Go green

Tips on how to go green

Some people only get involved in the environment on Earth Day. Don't get me wrong ... every little bit helps. But you can make Earth Day every day by just making a few changes in your daily routine. Not only will you be helping the environment, but you will probably save some money in the long run and live a much happier, healthier life. Here are some ways that you can go green.

Re-Route Your Commute

Walking or biking is ideal to get to your friend's house, run errands or go to school. Not only is this healthy for the environment, but for YOU too. If you have to drive, then try to get a group of friends together to cut down on everyone driving separately. Even if you don't want to admit to trying to help the Earth, you have to agree that traveling in a group is WAY more fun than alone. Not only that, but you can cut down on the cost of gas if everyone chips in.

Recycle Smart

From electronics to clothing, one person's trash is another person's treasure. Everything can be recycled and should be. If your neighbourhood does not do recycling, then petition your county and local governments to get it started. Your school should also recycle and if they don't, talk to the school board. Just one person can make a difference and the result is astounding.
You can do a lot of creative things with your old CDs. For example:
- Make them into a piece of artwork: paint, draw, scratch, hang them on your wall, cut them up into pieces and arrange them into a mosaic...
- Use them as Christmas light reflectors: find bulbs that fit through the center and hang anywhere, or outside for a neat attraction.
- Cover with felt or other fabric and use as a coaster for your coffee.

Don’t throw whatver wherever!!! It takes a lot of time for nature to “digest” our garbage

Paper. 1 year
Cigar tails. 2 years
Soda cans. 10 years
Cardboards. 30 years
Bottle top. 30 years
Cigar package. 30 years
Plastics. 1,000 years
Glass. 4,000 years

Keep your waste until you reach a container. There are enough of them in Prespa.
Whenever possible, select your rubbish into the different recyclable materials. There are not enough of those in Prespa, but the ground is never a good option.
Teach children to be responsible with rubbish.

 And keep in mind that the library in Agios Germanos has a special bin for papers and one for used batteries!!

Save Energy

Use as much natural light as possible. If you use indoor lights, then only use what is necessary. Thinks of the economic bulbs, more expensive at the purchase, they have a much longer life! In any case, if you are stepping out of a room for more than 15 minutes, turn off the lights! Refrigerators eat up the most electricity in the household, so keep it at a normal temperatures. Setting your thermostat a few temperatures higher in the winter and a few temp. lower in the summer can translate to substantial savings on your utility bills.
Also, wash your clothes in cold water whenever possible and use a drying rack or clothesline.

Superhero Plants

Certain greens can help remove indoor air pollutants like formaldehyde and benzene. Don't have the gardening gene? Try it out anyway and see what happens. Aks your parents or friends who know something about the topic to help you.

Buy Used

Whether you've just moved to a new area or are looking to redecorate, consider a service that helps you to track down furniture, appliances, and other items, rather than buying them new. Check out garage sales and thrift stores for clothing and other everyday items. Use your creativity in gift giving, including making homemade gifts, donating to a good cause, or even regifting (and gift green, in general). Your purchasing habits have a real impact, for better or worse.

Green Shopping

Each year, 160 million tons of municipal solid waste is generated. In your lifetime, you will eat
approximately 30 tons of food and throw away 600 times your weight in garbage. By changing even one small area of your buying habits – body care, clothing, food, etc. to more responsible consumption, you make a difference.

1. Why Shop Green?
Shopping green reduces pollution and toxins in the environment, promotes fair treatment for
workers, conserves vital resources, and reduces animal suffering.

2. Does Buying Recycled Really make a Difference?
Yes it does! In the average household generates more than one ton of waste per year, which
on the average includes:
- 4 trees worth of paper
- 270 bottles and jars
- 450 metal cans
- 50 kilograms of plastic

Imagine: If every household replaced just one roll of fiber toilet paper with 100% recycled
tissue, we could save:
- 297,000 trees
- 122 million gallons of water (a year’s supply for 3,500 families of four)

3. Tips for Shopping Green

- Buy products in the largest size you can use. For example: buy cereal in a large box instead of in individual serving sizes, buy juice in concentrates and use reuseable containers instead of single serving packages, buy large packages of sugar, sweets, oil and flour. Also buy CDs in a larger pack instead of individual.
- Buy reusable and long lasting items such as: rechargeable batteries, non-disposable
cameras, cloth towels and napkins, hand razors, high quality/long life tires, coffee mugs, decoration, toys, …
- Shop for clothing that is made from renewable materials such as organic cotton or hemp,
produced locally, union-made, cruelty-free (not made from animals), made with natural dyes, fair trade-produced, and/or recycled.
- Shop for food that is organic, locally grown or processed (support the local economy and avoid transport and so pollution!). Shop vegetables and fruit from the season!
- Hang on to your shopping bags and take some with you when you next go to the supermarket. Or buy a shopping bag made of cotton.
- Hang on to your mobile phone for longer – they’re designed to work for at least 10 years and you don’t need to upgrade every year.

Saving water

More than half of humanity will be living with water shortages, depleted fisheries and polluted coastlines within 50 years because of a worldwide water crisis as we in water-rich countries take our daily showers, water the lawn or laze about in the pool, it's easy to forget that fresh water is a life-or-death issue in many parts of the world.

 About 5 million people die each year from poor drinking water, poor sanitation, or a dirty home environment -- often resulting from water shortage

Did you know...

- water is essential for life and plays a vital role in the proper functioning of the Earth’s ecosystems. The pollution of water has a serious impact on all living creatures,
- we have no choice but to pay more attention to how we are using water, and how we may be wasting it.

Do you think you don’t use that much water? Here’s some quick facts.

- if you were to let the water run for two minutes while you’re brushing your teeth, about 12 to 17 litres of water would have gurgled down the sink.
- a running tap releases about four cups (one litre) of water every ten seconds.
- new toilets use about six to eight litres of water with every full flush. They use about three litres with every half flush. Old toilets may use up to 20 litres when flushing.
- if you have quicker showers (about eight minutes on average), you can use 120 litres or more of water with a regular showerhead. By using a water-efficient low flow showerhead this can be cut to 60 litres or less.
- leaking taps, showerheads and toilets can easily waste an estimated 16,000 litres of water a year.
Tips on how to save water

TOILET

- avoid unnecessary flushing. Don't use the toilet to flush away cigarette butts, tissues and other rubbish.

BATHROOM

- don’t let the water run while shaving, washing your face, or brushing your teeth.
- buy powdered laundry detergents. The liquid versions simply have water added to them, making them a waste of water, money, and packaging.

KITCHEN

- after washing your vegetables and fruits in a big bowl, take the wastewater outside and use it to water your garden.
- if you’re steaming vegetables or cooking pasta, you can water your houseplants or garden with any left over water. This water can even contain nutrients to help your plants grow better. Be sure to let the water cool down first, though!

OUTSIDE

- Use natural rainwater for yard and garden. Stock it thanks to big container…
- Washing the family car with the hose can be a quick and easy way of doing things, but it sure uses a lot of water! The best way is to wash it with a bucket of warm soapy water and a sponge.

You’re In Control

Try to do one thing each day to save water. Don’t worry if the savings are minimal. Every drop counts, and every person can make a difference.

World Water Day is on 22th of March