It ain’t easy being green
June 22, 2008
Or is it? It seems that “green” is almost a fashion statement. Going green is so popular you have to make sure that your efforts truly make an impact on the environment and not help increase profits in the marketplace. According to NAPO, the Organizing Authority, “Green consumption aims to reduce or eliminate negative environmental effects, providing a more positive impact to the world environmentally, socially, and economically.” In other words, we need to make wise choices in our purchases and how we discard any unwanted items. But how does “green” and organizing relate?
First, organizing helps you know what it is you have so you don’t make duplicate purchases. Many times people can’t find what they are looking for in their clutter that they spend money purchasing the same item they know they own. More often than not, they wind up finding what they were looking for. Now they have two similar items and a smaller wallet. Duplicate purchases contribute negatively to the environment by the production of and the disposal of yet another item.
Second, scheduling your time and being prepared will help you make wise energy decisions. Planning out your errands will save gas (see my last post). Being prepared by having your cloth bags in the car when you run your errands will make a significant environmental impact. Planning when you do laundry so you do it during off peak hours and doing it when you have full loads will also make significant impacts environmentally. Planning and preparation not only helps the environment but also saves your precious time and money!
Third, being organized keeps you more aware of your time and money so you make wise purchases. If you know how and where your money is spent you are more concious when you spend. When you are making concious decisions, you are also able to be aware of the environmental impact from your purchases. When you are organized you are paying your bills on time and saving money (no more late fees). When you aware of how you spend your money you can see where you can cut back and where you can splurge!
Going paperless for your bills is a fourth way to be organized and environmentally friendly. If you cut back on the statements and bills that come in and go out you are saving millions of trees. If you have your bills on a schedule paying on-line can save you time and money (the costs of stamps is rising as fast as gas)! Also, you can reduce the amount of junk mail that comes in to your home (and the trees that are used for it) by going on to the following websites:
- Catalogues – www.catalogchoice.org/signup
- Junk Mail – www.dmachoice.org/consumerassistance.php
- Credit Card Offers – www.optoutprescreen.com
While organizing you are reducing your clutter, saving money, and saving energy resources, but you also have to be concious of how you dispose of your unwanted/unnecessary items. Before you discard an item, can you repurpose the item in a different area in the home? But don’t hold on to an item just in case one day you may use it. Live in the here and now. Donate, sell, recycle and discard items appropriately. There are many items that wind up in our trash that should be recycled, such as old cell phones, computers, paints, and medicines. Check out your local recycling center for more information on what items they take, you may just be surprised!
For more information on going green check out the following sites:
If we all do our part Kermit will one day be singing a new tune, “It is easy being green”!
