1. Cut down on plastic bags

Plastic bags are Public Enemy #1 when it comes to wasteful throwaways. They are made from petroleum products. Billions are manufactured every year, used once, then tossed away. Many end up as litter and create an unsightly mess. They kill wildlife, clog storm drains, and cause flooding. They also break down into tiny pieces that pollute our soil and water.

Go Green: Carry reusable totes instead of taking plastic bags from stores.

It’s a Money-saver: Instead of buying plastic wrap and baggies for saving leftovers and packing lunches, use washable containers.

Cool Green Tip: If you do take a plastic bag, re-use it several times, then recycle it.
Some supermarkets collect clean, dry plastic shopping bags for their customers.

Green Note: Paper shopping bags are not the greenest alternative to plastic, because paper is one of the leading sources of greenhouse gas emissions from manufacturing in the U.S. By far the greenest way to go is to replace all disposable bags, whether paper or plastic, with reusable totes.

Green Note for Business: If disposable bags (paper or plastic) are essential to your operation, you can still “green up.” Here are some possibilities:

* Switch to the new generation of plastic bags made from corn products and other plant-based material that biodegrades safely. An Internet search under “green office suppliers” can give you an idea of the wide variety of new products available.

* Switch to paper bags made from 100% recycled paper.

* Provide clearly labeled bins to collect clean, dry paper or plastic bags for recycling.

* Provide customers with a modest discount for reusing plastic or paper bags.

* Sell reusable tote bags on your premises.

* For small purchases, ask customers if they would like a bag, instead of automatically providing one.

2. Cut down on plastic water bottles

Disposable plastic water bottles are Public Enemy #2. Like plastic bags, they are made from petroleum products, used once, then tossed away. Relatively few are recycled. Many end up as litter. They break down into pieces that get into the environment. On top of all that, bottled water is a heavy product. Trucking it from bottling plants to stores wastes fuel and adds tons of pollutants to our air.

Go Green: Carry a refillable bottle or canteen instead of buying bottled water.

It’s a Money-saver: Tap water costs just pennies per gallon, and it is more strictly regulated for health and safety than bottled water. Some popular bottled brands are just re-filtered tap water!

Cool Green Tip: If your home or workplace has a water cooler, don’t supply disposable cups with it – especially not plastic or Styrofoam cups. Have everyone use their own washable cup or bottle. If needed for visitors, disposable cups made from paper, corn, and other plant-based materials are a good biodegradable alternative to conventional plastic or Styrofoam.

Green Note: Stainless steel bottles or canteens are a good alternative to refillable plastic bottles. They’ll last forever and keep water tasting fresher.

Green Note for Business: Because a high percentage of bottled water is consumed on the go, the recycling rate for bottled water is much lower than it is for soda and other bottled drinks. You can “green up” by providing your customers with a clearly labeled bin to collect empty bottles for recycling.

3. Cut down on energy waste from inefficient lighting.

Our region depends on coal-burning power plants to generate power, so anything we can do to reduce our use of electricity will help clean our air. Because lighting uses a big chunk of all household electricity, it’s a good place to start saving.

Go Green: Replace your standard light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. They use 75% less electricity, and they now come in a wide range of eye-pleasing styles for indoor and outdoor use.

It’s a Money-saver: Compact fluorescent bulbs save money on electricity bills, and they last far longer than standard light bulbs – up to ten years. That saves you replacement costs, and it cuts down on greenhouse gas emissions related to manufacturing, packaging and shipping.

Cool Green Tip: For even more savings, turn off overhead lights and use daylight or desk lamps whenever possible. Switch to lower-wattage bulbs in hallways and other lightly used areas.

Green Note: Specially designed compact fluorescent bulbs are needed where dimmer switches are in use. Check the package for instructions. All fluorescent bulbs must be disposed of properly.

4. Stop Unnecessary Idling.

Vehicle emissions are the biggest source of air pollution in New Jersey. They lead to breathing and lung problems, especially among children, and they aggravate serious conditions like asthma. Idling contributes to the problem. After just 15 seconds, idling causes more pollution than shutting off your engine and restarting it. Idling also reduces engine efficiency by depositing residue on spark plugs, and it corrodes the exhaust system.

Go Green: Always shut off your engine when parked, or when waiting in lines at schools,
gas stations, banks, and other drive-through services.

It’s a Money-saver: By reducing your idling time, you’ll save gas and cut maintenance costs for your car.

Green Note: Today’s cars generally need no idling time to warm up in the morning, even in winter. Check your manual for the manufacturer’s recommendation. For most cars, starting up and driving moderately for the first few minutes is the best way to warm the engine and all other parts of a cold car.

Cool green tip: Studies have shown that safe, moderate driving saves a significant amount of gas. Observing the speed limit is just part of the strategy. To make a big impact on your car’s mileage, accelerate gradually, take it easy going uphill, cut down on lane-changing, and don’t tailgate.

