It's not easy being green

Kermit was all in the know. He knew way before his time that it was just much "cooler" to be green. However, not everyone agreed with him. Remember his song "It's not easy being green"?

Living green is a lot more difficult than it seems. Between relying on corporations and local governments to enforce rules on green, it takes planning and careful decision making to "be green".

Here are ten simple tips that everyone can add into their every day life to make those small steps towards achieving sustainability a lot easier.

1. Recycle your newspapers and junk mail by taking advantage of local churches and schools "Green bins" if you don't already have neighborhood paper pickup. Ask your local county or township about special bins for recylables.

2. Lower your thermostat or buy a programmable thermostat. Use low-flow faucets, showerheads, and toilets. Buy compact fluorescent light bulbs, turn off lights and electronics when you leave the room. Unplug chargers and turn off surge protectors when not in use (especially overnight).

3. Purchase plastic or glass containers for packing kids lunch boxes. Have you heard of Bento boxes? Attempt to pack all lunches in something that can be rinsed/washed out easily. Get rid of ziplocks and such disposable items. Make it your challenge to replace those items.

4. Use cloth napkins and dish towels instead of napkins and paper towels. Avoid sponges and use cloths designed for reusability for washing dishes. Wash dishes the "old fashioned" way instead of using the dishwasher. Save the dishwasher for when you have company and extra dishes.

5. Now most stores provide reusable bags you can purchase, even giving you a discount for recyling your bags. Take advantage of this and bring back your own bags to the grocery store.

Check out your local produce markets for better quality and less chance of chemical. You'll find better "in season" varieties too.

6. Google the many home uses for vinegar, borax, and baking soda. They do amazing things for you and cost a lot less than most cleaning agents!

7. Teach your kids good home practices like turning off water when brushing teeth, shutting doors immediately (when running air or heat).

8. Find ideas online on how to reuse common every day objects in amazing ways. It's fun!

9. Give away unwanted items (try your local yahoo group for recycle, reuse aka Freecycle)

10. Plant a tree or invest in something green....think about things that last...