When you're trying to be green, little choices can really add up. These printable tip sheets will help you greenify your life, little by little. Tack them up where you'll see them — on the fridge, by the garbage, in your bedroom, at school!
To save paper, you can read the lists below and memorize them. If you print them, print on the back of used paper, of course!
Click here to get these tips as a handy-dandy, two-page thing.
- Buy organic food. Who wants to eat chemicals for dinner?
- Buy fair trade stuff if you can. Do you know who made your food? Or if they got paid a fair wage?
- Buy locally grown. Do you know where the food in your fridge came from? Less travel means less gas.
- Grow your own food. Did anything in here come from your garden?
- Eat less meat. You can still eat it but do you really need it that often?
- Recycle your old milk cartons.
- Compost your food scraps. Know any hungry worms? Or got a corner of the yard to spare?
- Recycle everything your town or city takes. Don't let it take up space in the landfill!
- Cook just enough food for your family to eat. Did you really need to make that much? Smaller portions can still be healthy.
- Try to reuse your trash in another way. Are you sure its life is really over?
- Buy things with less packaging. Why buy it if you're just throwing it out?
- Think about organic fabrics. Are any of your clothes made organically?
- Downsize your closet. Do you really need five blue sweaters?
- Craving new clothes? Swap with your friends or buy ones secondhand.
- Something worn out? Think about what else you can make out of the cloth.
- Do you really need that many toys or clothes? Give some away, or trade with your friends.
- Turn off the stuff you're not using, like the TV and computer. Why waste electricity?
- If it's off, why does it need to be plugged in? Unplug that stuff too.
- Change to energy efficient light bulbs. They're cool-looking and save money!
- Haven't you seen that TV show already? Go outside and use your own power to play!
- Take showers instead of baths. Who wants to sit in their own dirt anyway?
- Turn the water off while you brush your teeth. That's clean water going right down the drain!
- Turn the water off while you wash your hair. Turn it back on to rinse.
- Reuse your bath water. Collect it from the shower or sink. Your garden will thank you.
- Do you really need to flush when it's just pee? If it's yellow, just be mellow.
- Any nasty chemicals in all that shampoo and make-up your family has? Do some investigating.
- Walk if you can. You've got legs and you're not afraid to use 'em!
- Ride your bike if you can. It's faster than walking and just as green!
- Carpool. Two passengers are better than one. And more is even better than that.
- Take the bus if you can. It's the ultimate carpool!
- If you have to drive, don't leave the car idling. Pollution? Yuck.
- Save used paper for scrap and notes. The backs are totally clean — use the other side.
- Make sure all your classmates recycle their paper. Challenge other classes to a Recycle Contest. Who can recycle the most?
- Can your school use less paper for notes home? Use email instead! Ask your teacher.
- In the cafeteria, only take as much as you can eat.
- If you bring your lunch, use reusable containers instead of making more garbage every day. Same for water. Don't bring throwaway bottles.
- Plant trees or flowers around your school during recess. Everyone will thank you in the spring!