Green Note: Excessive idling is against the law in Union County and throughout New Jersey.

5. Cut down on paper.

In the U.S., paper is one of the leading sources of greenhouse gas emissions from manufacturing. Recycled paper products generally take far less energy to manufacture, so they’re a very good alternative to products made from virgin wood pulp. The greenest way to go is to reduce the amount of paper waste in your home or workplace.

Go Green: Buy 100% recycled paper products for personal, household, and workplace use, and save emails and Internet material in computer files instead of printing them out. When you do print, remove any unnecessary text, graphics and blank spaces, shrink the fonts, and use both sides of the paper if possible.

It’s a Money-saver: Save paper from office or schoolwork, and reuse the blank side for memo pads, shopping lists, notes and rough drafts. Reused paper is also handy for printing out travel instructions and other Internet material when needed, and for making extra file copies.

It’s a Money-saver: The kitchen is another good place to cut down on paper waste. Buy a few sets of inexpensive cloth napkins instead of using disposable paper napkins. They will pay for themselves quickly, while adding practically nothing to your laundry. The same goes for replacing paper towels with cloth dish towels. Reserve light-colored towels for drying dishes, and use dark-colored towels to clean up spills and greasy surfaces.

Cool Green Tip: Junk mail is another infamous paper-guzzler. You can stop unwanted catalogs through a free service, www.catalogchoice.org, or cut out all junk mail by following the guidance at www.dmaconsumers.org [Note: these links will navigate you out of the UCNJ web site].

6. Cut down on toxic chemicals indoors.

Many common home and workplace cleaning solutions contain petroleum products and other toxic chemicals. When used indoors, they can cause breathing problems and aggravate chronic conditions like asthma. When flushed down drains, they pollute our waterways and eventually get into the soil and food chain.

Go Green: Switch to eco-safe alternatives for cleaning, dishwashing, personal care, and laundry. Look on the label for product information.

Green Note: Eco-safe cleansers generally contain citrus and other plant-based material instead of harsh chemicals, and they are free of unnecessary dyes and perfumes. When flushed down drains, they are biodegradable, and safer for the environment. they can be found at major stores, health stores, and online.

It’s a Money-saver: To use all cleansers more efficiently, wipe areas with warm water first, then apply a small amount of cleanser with a sponge or cloth instead of spraying. Some eco-safe cleaners are concentrated to save on packaging and transportation resources, so check labels for recommended use.

Cool Green Tip: Avoid green-colored cleaning products that don’t include information about their ingredients on their labels. They might just be conventional products that are packaged to look “green.” You can find buying guides for eco-safe cleaners and many other products at The Green Guide, www.thegreenguide.com, a project of National Geographic [Note: this link will navigate you out of the UCNJ web site].

Cool Green Tip: Use disinfectants only where truly necessary, and avoid products that combine a disinfectant with a cleaning agent. The experts agree that a surface must be cleaned first, before it is disinfected.

Green Note: Plain vinegar is a cheap, effective, fresh-smelling, all-natural cleanser. It also kills many kinds of mold. Dilute with water if desired, and add a little baking soda for extra scrubbing power.

7. Cut down on toxic chemicals outdoors.

Conventional herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers contain harmful chemicals that can easily spread through the environment. In wet weather these chemicals mingle with the runoff from lawns and gardens. They enter our rivers and streams, and get into the food chain.

Go Green: Ask your local garden shop about eco-safe ways to keep weeds and pests at bay, and consider replacing part or all of high-maintenance lawns and plantings with hardy native ground covers, perennials, shrubs, and trees.

It’s a Money-saver: Hardy native plants grow healthfully with hardly any help. You spend less money on pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers while reducing your water bills, too. Click here: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/green/reduce.htm for basic information from the US EPA on
reducing outdoor chemicals.

Green Note: Get free, expert advice from a Master Gardner through the Union County Rutgers Cooperative Extension Master Gardner program. For residential property, call 908-654-9852. For commercial property, call 908-654-9854.

Cool green tip: Plant a shade tree on the south or west side of your house or commercial building to reduce summer cooling bills. Evergreens on the north side will cut winter winds and save on winter heating bills. For more information about “greenscaping,” visit www.epa.gov/greenscapes [Note: this link will navigate you out of the UCNJ web site].

8. Green your lawn care equipment.

Lawn mowers and leaf blowers have been identified as a significant source of air pollution in New Jersey. Those engines are small but they pack a big wallop! Reducing your use of lawn equipment is a highly effective way to cut your carbon footprint.

Go Green: Replace part of your lawn with low-maintenance ground covers, shrubs or trees. Expanding an existing garden bed is an easy place to start. Ask your local garden shop for guidance on hardy plants that are suitable for Union County, or contact the Master Gardeners at 908-654-9852 (residential) or 908-654-9854 (commercial).

