Going Green Does NOT Mean you have to Spend Your Green
You cannot be anywhere in America today and have failed to learn about, hear about or take part in the “Go Green” movement that has gone mainstream and continues to dominate pop culture discussion. It seems like everywhere I turn there is a push to turn off lights, recycle, be more energy efficient, etc. But, the one thing that bothers about “Going Green” is spending your green (money) to take part in the movement. Let’s face it, our economy is in such bad shape that in the past few weeks I have had to choose between food and fuel a few more times than I would have liked to. With mounting student loans and that pesky rent bill every month, I just cannot dish out that $26,500 for that new Ford Hybrid. Now, while that is on the extreme side of things, even those $10 reusable grocery bags have no place in my already penny-pinching budget. So, what is a 20 something, who is low on fund and food to do to “Go Green” while spending no green?
Here are some interesting ways to go green:
Don’t Flush Condoms
While I encourage everyone to practice safe sex and award brownie points to those who use condoms, they can also wreak havoc on our environment if not disposed of correctly. Environmental experts say that after you get down, DON’T flush condoms down the toilet. Instead, wrap it up in toilet paper or paper towel, throw it into a paper bag and send them to the landfill with the rest of your biodegradable trash. Why is this you ask? Well, latex is not biodegradable under water and can end up contaminating local lakes, rivers and oceans!
Re-Use Toilet Paper
We all know that in high school or college, when a big sporting event comes up, most athletes will wake up to their houses, apartments or cars being toilet-papered. Well, while this used to be the biggest pain to clean, change your outlook and realize this is free TP! Get outside and pick those plies out of the branches and bushes and use them, do not throw them away. After all, it is not everyday that someone happens to drop 20 free TP rolls at your door!
Recycle your Urine
Swiss scientists are coordinating a project entitled DrinkPee. People who are willing to participate in this pioneering biological waste treatment project will get a DIY kit to turn their pee in to fertilizer and will be taught how their treated pee can be used to grow vegetables and fruits in their own home. Interested participants who are eager to see the possibilities that lie in their pee should visit: www.submersibledesign.com/drinkpee/. By recycling your pee, water treatment plants will cut down energy use trying to get Nitrogen and phosphates out of the water that pee puts there. Also, urine is toxic to fish—so if your pee ends up in a body of water, you could contribute to an ecosystem’s downfall.
Pee in the Shower
Some very eco-friendly bloggers out there have networked to promote people peeing while showering. Not only will you save a flush, but you do not have to worry about toilet paper either. And, do not worry about hygiene. Since human urine is bacteria free, do not worry about cleaning up after you shower. Having doubts…well, any shampoo or body soap you use would destroy any leftover urine worries festering in your mind.
Turn Beer and Wine Bottles into Vases & Home Decor
On your way home from work Friday night you decide to pick up that 6 pack of Coronas or that $14.99 bottle of Prosecco Brut that you plan on being at the business end of for the remainder of the night. When this fun night is over you realize you have glass bottles that need to be recycled….but your building/neighborhood does not pick up recyclables. Uh oh! Don’t despair, rinse these out and put your favorite blooms inside, make sand art inside of them or put your spare change here. Apply this to other empty glass jars too. Very tres chic!
Re-Wear Yesterday’s Clothes
So you think your Seven jeans and skivvies are dirty after wearing them for a few hours or to your 9 am class? Think again! Instead of wasting water and throwing a few things in the wash—which uses about 10 gallons of water for a full cycle—get more use out of them by wearing them 2-3 times before cleaning. And, after you are done washing, take advantage of the rising temperatures and air dry your clothes. Remember, you are never too good to bust out a clothes line!
Compost Pet Poo
Your best friend Fido can also help you become more eco-friendly. According to www.cityfarmer.org, (which provides a 6-step process for composting dog and cat poop), if you scoop your poop into a garbage can-lined hole in the garden or soil area you have access to, within 48 hours the waste biodegrades and flows into the subsoil. In doing this, the soil is fertilized and plastic bags are not wasted picking up or disposing of pet poo.
Don’t Use your Toilet as a Trash Can
Kleenex. Dryer lint. Q-Tips. These are just a few of the things that end up in toilets around the globe. But, remember, your toilet is not a trash can people. Every time you flush that toilet you are wasting 1.6 gallons of water. And remember, condoms count in this category too.