Environment

1. Use cotton or recycled bags when shopping

2. Switch to energy efficient appliances

3. Shut off lights

4. Unplug appliances when not in use

5. Use natural products for cleaning

6. Make sure your home and car are in good repair

7. Use both sides of a sheet of paper

8. Dispose used batteries at proper disposal facilities

9. Consider composting

10. Walk to the store

11. Consider the amount of packaging when making your purchases

12. Consider alternatives to air travel, or purchase carbon offset credits

13. Use your own travel mug for your morning beverage

14. Consider car pooling or public transport

15. Gerbera daisies, peace lilies, and English ivy are good protection against benzene and trichloroethylene

16. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs rather thanincandescent

17. Install window energy conservation kits to reduce air drafts

18. Use a programmable thermostat

19. Ensure your faucets and toilets don’t leak

20. Fill up your dishwasher before using and run at off-peak hours

21. Consider refillable pens and mechanical pencils rather than disposable ones

22. Bring lunch to work in a reusable container, rather than a disposable bag

23. Keep a scrap paper pile of misprinted or unnecessary documents to print, write, or scribble

24. Consider purchasing a mesh or cloth coffee filter asopposed to disposable ones

25. Combine errands to reduce the amount of driving

26. Donate items no longer used to charitable organizations

27. Reuse the plastic containers provided with take-out food

28. Support local farmers

29. Buy clothing made from natural fibres, like cotton, hemp, wool, and made with all-natural dyes

30. Be conscious about the waste produced

31. Avoid using plastic water bottles

32. Never microwave or freeze plastic containers

33. Don’t throw away toxic household waste (paint, paint thinner, car oil, and the like); call your garbage service provider

34. Buy food in bulk to avoid excess packaging

35. Use specific containers for plastic, paper, and non-recyclable items

36. Use rechargeable batteries instead of regular batteries

37. Read the nutritional information before purchasing items at the grocery store

38. Use soaps and shampoos made with natural ingredients

39. Take shorter showers

40. Turn off water while brushing teeth

41. Plant native plants during the summer that require no watering

42. Install a solar electric or solar hot water system

43. Do community gardening in public places or your own backyard

44. Support publications that use recycled paper

45. Barter goods and services

46. Keep your yard free of pesticides or herbicides

47. Write a letter and let your voice be heard

48. Air out your dry cleaning or choose a company that doesn’t use perchloroethylene

49. Challenge schools, businesses, and neighbours to aconservation contest

50. Ask your supervisor to devise a “workplace travel plan” which rewards people that leave their cars at home