose wraps or packaging made from natural materials such as starch, corn, wood pulp, potato, sugar-beet, sugar cane, etc. Use cardboard boxes, wraps, paper bags and other packaging items made from recycled paper which has not been treated with toxic chemicals. Simple choices can help you prevent deforestation. For example, buying your toilet paper in double rolls can cut the cardboard tube inside the rolls by half and also decrease the amount of plastic used to wrap.

Minimal efforts or baby steps are required to accept and adopt a green lifestyle. Do not drain yourself by implementing drastic changes. You will lose motivation too soon and will never be able to stay committed to your green goals. Decide what might be easier for you to give up and start from there. Gradually, you can move towards bigger and more difficult issues.

Keep reading green articles, as research is ongoing and developments are taking place everyday. Attend events like Green Drinks to meet other environment enthusiasts and for increasing your knowledge about a greener lifestyle. As more and more people become aware of the consequences of their choices, our efforts can make a significant difference.