Eco-Friendly Products

A number of people mistakenly believe that making some "green" choices in their lives will involve a drastic change in their lifestyle. Fortunately, they are wrong. Going green simply involves making different choices. We all have a lot going on in our lives and can't afford to do things that take a lit of extra time and work. Going green doesn't have to. Here are a few quick and easy things you can do to start living a little greener without making big changes to your lifestyle.

First, start using reusable shopping bags in place of paper or plastic. Reusable bags are relatively inexpensive but are durable enough to last for years. As soon as you get in the habit of using reusable bags, you'll wonder what took you so long. Beyond their environmental benefits, most people simply find reusable bags much easier to use. They're bigger and easier to carry, resulting in fewer trips to the car to bring in groceries. Paper and plastic bags release toxins into the world throughout their lifetime and recycling them is often so expensive that it isn't done.

Second, buy some CFLs (compact florescent lights) to use when your current incandescent light bulbs burn out. Simply put, they save energy which results in less energy costs for you as well as reduced pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. And the best part is that it's just as easy to flip a light switch with a CFL in the socket as it is with an incandescent bulb.

Switching to CFLs can save energy and the environment

Finally, start buying locally grown organic foods. We all know what it feels like to run out of produce mid-week because it won't stay fresh long enough. Beyond the environmental benefits, one of the best things about locally grown produce is that it will stay fresh longer because it's spent less time traveling from the farm to your house.

So there you have it. Three easy things we can all do to have a positive environmental impact. None of these things involves any more time or effort than we're already using, they simply involve making different decisions. Choose a reusable grocery bag instead of a plastic one, a CFL instead of an incandescent bulb, and locally grown food instead. Next time you're in a position to make an eco-friendly choice, go for it with the understanding that it really isn't an inconvenience.