More Ways to Go Green - Tips from Mom Bloggers

There were so many great tips and comments for the week of the Blog Party that I've still got more to share.

Mnmom offered these tips for More Ways to Go Green:

1. Have been switching all lamps to compact fluorescent.
2. Use my own bags at the grocery
3. Keep the thermo at 68, even in frigid MN winters.
4. Use the back of paper in the printer. Rarely does anything need to have it's own clean sheet.
5. Use reusable gift bags for ALL holiday gifts. No more wrapping paper in our house!
6. Brooms only - no leaf blowers
7. We designed our yard to be mowed without needing an edger
8. Keep our tire pressure up and the oil changed regularly in our old clunker.

Even More Ways of Going Green came from Michelle.

Here are highlights Michelle's recent blog on no brainer ideas for moms to start going green around the home.

1. Go Unplugged.
Try unplugging appliances and electronics like the toaster, coffeemaker, or DVD player when you are not using them.

2. No to the Flow
Turn off the water while you brush your teeth.

3. Be a Bag Lady
There is no reason to use plastic or even paper bags to shop anymore. Besides the enormous environmental impact they have, green bags are easier to carry, especially with kids in tow, they are virtually unbreakable, and they just look nicer too.

4. Keep it cool baby.
Adjust your thermostat. For every degree you lower the thermostat in the winter months, or raise it in the summer months, you can cut your energy bill and usage by about 4%!

5. Fill 'er Up
Try buying hand soap, shampoo, dish soap in bulk and refilling the bottles you have instead of throwing them away and buying new ones each time. It saves money too.

6. Shut it off
Don't leave your car running. First of all, it's just not safe and from an environmental standpoint, you are cutting down on your emissions by turning it off.

7. Lights Out
Turn the lights off when you leave a room. Take advantage of the extended daylight hours in the summertime and leave the lights off for as long as possible and let the natural light in.

8. Buy Smart, Save Big
The next time you are shopping for a new appliance for your house, invest in one of the Energy Star, high efficiency appliances. Purchasing Energy Star appliances is worth the cost.

9. Cold Turkey & Air Drying
Try washing all of your laundry, or as much as possible anyway, in cold water. Up to an astonishing 90% of the energy used to do a wash of laundry comes from heating up the water.

Don't forget the dryer. Install a clothesline and hang your clothes outside to dry.

10. Pick It Up
Don't litter and please teach your kids not to litter as well. So please, dispose of your trash properly, and please recycle whatever and wherever you can!