Easy Ways to Live a Greener Life
In a recent episode of “Big Little Lies” on HBO, a local elementary school teacher helps second graders understand sustainability while making analogies to Charlotte’s Web. You’d have to watch the show to find out the uproar THAT caused, but clearly green living is on a lot of conscientious minds and hearts. Living a life that reuses, reclaims, repurposes and reduces both water and carbon fuel consumption is good for the planet, good for your bank account and good for the next generation. Here are a few ways to go green at home to insure a healthy future for everyone.
Reusable Shopping Totes
Denver city council members are about to propose a plastic bag BAN which might make it easier for you to remember to bring your reusable shopping bags. Kroger markets in cities like Aspen and Carbondale do not provide free plastic grocery bags and charge 10 cents per paper sack. We expect that will become more of the rule than the exception and if you’re not already using a tote made of canvas or synthetic fibers, get a few and go green with your groceries!
No More Bottled Water!
Here’s another way to green up your workouts: refill an old water bottle (although make sure it’s clean and sanitary!) or a BPA-free insulated bottle like the kind you can pick up at a big box store or from Amazon. According to The Water Project, it’s estimated that up to 80 percent of water bottles in the United States never get recycled. In addition, it takes three times the amount of water that’s in a water bottle to create the bottle in the first place! U.S. landfills are overflowing with two million tons of discarded water bottles alone, according to The Water Project, so getting a reusable, BPA-free water bottle gives the planet — and your bank account – a welcome break.
Paper and Reusable Straws
When stainless steel straws first came out, they seemed like such a good idea. After all stainless steel is resilient, resists corrosion, and is simple to maintain. But the straws kind of clink unpleasantly against your teeth. Now there are rubber stoppers on the ends which are oh-so-much-more-comfortable! The rub is that like any surface, both materials can grow bacteria if not properly cleaned. A scrubbing brush for straws does the trick, and you won’t be adding more plastic refuse to landfills.
Paper straws have caught on with companies like Starbucks, McDonald’s, American Airlines and Goldman Sachs, and the benefits are multiple. Biodegradable drinking straws are a great way to shield the enamel on your teeth while you aid the environment. Replacing the thousands of plastic drinking straws used each day around the world with biodegradable straws can dramatically reduce the amount of plastic in the environment. Check out Aardvark® paper straws if you want to get started – designed specifically to last two-to-three hours and not get soggy or disintegrate.
Consumer…Sustain Thyself!
It takes a certain amount of mindful determination to achieve or even approach a zero-waste lifestyle. Bea Johnson of Zero Waste identified the five Rs of zero waste living as:
– Refuse
– Reduce
– Reuse (and Repair, or vice versa!)
– Recycle
– Rot
Some of the tips available on Biome.com include reducing the amount of plastic products you purchase and opt for free, compostable and recyclable alternatives. Or you could make your own skin care and cleaning products (recipes here).
Energy-efficient appliances minimize the exploitation of natural resources like gas, oil, coal and water and can save you more than $100 a year. The most energy-efficient appliances, according to Energy Save, have innovative money-saving features and are simple choices that enable homeowners to make a difference.
Green Living in Colliers Hill
In the master-planned community of Colliers Hill, families are conscientious about recycling and reusing. And the homes built here from Meritage Homes, Richmond American Homes, and Century Communities are all constructed and finished with an eye toward energy efficiency. Why not explore the amenities and tour the model homes in Colliers Hill and find the ranch-style or two-story design that’s right for you — priced from the high $300s.
