Big, Green Steps to Make a Big Difference

Everyone talks about the little things that can be done to make a positive impact on the environment. But what about those big things you can do, those significant lifestyle changes, to truly go green? Some of us are feeling the severity of global warming more than others and would like to do everything we can to make a difference. There are a number of big steps you can take to make the world a little more green if you have that incredible amount of dedication to the environment. Here are just a few ideas for overhauling your life and turning over a new, green leaf:

Ditch the Car

Get a hybrid or electric car, or, if you are truly dedicated to the green cause, get rid of your car altogether. If you live in a large enough city, you can easily survive without a car by using public transportation. There are also programs like ZipCars that allow you to borrow a car for a few hours at a time so you can get groceries or visit a friend who lives in the suburbs. This is not only a better option for the environment, but you won't be wasting all of your hard earned cash at the gas pump!

Move to the City

Moving to a large city rather than commuting to work by car everyday is the most important thing you can do to make the world a little greener. If you can move to a city and use public transportation or even walking or bicycling to work rather than spending an hour stuck in traffic everyday, you'll reduce your carbon emissions along with saving money on gas.

Solarize Your Home

Use solar energy instead of the dirty energy pumped out by many major power companies. If you're able to afford it, take a page from Leonardo DeCaprio's book and run your home entirely on solar power. Or, if you're not able to do that, look into renewable energy options with your local power company.

Buy Organic EVERYTHING

Food, clothes, electronics - you name it, you can probably buy it in an organic form. Food is a great start, and organically grown cottons are becoming increasingly easy to find in clothing stores. Some retailers, such as Target, are beginning to come out with eco-friendly electronics, too. If you switch to entirely organic products, you'll not only be doing your body a favor by eliminating the toxins used in "artificial" foods and clothes but you'll be supporting the organic farmers around the world who are taking better care of the land than their non-organic counterparts.

Recycle and Use Recycled Products

We all probably recycle (or we should), but not many people think to buy recycled products such as toilet paper and tissues. These are increasingly available at major retailers and grocery stores. They might be a little more expensive, but it's well worth the extra cost in order to save a tree or two!

Live in an Apartment Complex or Condominium

Crowded countries, such as Japan and some European countries, have learned out of necessity how to most effectively use land. Many of their people live in apartments or condos because they are more readily available. Though land is plentiful in the United States, we shouldn't be wasting it with sprawling McMansions and big-box stores that take up far more land than they need to. If you move to a multi-level apartment building or condominium, you are taking up far less land space and saving the farm land or natural land that might have been used for a new house to be built.

Going green doesn't have to be easy. It doesn't have to be hard, either. If you are truly dedicated, take some of these suggestions into consideration. You'll find yourself living easier and living much, much greener.