Inspire Going Green

There is a double meaning for this post: going green for St. Patrick's Day, and going green for the environment. St. Patrick's Day is this upcoming Saturday and spring is just around the corner (even though the weather outside has another opinion).

(photo/thoughtco.com)

Spring is often the time of the year when people think about "going green." Spring is a new season of life and when the earth seems to be "reborn." Flowers bloom, the weather is a little nicer, and everyone begins to recover from the winter blues. If I ever get married, I want to plan an April wedding because just like the weather is changing for the better, I would be starting a new season of life.

There are so many ways to go green and help the environment. Below is a list of ways you can give back to the beautiful world you live in:

(photo/awarenessideas.com)

• Reduce Your Waste: This is often the most popular and easiest way to go green. Reduce the amount of waste you throw into your trash can. You've heard of the three Rs of going green: Reuse, Reduce and Recycle. If you use plastic water bottles, reuse them instead of throwing the bottles out all the time. Recycle your plastic. There are so many small ways to reduce your waste, which helps limit the amount of trash that will eventually go to the landfill. 

• Conserve Energy: Energy is getting harder to produce and more costly. It accounts for nearly 21.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide each year. There are ways to help conserve energy: Make sure you turn out the lights when you leave a room, unplug items from light sockets/power strips when you're not using them, wash your laundry in cold water, install insulation, and more. 

(photo/Greentumble)

• Conserve Water: About 50% of all household water usage is wasted. Have you ever wondered why your water bill is so high? It's probably because you're wasting water. Our fresh water supply is diminishing due to pollution and droughts, therefore you need to find ways to conserve water. For example, if you're lucky to have a dishwasher, only use it when you have a full load of dishes. This will help save up to 50 gallons of water per week. Other ways to conserve water include: Spending only five minutes in the shower, turning off the water faucet while you brush your teeth, fixing household leaks right away, and more. We are lucky to live in an environment with fresh water, so don't waste it! 

• Eat Local, Organic Foods: This is one of the most important ways you can go green. Most of our meals come from 1,500 miles away. Why don't you shop at your local farmers market? Support your local farmers and eat the food they produce. You won't just be helping the environment, but you'll also be helping your community. 

(photo/gardenseason.com)

• Grow a Garden: If you don't want to buy food from local farmers, how about you try growing your own small garden? You can grow the most basic vegetables (tomatoes, peas, peppers, etc.). You can use these vegetables in your cooking. Because it'll be spring, plant some flowers at the same time and master that green thumb of yours. You'll have a beautiful garden before you know it! 

These are small, yet important, ways to go green and help the environment. We can all help conserve energy and water, reduce our waste, and make an attempt to eat locally grown food (either we grow it ourselves or support our local farmers). At the end of the day, you'll feel like you're making a difference, and that's all that matters. 

My grandpa's four-leaf clover sign (photo/Kasy Long).

Finally, I conclude this post by wishing you a happy St. Patrick's Day. Make sure you wear something green on Saturday so you don't get pinched! My grandfather made this four-leaf clover sign and my mom now hangs it up in our house during the month of March. It's a reminder to us that spring is around the corner. 

And boy, are we ready for it to get here. 

-KJL-