Ways a 15 year old can help her family %26#039;go green%26#039;?? so at school we are %26#039;going green%26#039; and i was one of the 4 students that got to talk to a news paper reporter. i was very interested in helping my school help the earth and i am trying to think of ways to help my family. i live with my mom dad grandma and 7 year old brother. my main point is trying to inform them so they understand why im doing it and why they should help also what i would like them to do.
i am making a list of things to show to them and i am going to make a poster. can you give me any ideas and advice on how to go about this and anything that we can do that doesnt cost money. thank you ! =D

Save money and the environment by making your own foam soap:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article...


131 uses for white vinegar,safe for the enviroment

-Travel locally instead of by plane. Again, planes emit tons of emissions each year, and traveling locally reduces those emissions.

-Support solar energy and nuclear energy. Most of America%26#039;s power comes from the burning of coal, which emits harmful emissions. Solar energy is a nice way to supplement and reduce the need for that power; while it will not produce enough energy to replace coal, it can save a family money and reduce their personal carbon footprint. Nuclear power is a clean, viable source of energy that does not emit carbon; with the current technologies and procedures it is a safe, effective source of power.
http://www.nei.org/
http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/

-Stop junk mail. You%26#039;ll save trees and clear up your mailbox.
http://www.greendimes.com/
http://www.obviously.com/junkmail/ http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/live...
http://www.dairybusiness.com/northeast/D...

There are many things that you and your family can do to help the environment, and most are very inexpensive too:

~Of course, recycle everything you can! (Ex: cans, bottles, plastics, paper, ect.)
~Buy energy saving light bulbs
~Buy things like clothes, paper, ect that are made from recycled materials
~Use reusable batteries or recycle dead batteries properly
~Use reusable shopping bags
~If you have plastic shopping bags, use them instead of just tossing them. They can be used to pick up dog poo, line small trash cans, ect.
~Try not to use paper napkins or paper towel as much as possible. Instead use cloth napkins that can be washed.
~Try to use fewer paper plates and more washable ones.
~Take shorter showers
~Turn off lights whenever possible
~Try to buy more organic foods and local foods (for example, at a farmer%26#039;s market)
~Use regular silverware, not plastic
~Use eco friendly products in replace of regular dish washing liquids, house cleaners, ect. (Greenworks)
~Use cold water to wash clothes (Tide Cold water works great)
~On a nice day, turn off the air/heat and open some windows. You save on the cost, get a nice fresh breeze, and help the environment.
~Plant trees around your house to shade and save on using more air conditioning
~Buy one stainless steel, reusable, water bottle instead of using regular plastic ones and then getting rid of them. This one you can clean and use over and over again!
~Change the setting on your sprinklers to use less water
~Buy eco friendly fertilizers (I think they have them at Home Depot)
~If painting, they have eco friendly paint at Home Depot
~Walk or ride a bike wherever possible
~Carpool

That is all I can think of, but you can also get some tips at www.gogreen.com

There are many small things that you can do to help your family %26quot;go green%26quot;. Try turning off lights when you aren%26#039;t in a room, wash dishes by hand once in a while instead of using the dishwasher all the time, start a compost, unplug things like the toaster and microwave when not in use, start recycleing, open windows instead of always turnning on the air @ home, %26amp; use canvas bags for grocerys insead of using the plactic bags that are provided.
If I were you I would have your family sit down and explain to them that helping the enviorment is important to you and that u would would really appreciate if they could assist you in helping the enviorment at home by doing small things (like what I mentioned above) that over time really add up. fox news talked about unplugging microwaves, and i think toasters and how other idems suck power when not in use, all the other information was taught to me by teachers @ my school %26amp; by my family

Going green is easy, there are so many great resources about the subject. My personal favorite is %26quot;The Green Book%26quot; which has parts of its book online as well at www.readthegreenbook.com.

I put my standard go green answer below, but you can help your parents make some more earth friendly choices.

As I have been striving to %26quot;Go Green%26quot; I realize it is like stepping back in time without getting rid of my modern conveniences. I%26#039;m doing many things I learned as a child, like line drying my clothes, sweeping instead of vacuuming, opening the windows in the morning to catch the cool breeze, only buying what I need instead of everything that looks cool, growing some of my own food, and canning what I can%26#039;t eat now.

To me %26quot;going Green%26quot; is a frame of mind. Do what fits your lifestyle and do the easy things first, it is a process and like dieting if you go to radical to soon, you are more likely to go back to bad habits. I also believe there are good, better, best choices in most things. If you aren%26#039;t ready to start a home garden, then try finding a farmers market, until you locate one look for produce grown as close to home as possible and go organic when available.

Many people think %26quot;going green%26quot; is expensive, I disagree. Some changes may take an initial investment, but they usually have a short payoff time. Things like weatherstiping and insulation cost, but the energy savings will add up quickly. You may need to purchase reusable bags, but most stores give you a 5 or 10 cent credit, so you are paid back within a few months.

My top tips are make your home more energy efficient, that also means using natural light, cooling and heating.

Reduce your packaging, if you eat more fresh food you will generally reduce packaging, it%26#039;s the same thing they tell dieters, shop the perimiter, that is where all the meat, dairy and produce are located. Only buy what you will use, many Americans throw away a lot of unused food. Buy in bulk, that doesn%26#039;t just mean large packages, but that area with the bins that you buy only what you plan on using.

Replace disposable items with durable items, if you eat outside often and use disposable paper or plastic plates, it is a wise investment to purchase a set of reusable plastic plates. Replace disposable razors, diapers and cleaning products like swiffer. Avoid bottled water, get a home filter like Pur or Brita.

Recycle, www.earth911.org will help you locate the nearest recycle center. I try to only purchase plastics that are #1 or #2, they are more easily recycled. I also buy recycled products when available, that includes paper towels, napkings, toilet paper, tissue, school/office supplies and clothing.

Detox your cleaning, vinegar and baking soda clean almost anything, they can even losen a hair clog. Seventh Generation and Method are a couple mainstream brands that are very earth friendly.

Just start small and build from there, don%26#039;t get overwhelmed.