It’s a Money-saver: You’ll cut the cost of fuel and upkeep for your lawn equipment by using it on a smaller area, and you’ll also save money on water, herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizer.

Green Note: If you have a small lawn and you’re planning to purchase a new lawn mower, check out the new generation of push-mowers. They are engineered to be lighter and easier to push than older models. Solar-powered electric lawn mowers are another new product worth looking into.

Cool Green Tip: Don’t bag your grass clippings when mowing. Instead, practice “Cut It and Leave It.” Grass clippings supply your lawn with an important source of free, eco-safe nutrients. Grass clippings also help cut summer watering bills by helping your lawn retain moisture, and they do not contribute to thatch buildup. To see a handy NJ DEP brochure with more information, click here. [Note: this link will navigate you out of the UCNJ web site].

9. Re-Discover Earth Friendly Habits.

Some of the most cost-effective ways to reduce your carbon footprint are the ones you may have learned from your parents, like turning off the lights (and the television, computer, etc.) in empty rooms, never using the toilet as a wastebasket, only putting full loads in laundry and dishwashing machines, and keeping durability in mind when purchasing home and workplace supplies.

Go Green in the winter: Put on a sweater before turning up the heat, keep a comfy throw on your favorite armchair, and open up shades and drapes during the day to let sunlight warm your rooms. At night, close shades or drapes to prevent heat loss through window glass. For windows with shades and drapes, you’ll get even more savings by closing both of them.

Go Green in the summer: Reach for a glass of cold water before turning up the AC, close shades and drapes during the day to keep rooms cooler, and open windows on cool nights.

Go Green when replacing old appliances and plumbing fixtures: Look for U.S. EPA Energy Star and WaterSense ratings to cut energy and water use, and to save money on utility bills.

It’s a Money-saver: Going back to basics can mean instant savings.

Cool green tip: In the winter, drafts can make a home feel colder than it really is. Shift your favorite armchair to an interior wall, and put a draft-blocker (a long, stuffed tube of fabric) against the bottom of outer doors. A rolled-up towel tied with ribbon will do the trick.

10. Try Something New.

New strategies and products to help your home or business go green are all over the Internet. Some of our favorites are:

GO GREEN: RAIN GARDEN. If you are planning to replace part of a high-maintenance lawn with low-maintenance plantings, try a rain garden. This simple landscaping trick helps reduce stormwater runoff and helps prevent flooding in wet weather. A rain garden can also cut outdoor watering costs in dry weather. To see an illustrated brochure on the basics from Rutgers University, click here. [Note: this link will navigate you out of the UCNJ web site].

GO GREEN: GREEN ROOF. This kind of green goes a step beyond the use of new construction materials. A green roof is covered partly or wholly with grass, herbs, vegetables, perennial flowers, and other light plantings. The insulating qualities of the soil combine with the greenery to achieve significant heating and cooling savings. A green roof also prevents sun and weather from deteriorating the conventional roof membrane beneath it. This prolongs the lifespan of the conventional roof, achieving even more long term savings.

Green roofs are very common in parts of Europe and they are rapidly becoming a mainstream phenomenon in the U.S. They are being installed on homes, commercial, and public buildings, including armed forces installations. To learn more from the U.S. EPA, click here. You can also learn more details by visiting www.greenroofs.org and clicking on “About Green Roofs.” [Note: these links will navigate you out of the UCNJ web site].

Green Bonus: A green roof eliminates the “heat island” effect of conventional roofs. This helps contribute to cooler summertime temperatures in the community. Green roofs also include useful elements such as a picnic area, a garden for flowers, herbs and vegetables, or even a putting green.

GO GREEN: DUAL-FLUSH TOILETS. The latest twist in water-saving devices is a toilet with two flushers, usually in the form of buttons. One button releases the standard amount of water needed to flush solid waste. The other button releases about half that amount, to flush liquid waste. For more information on the latest water-saving fixtures, visit the U.S. EPA’s Water Sense program at www.epa.gov/watersense. [Note: this link will navigate you out of the UCNJ web site].

GO GREEN: GEOTHERMAL HEAT PUMPS. Recent improvements in technology are enabling more buildings to take advantage of the natural heating and cooling properties of the earth. In the U.S., about 40,000 residences have geothermal systems installed every year. To find out more, visit www.eere.energy.gov/consumer and click on the “renewable energy” link. [Note: this link will navigate you out of the UCNJ web site].

GO GREEN: RENEWABLE ENERGY. New technologies and rebate opportunities are bringing solar, wind, recovered waste heat, and other renewable energy within reach for more homes and businesses. For more information, visit the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities at www.njcleanenergy.com and click on “Renewable Energy.”