Green Summer

By Melinda Toussaint

Because this is my last blog post I wanted to provide you with some last tips for making this summer a green one. Here are five ways to green your summer:

1. Download your music. Summer is a time for music. With concerts, new CD releases, and music festivals you can save a ton of money by downloading your music. By using a medium like iTunes you are not only saving yourself money, but also the environment. CD packaging is often made with polyvinyl chloride which does not recycle easy. By downloading you also reduce the amount of CD packaging that ultimately ends up in landfills. Listen to your music with ease by knowing you helped save the Earth and your wallet.

2. Turn off power sources. Summer is the time to spend outdoors, therefore when you are enjoying the sun… make sure to turn off all power strips and electronics that are sucking up energy and increasing your utility bills. Things like TVs, DVD players, computers, or coffee makers should be turned off while you are outside, not home, or just going to sleep.

3. Drink tap water. We have stated this before, but in times of hot weather we tend to consume more liquids, especially water. By drinking tap water or using a Brita water filter you will save tons of money on bottled water. Don’t encourage companies to make a priceless public resource a commodity! Even expensive, eco-friendly plastic bottles can leak contaminants into your water. Not to mention that millions of water bottles are clogging landfills each year.

4. Open your doors. Before turning on your energy sucking AC, open all your doors and windows to give fresh air a chance to ventilate your home. Fresh air feels great, helps the plants grow in your home, and is FREE! You can’t top free!

5. Green barbeques. Summer is the time to drag out your barbeque again and grill out. Hotdogs, brats, and burgers are an American tradition during summer; therefore let’s make it a green tradition. According to Move, Inc., “Nationwide, the estimated 60 million barbecues held on the Fourth of July alone consume enough energy in the form of charcoal, lighter fluid, gas, and electricity to power 20,000 households for a year.”

Traditional charcoal briquettes give off more carbon monoxide than any other form of grilling. One way to switch to a more environmentally friendly grill is to use a cleaner electric or propane grill. However, if you can’t give up that charcoal taste, switch to lump charcoal rather than briquettes. Imagine the decrease in harmful toxins emitted during summer if all Americans switched to an electric grill.

Think of ways you can save money and the environment this summer. Now is the best time to enjoy the environment around you… why not save it too!