Little Things - Use Less, Not Buy More

Continuing on the theme of Little Things we can do to save our Little Ones, an easy practice we can try is using less of what we already have. The concept is a departure from the general consumerism public mantra of buying the latest new whatever in order to save energy or pollute less. We are constantly being informed that we should replace our light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs, buy a new hybrid car to save gas and pollute less, buy a new energy-efficient appliance, buy solar panels to cut electricity use, etc. I wonder why we must buy more stuff in order to save energy or pollute less? Why can't we simply use less of what we already have? Instead of buying a bunch of compact fluorescent bulbs, which have environmental issues of their own, why not turn off the lights you already have in your home? If you just turn off a light, it truly does not cost you anything. Try using more natural lighting by opening blinds and curtains during the day. One could even go as far as tailoring their activities a little more to the natural cycle of daylight. After all, that is what humans have done for hundreds of years before. We don't need to abandon artificial lighting, we can just take some easy measures to use it less.
Hybrid vehicles have become more of a "green" status symbol than really saving the world. Even though they may pollute less during its use, hybrid cars produce more pollution and waste during the manufacturing and disposal process than most other vehicles. Their batteries require raw materials to manufacture and then must be disposed of once they are no longer useful. If one must drive a motor vehicle, a small fuel-efficient gas or diesel car may serve just as well, and in the overall life of the car may produce less pollution. If you already have an economical car, there is not much advantage to spending thousands of dollars for a new hybrid.
Energy efficient appliances are excellent to look for when your current appliance no longer works. It is not really a practical excuse just to go out and buy a new one. Refrigerators are usually the post power hungry appliance. Even if you have an older one, you still need to investigate the cost of a new one, and how long it will take to recoup that cost with the energy savings. If you have a second refrigerator, like one in the basement or garage, unplugging that one can save you a bit of money, especially if it is an older one. You can save a bit of money by using your dryer less, or not at all. During the warmer months, washed clothes can be hung out on the line to dry. Some can even dry clothes indoors. This only costs you the clothesline, and will save a bunch from running the dryer less. If clothes are too stiff from drying on the line, a few minutes in the dryer will soften them.
Solar panels are a good idea. The problem is that they are still quite expensive. They will probably run you about 15 to 20 thousand dollars to get a setup for your house. They will take many years to pay for themselves. Again, using less electricity costs you nothing. If the price of solar panels comes down and the price of electricity increases dramatically, then they might be worth the investment.
Water can be saved using a poor man's greywater system. There are lots of resources on this on the internet, put a simple way to start is placing a bowl or small bucket in your sink or shower. As you use the water from the faucet, whatever ends up in the bowl or bucket can be used to water plants outside. Some use the water from the shower to help in flushing the toilet. Another way to save a bunch or water is to reduce your lawn. If you live in an area that needs a lot of water for irrigation, you can check into replacing some or all of your green grass with other plants that use much less water. You can also check into replacing the grass with other items like wood chips, gravel, etc. These require no water, and no mowing.
There are many new gadgets on the market that one can purchase to go "green". Some are worthwhile, some are just status symbols. Taking a good look around and seeing where you can use less is the cheapest and quickest way to that green status, at least in my opinion.