TAXLEAF takes pride in joining the Green Movement in the business world. We will do our share to be responsible on our planet and we hope you do the same. In doing so, we also hope you can save money along the way.
Here’s a few steps you can easily follow to Join the Cause:
- Transportation
One of the biggest impacts we have on the planet is a direct result of the way we move ourselves around. Fortunately, for many of us, there are a lot of solutions for this problem. You might consider walking, biking or using mass transit, at least a few days a week. Maybe you can convince your boss to let you work from home? Maybe you can carpool with a friend?
If nothing else, you should certainly consider fuel consumption as a major factor in your choice of next vehicle. And when it comes to longer trips, flying is notoriously carbon intensive – so let the train take the strain wherever possible. Find a greener route from A to B with How to Green Your Car, and our Cars and Transportation section.
- Energy Conservation
With all the talk of solar panels, fuel cells, building-integrated wind turbines, and flux capacitors, it can be easy to think you need a million bucks to go green at home. Not so. Many of the most effective ways to cut carbon emissions are also the cheapest. Turn lights off when you go out, install energy efficient bulbs and appliances, insulate your home, and keep an eye on consumption. Once you’ve done all that, why not investigate if you can buy green energy from your local utility?
Great Links for energy Conservation:
- How to Green Your Heating
- How to Green Your Electricity
- Water
Even if you live in areas of abundant rainfall, water is still a major ecological issue. Clean, drinkable water is precious and needs to be used most efficiently. Every drop of tap water we use also requires energy to filter, purify and transport, and that means fossil fuel emissions. And for those of you in dryer areas, you know only too well that water is becoming an ever-scarcer resource.
Here are some easy things you can do:
- Install water-saving shower heads and aerators
- Turn the tap off when you’re brushing your teeth
- Switch to more efficient appliances
- Collect rainwater for use in the garden
Some important links:
- How to Green Your Water.
- Food
We’ve all got to eat, and most of us do it every day. It stands to reason that our collective food choices have a huge impact on the planet, and with the global food industry shipping products further and further around the world, and with farming becoming ever more intensive, this impact is only getting bigger. Fortunately, there is a resistance underway. More and more people are getting interested in sustainable food systems. To bring it back to basics, there are four principles that can help guide you to greener meals: eat local, eat seasonal, eat organic, and finally, eat less meat.
Great Links:
- How to Green Your Meals and the Food and Health category.
- Waste
Not so many years ago, waste was THE environmental issue. If you recycled, you were green. If you didn’t, you weren’t. With so many topics on the environmental agenda these days, things aren’t so simple. But waste is still a big deal. Every item thrown away has taken energy and resources to manufacture and transport, and it will take even more energy and resources to process and dispose of, whether through landfill or recycling.
So we must continue to reduce, reuse, recycle. And don’t forget to compost!
Great Links:
- How to Green Your Recycling
- Freecycle
- Threads & Fabrics
Most folks understand that food, energy, water, and transport are major environmental factors, but what about clothing? Even consumers who always eat organic may happily be wearing garments that were liberally sprayed with noxious chemicals. Cotton is, in fact, one of the most heavily sprayed crops on the planet, so it stands to reason that our choice of clothing can have a major ecological impact. Fortunately, solutions are out there. Organic cotton, and other alternative fabrics like hemp, flax or bamboo are becoming increasingly common, as are high-end fashion items from recycled materials. And then, of course, there are the trusty vintage and thrift stores so beloved by students everywhere–style never goes out of fashion.
Great Links:
- How to Green Your Wardrobe.
- Personal Care
Ever since The Body Shop first hit the high street in the Eighties, there’s been an increased awareness about the impacts of personal care products on both the environment and on our health. Fortunately, there has also been a huge increase in the number of companies providing more sustainable alternatives.
Great Links:
- Guide to Women’s personal care and the Fashion and Beauty
- Furniture & decor
Many of us spend staggering amounts of money on furniture during our lifetime. Buying tropical hardwoods from Amazonian clear-cuts is a poor way to look after our natural heritage, but what are the alternatives? Fortunately, the industry is responding to concerns about its sourcing practices, and stylish furniture from certified, sustainable harvested and/or recycled and salvaged materials is becoming increasingly common.
Great Links:
- Furniture Guide
- Design and Architecture category
- Keep it clean
Now you’ve spent all this time putting your house in order with organic clothing and chemical-free furniture, why douse it in chemicals to keep it clean? Many everyday cleaning products are made up of pretty nasty constituents, yet there are natural alternatives that work just as well.
Great Links:
- How to Green Your Cleaning
Visit our GET GREEN section for more great GREEN links!
Reference: www.treehugger.com/htgg/how-to-go-green-back-to-basics.html
