7 simple ways to go green

We don’t need to go to extremes to start living a green life.
 Turning more environment-friendly is something we need to slowly intersperse into our lives and our homes.
Let's follow these simple steps to get on board the green movement and see how it affects the way we live and the way we treat the earth.

Unplug.

When we’re through using that table lamp, computer or iPod dock, let's take a few extra seconds to unplug them from their sockets.
 This can shave off a substantial amount from our electricity bill and leave us with considerably lighter energy expenditure as well.

(*At home, this is a 'standard procedure' in our family already ~ to unplug all appliances and electric gadgets when not in use, especially when we're leaving on a trip!) ☺

Try to shop secondhand.

Reduce, reuse, recycle —
the three magic words that back-up the wonderfully colorful world of vintage accessories and furniture pieces.
 Let's look through our lola's (grandmother’s) attic, survey the secondhand shops in and around the city
 (in Manila, I know there's a lot ~ my favorites are the ones in Evangelista St. and Cinema Square),
 or deal directly with antique dealers for valuable finds.
 Whether we decide to spruce up old furniture with a fresh coat of paint or new fabric, or decide to keep their dusky, musty quality by leaving them untouched, not only are these pieces rich in history, they save us a buck or two and do well to reduce our carbon footprint.

Turn off the aircon.

Let's consider giving up the AC now that rainy nights and cool breezes are upon us.
Let's maximize the natural ventilation by making use of our windows — not only do well-planned homes introduce winds into our abode throughout the day, they also reduce our need for artificial lighting by letting natural sunlight in.
 If you’re living in a pre-designed home that didn’t benefit from a well-planned layout, consider using an electric fan before reverting directly to air-conditioning.

Go organic.

They may have a higher price tag, but shifting the products we use to stock our pantry and bathroom to more natural items can do good for the earth and our health as well.

 When it comes to items in our bedrooms, living areas and dining rooms, let's source them from local crafters using native materials such as fibers, leaves and weaves.

 Let's support locally-made products and give our space a distinctively earthy feel as well.

Watch your water.

While in the shower, let's turn off the water while giving ourself a good scrubbing or let's make sure no water is running while we’re brushing our teeth.

 Being mindful of our water consumption can make a huge difference in how much of our resources we save as opposed to how much we waste.

Go, grow and glow.

Whether it’s creating our own potted herb garden in our backyard or filling our home with flower-filled vases, merging the indoors with the outdoors is one way of rediscovering the beauty of nature.

Don’t leave a paper trail.

Let's use our mom’s old tea towels and cloth napkins instead of buying paper towels.

Let's just wash and air dry it for a completely environment-friendly ritual.

Let's go green!!! ☺