www.GreenCoalition-SJV.org

There are three basic premises to green living. REDUCE, REUSE AND RECYCLE.

Green is not a trend, nor should it be construed as being hip. Being green is living it. As a matter of fact, some of us don’t need to be reminded of being green, if green means to conserve and not be wasteful; to be frugal rather than lavish. People who are naturally “green”, or choose to live green, find it easier to adapt to the ever changing circumstances of life. For example, consumers who are always mindful of their fuel consumption are the ones who choose to buy and drive cars that give better mileage. Homeowners, who watch their utility bills, wash only full loads of dishes and clothes. People who make this kind of choices early on are naturally green and are slightly affected by the drastic changes in gas prices, the threat of water supply or higher utility charges. Green is a way of life. It is not only good for the environment, it also helps us save money and at times improve our health. Here are some practical tips to make your life greener:

1. Use Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs instead of the heat generating incandescent bulbs. CFL’s are toxic. When disposing, place them first in a tight plastic container before throwing in the trash bin

2. Take short showers instead of baths. This will help conserve our water and control your water utility bill.

3. Keep a 2 gallon bucket by your shower. While waiting for your hot water to come on, direct the cold water into the bucket. Use for flushing or watering yard.

4. Multiple short trips use twice as much fuel when driving. Combine these trips into one.

5. Program your home computer into hibernate or sleep mode when not in use and turn it off at night to save power.

6. In the San Jacinto Valley, plant drought resistant trees and plants. Replace your grass lawn with decompose granite recyclable pavers.

7. To prevent waste and pollution, take your own cloth bag when shopping instead of using the store provided plastic bags. Plastic bags can be toxic and may take up to 1,000 years to break down.

8. Get a bike and ride it to do short errands. This not only saves you money from expensive fuel prices, but is also good for your health. Wear your helmet!

9. Look into buying electric cars especially if you live in a cul-de- sac community like the San Jacinto Valley. Otherwise, explore hybrids or certified natural gas vehicles.

10. If you are looking into more creative and practical solutions, products and design to make your home or office more efficient, or simply making a change to a green lifestyle contact the This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for resources.