Six Ways to Be Eco-Friendly

Let's face it-we're murdering our Mother Earth. From too much CO2 to throwing away things that can be recycled, we need to change our ways a little bit. So, here are six simple ways to be a lot more green.

1. You probably recycle already, and nearly half of Americans do. But you can take it up a notch. You can recycle your clothes, books, etc. to places that need it. Do you have some old children's/tween books you outgrew? Give them to your local library, to a Boys and Girls Clubnear you, or a second-hand bookstore/Bookin' It (they just might pay you!). Old clothes can go to the Salvation Army, Goodwill, or any other stores. Not too willing to give up your duds? You can go to a Plato's Closet to get paid for your name brands, or go to Clothing Swap to switch clothes with a friend, neighbor, or stranger.
2. Besides wanting to be green, you may also want to be healthy. Healthy AND Eco friendly? Become a vegetarian or a vegan. I know what you may be thinking. You're thinking it's too hard, it will take to much time, etc. So, start off slow. Replace steak with fish or (if you're not allergic) chicken, or some sort of white meat. Since livestock production makes up 20% of the world's greenhouse gases, so by cutting down on meat you're cutting down how much CO2 is produced by you.

[li]Since we've gone into a healthy mode, have another breakthrough: go organic. It's much easier than becoming vegetarian or a vegan... but it can be expensive at times. BUT do not worry: there are ways to convert without coughing up the cash. Where you shop matters. Your local grocery store/Target/Walmart may only sell organic food around Earth Day, but no matter- there is ALWAYS an alterantive. Trader Joe's or Whole Foods are the places to go.
DIY Beatuy Products have the ingredients you can find around your home. Here are some recipes you can follow:
FACE MASK 1:
Ingredients: 1 chopped up banana and 1-2 tbsp of honey
Directions: With a fork or spoon, mash up banana and honey together into a bowl. Let it sit for at least five minutes before applying to face. Avoid eye area. Let it stay there for five-ten mintues before rinsing off. *May clog small drains.
FACE MASK 2
Ingredients: 1/2 cup of Old-Fashioned Oatmeal and 1/2 cup of Plain Yogurt
Directions: In a bowl, mix yougurt and oatmeal as well as smooth as you can get it. Apply to face. Avoid eye are. Let it stay there for five-ten minutes before rinsing. *May clog small drains.
EXFOLIATING SHOWER SCRUB
Ingredients: 1 tsp of sugar and 1 cup olive oil
Directions: Stir together before using. Scrub all over your body, except for sensitive areas. Let shower water rinse off.[/li]

3. Since you're reading this, there's a 99.9% chance you're a fellow Mibban who a) is interested in this topic, b) is bored, c) is stalking me, or d) love to write. Do you mostly write stories, poems, or lyrics in notebooks or journals? Sorry to say, but it is time to convert to computer documents. Although there is the danger of having your computer hacked or destoryed, you can have back-up docs or flashdrives to save the work. Or, post it on this site.
4. Do you have a pet? Is it a cat or a dog? If so, here are some ideas for your pets to be eco-friendly, like you. For Cat Owners, do you have a worn out old sweater you didn't give away? Put it in a basket as a bed for your cat. Use a small plastic storage bin filled with fine sand as a litter box. If you're picky, keep Febreeze near by. Does you cat shed a ridiculous amount of hair? Use an old fine-tooth comb or an old toothbrush(that isn't eletric) to brush the hair out. For Dog Owners, if you're a good dog owner, you probably walk you're dog, even if it does live outside. For poop bags, use empty bread bags. They're the perfect size, and you don't have to spend too much. If you got a really excited dog, here are some toys you can make for it: a tied-up, old sock with no match, a frisbee made from an old coffee can lid, and a potato in a sock or felt sack
5. Plant a tree. It's the easiest thing on here to do.

Now that you have six ways to be green, you could do your own research, or experiment with one of suggestions on this article. Possibilities = endless.