(ARA)
– While “going green” may seem
like a marketing fad or a
throwback to the ‘60s, it really
is nothing more nor less than
living mindfully and giving
careful thought to what we
consume and how it affects our
environment.
If that still sounds too new-agey
for you, think about it in these
concrete terms: going green can
save you money while at the same
time providing cleaner,
healthier alternatives to the
products you use on a daily
basis.
“Even though it may seem like
the things one individual can do
don’t have a big impact, those
little efforts can really add
up,” says Glenda Lehman Ervin of
Lehman’s, a company specializing
in old-fashioned, high-quality
merchandise.
The company’s catalog has
everything from canning supplies
to a solar-powered attic fan.
But going green doesn’t mean you
have to dramatically change your
lifestyle. “The more you think
in terms of going green, the
more ways you’ll find to
incorporate it into your
day-to-day life,” says Lehman
Ervin. She also stresses that
going green can make your life
simpler in the long run. Lehman
Ervin offers the following
examples of how going green can
easily fit into your busy life.
* Switch to nontoxic cleaning
products. “Many people assume
that because these products are
sold in grocery stores without
any warning labels that they’re
safe,” says Lehman Ervin. “If
they were safe, your eyes
wouldn’t water from the fumes
and you wouldn’t have to wear
gloves to protect your hands
while you use them.” You can buy
nontoxic products or make your
own. Lehman’s sells “The
Naturally Clean Home,” a great
reference book for cleaning your
home safely. You’ll also find a
selection of natural cleaning
products.
* Recycle your trash. In many
communities, recycling is as
simple as putting your
newspaper, glass and metal into
the appropriate container and
leaving it out with the weekly
garbage pickup.
* Compost your food waste.
“Nothing is better for your
garden than compost,” says
Lehman Ervin. You can build your
own bin for composting; after
that, just add kitchen scraps
layered with grass clippings,
leaves and other organic
materials and let nature take
its course.
* Minimize the use of appliances
with a heating element. For
example, hang clothes to dry and
let your dishes air dry instead
of using the dry cycle on your
dishwasher. Lehman Ervin uses
the accordion wall rack from the
catalog to dry some of her
family’s clothes. The rack
mounts flush against the wall,
but extends 34 inches, for
plenty of drying space when you
need it.
* If you are considering
replacing your washing machine,
look at buying a front loading
machine instead of a top loading
one. “Front loading machines use
less detergent, less water and
do less damage to clothes,” says
Lehman Ervin. An added benefit
is that clothes come out of the
washing machine drier, requiring
less time (and less energy) in
the dryer.
“Some of these solutions take a
little forethought, but don’t
really require much work,” says
Lehman Ervin. “After a while,
habits like these just become
second nature and you won’t even
think about it before you turn
the water off while you’re
brushing your teeth or use both
sides of a piece of paper for
your to-do list.”
For products that can help you
go green, visit
www.lehmans.com.
Courtesy
of ARA Content
