I started a little series on ways to green your daily routine before the holidays started. And then I got caught up with holiday-related posts for a long time. Now that things have calmed down again, though, I’m coming back to this.
The first piece was on how to green your morning routine. So, naturally, this one is on how to green your daytime routine.
#1 – Eat vegetarian (or vegan), organic, and local.
Of course, most of us eat in the daytime, and given that there is a huge difference in the ecological impact of different foods, choosing the greenest option can make a world of difference.
As I discussed in the first part of this series, eating vegetarian, vegan, organic, and local are the way to go.
#2 – Unplug.
Before you leave for work or school, make sure you unplug major electrical devices that don’t need to be plugged in. Yes, the unplugging process is actually in the morning (if you are on a more or less normal schedule), but the effect is throughout the day.
Along the same lines, don’t leave lights on you don’t need. Lights are often especially overused during the day.
#3 – Don’t drive around when not needed.
Of course, I recommend biking or using transit for all purposes. But even if you drive, one easy way to green your life (and make it a little more relaxed) is to make sure you are combining trips and not driving all throughout the day.
Especially if you have the opportunity to walk or bike some places during the day (instead of driving there), this is a great way to stay healthy and help the environment at the same time.
In addition to combining trips, carpooling is a great way to green your daily routine too!
#4 – Use permanent cups and utensils.
Don’t cut down forests or pollute the environment by using disposable products every day.
Bring your own mug, coffee condoms, containers, utensils, etc to work and even to Starbucks or for takeout if you don’t mind getting a few questions here and there about it. (No shame in being a little sensible and green, yeah?)
#5 – Hang out your laundry.
Using the dryer is a big energy suck. Skip it. People did for centuries. Find a nice place to hang out your laundry and let it air dry throughout the day.
Stay tuned for ways to green your evening/nighttime routine.
More suggestions? Stick ‘em in the comments below! I’m sure there are more good ideas out there.
Recognized globally as an electric vehicle, solar energy, and energy storage expert, I am the director and chief editor of Cleantechnica. I’m also the president of Important Media and the director & founder of EV Obsession and Solar Love.
