Are you tired of waste and looking for ways to live a greener life? We have some easy tips to help. At Green Apple Active we constantly strive to live an eco-friendly life. Hence why we love bamboo fabric and most of us are vegan. We know change can be overwhelming but if you start small and work your way to being healthier and greener the transition can be seamless.
Tip #1 – Eat less meat
Reducing your consumption of meat can make a huge difference on the environment and your body. A few Green Apple Active team members recently cut meat out of their diet or now eat much less (i.e. only some organic/farm raised meat products) due to health issues. The results were astounding. For example, our nails got healthier, our stomachs felt happier and our energy levels skyrocketed. We found great replacements for meat, like tofu, garbanzo beans and seitan. Did you know that 30%+ of the Earth’s surface is being utilized to raise livestock? That means, based on a United Nations study, that the livestock industry accounts for more than 9% of CO2 deriving from people, but produces a larger share of more harmful greenhouse gases. So, when you are reducing your meat consumption you are essentially supporting an important step in reducing the overall emission of GWP gases. Not to mention freeing up land that will give us more space for growing fruits, veggies and recreation!
Tip #2 - Use paper less and recycle
Living in this digital time it’s easy to go without using paper. The less paper you use the less paper needs to be produced which = more trees grow = better air quality. If we simply recycle one ton of paper we can save 17 trees, based on EPA stats. If you must use paper please recycle and use only recycled paper, after all 40% percent of municipal solid waste is a paper product…that’s a lot. Also know that it takes less energy to create paper through recycled and used sheets. Recycling is not hard and one of the best ways to live green, so start now.
Tip #3 – Reduce plastic use
These days most of the places you shop offer canvas bag alternatives for a low cost. It’s important to embrace the concept of bringing your own reusable bag or buy one from your local grocer. This is a huge step toward saving our planet and going green. Canvas bags are stronger than plastic or paper bags and can hold more goods. They also can have multiple uses, for example, store or pack items when moving, use it for work, take it to the park to carry toys, games, etc. for you and the kids (if you have them!). Have a pet? Use the bags for picking up their waste! If you don’t use canvas bags, reusing plastic bags is a great way to live eco-friendly.
Tip #4 – Save on light and electricity
The next time you need to replace a light bulb do so with a green, fluorescent light. CFL bulbs last more than 5x times longer. Additionally they use much less electricity than regular incandescent light bulbs. They are brighter as well, which means you might able to get away with using less lights and electricity in your home…bonus! Not to mention this saves you money in the long run so don’t forget next time a light burns out.
Tip #5 – Reduce home energy usage
We can reduce energy in many ways at home, which leads to smaller bills for you and more money for other green living needs. You can start this process by lowering your thermostat in the winter and bumping it up in the summer. Check your water heater, too. Many times this is set to be at scolding temps and that will drive up your bill when it’s 100% not necessary (but the utility companies do not want you to know that). You should also unplug appliances when they aren’t being used—have you heard of vampire electricity? Look it up! We also recommend that you wash clothes on cold unless you can’t for some reason because more than 80% of energy used to machine-wash clothes goes to heating the water, yikes. Also try using a drying rack or clothesline to dry your clothes.
Tip #6 - Reduce water usage
Being from California where we are in a never-ending drought this is particularly important to us. We must work to reduce the amount of water we waste. First, start by not buying plastic bottles of water. Invest in a Nalgene bottle and Brita. Be mindful of how long you are in the shower and install a low-flow shower head. The investment you will make in a low-flow shower head will be worth it when you receive your next water bill, trust us. If you have pets use the dirty water in their bowls to water houseplants before you just dump it in the sink. Install a system like this at home to save rainwater; again it will save you money in the end. These are just a few of many tips!
Tip #7 – Wear organic fabric over synthetic (of course ;))
We all wear bamboo here at Green Apple Active. We use organic bamboo and cotton to make our Mother Earth-friendly active bottoms. The process to make our collections is not easy, nor did it happen over night. After more than 35 years of research and care put into what we do, we are proud to bring green, organic active bottoms to our customers, friends, and family. Read our recent blog here to learn more about how synthetic clothes are not only killing our plant but also damaging our skin. Remember to look at labels and who a company is before you buy—support green companies and just so no to synthetics.
OK friends! Let us all make 2016/2017 years of change and green living! You can make a difference throughout the world when you make small eco-friendly changes. Living a greener lifestyle doesn’t have to be difficult. If you want to learn more reach out to us, we are always here to help you live healthier, greener and smarter!
Cheers,
Green Apple Active Team
