Friday, December 4, 2009

Going Green in the Winter White Months

Hey green readers!

So the temperatures are quickly dropping, and staying there. We've talked about how you can green on holidays, during fall football tailgates, and in your fashion choices, but now I'll tell you how you can be green during the Wintertime. 

First, let's start with what to do with your car. One website I found, About My Planet, has some really interesting ideas. Most people warm up their car while waiting inside in order to stay warm. But if you think about that, its not the most environmentally efficient practice. The emissions from your car are not good for our planet.
One idea the website had is to use an ice scraper to de-frost your windows. One, that will eliminate the ice on your windshield, and two, your hard work can warm you up.  Or, it also suggested to place a piece of cardboard on your windshield before going in, that can help prevent you from having to scrape later. 

A TreeHugger survey says 27% of the people polled keep their house thermostat between 67 and 69 degrees in the winter. The second highest group is 26% under 60 degrees. To help keep your house warm, and your heating requirement minimal, place towels at the base of outside doors keeping cold air from seeping in. Only heat the rooms you need. Heat your living room during the day, and your bedroom at night. Use a heating blanket to warm the bed before you get in, or use throughout the night to keep warm, and keep the heat low. Also, wear more layers inside to call for less use of heat. 

Using salt on your sidewalks can help prevent you from falling when walking to your car, but all that salt usage can add up to a bad effect on the environment. Well, an alternative is the ashes from your wood fireplace. The ashes can make great fertilizer for a garden, but what do you with it in the winter? It can give traction between feet and ice instead of using salt. But be sure to use a metal container to take them outside so there will be no chance of starting another fire by using a plastic one. 

One website even suggested winterizing your bike. Use wide tires, take wide roads, keep your hands warm, and know when the weather is too bad to bike. 

There's also a way students specifically can go green during their winter break. After finals are over, projects are done, and books are packed away, there's a lot of paper that usually just gets thrown away. Be sure to recycle all over your notes, spirals, and test papers. When preparing for next semester, be sure to look if you classes book is offered online as an E-book. 

Two other ideas are: move furniture off vents in your home and eat soup to keep your body temperature up.

Keep Warm!

-Christy

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