Spend more time observing and enjoying the natural world and your own inner nature. Visit swimming holes, forests, mountains, prairies, deserts and ocean beaches to take in the majesty of wildness and nature. By reconnecting with your environment, you will find yourself intuitively coming up with ways to go green.
Arrange your life so you have the time to walk or bike to get to work or to run errands. Put a basket and saddlebags on your bike and wear a comfortable backpack made of recycled materials to carry your things with you. You will get the added benefit of becoming more healthy from increasing exercise.
Stop buying products in disposable containers with disposable packaging. Instead of buying disposable razors, buy a razor that allows you to replace the blades. Buy food in bulk, and use jars or other reusable containers to store the food. Start a compost pile for food waste to avoid sending more to landfills.
When building a home or adding on to your current one, use green building techniques. Plan your home with passive solar warming in mind. Put solar panels or wind turbines on your roof along with a solar water heating system. Use straw bale, cob and rammed earth techniques to construct eco-friendly buildings.
Instead of using notebooks, journals and printed memos, make the commitment to take notes, write journal entries and communicate important information via computer. Print on both sides of each page when you must make photocopies to save almost half the amount of paper you would use when printing on one side only.
Consider purchasing a hybrid car to save on gas and produce less harmful emissions. Get your vehicle regular tune-ups and oil changes to keep it running well at maximum efficiency. Repair any leaks to keep destructive chemicals from finding their way into local water systems. Leave the air-conditioning power off to take some stress off your engine and improve gas mileage.
Plant trees around your house to provide shade and keep the sun off air-conditioning units. Trees help to enrich and filter the air, prevent soil erosion and provide a habitat for birds, squirrels and other animals. Volunteer to plant trees with local organizations a couple days a year.
Make sure to set aside paper, plastics, glass and metal for recycling instead of throwing things in the trash. Make new uses for old items you have instead of throwing them away and buying new things. Return plastic bags to stores that accept them for recycling.
Check online listings and auction sites for high-quality used items at discount prices. Buy used books, cars, DVDs, CDs, electronics, computers, furniture and other goods to lessen the demand for producing new items. Before making purchases of new items, try to find a way to buy a high-quality used item instead.
Purchase downloadable MP3s and rent movies instead of buying them to avoid creating more waste. Instead of buying disposable razors, buy a razor that allows you to replace the blades. Use refillable lighters and large plastic water bottles instead of purchasing disposable versions. Find ways to stop buying anything disposable.