Ways to Green Your Home in 2013

The new year brings new resolutions for everyone. Often time these resolutions revolve around fitness, breaking habits, and personal health. However, if you've decided you're going to make a bigger effort to help the earth's help, we've got a few ideas on where to start. These changes are all pretty small, but their impact can be very large. Check it out, you may just change your resolution!

1) Switch to eco-friendly light bulbs:
While this change seems small, it is a great way to start having an impact, both through less energy usage and through less light bulbs being thrown away!

2) Make new large purchases with the environent in mind:
Need a new dishwasher, car or laptop? Look into environmentally friendly solutions, like high efficiency washers, hybrid or electric cars, and laptops with recycling programs that are easily repairable. Taking these things into account will increase the longevity of your purchase as well as saving you some money on bills!

3) Make a commitment to recycling:
In some of the U.S. recycling is second nature, however if you guiltily toss your glass, cardboard or aluminum products into the trash this year is the year to change. Make a commitment to recycle all recyclable products and the impact you'll have is much larger than you think!

4) Start growing your own vegetables and fruits or buying locally:
As minor as it may seem, taking care to either grow your own produce or purchase locally grown can have a large impact. There's less fuel emission in transportation and it's a better decision for keeping your money in your community as well!

5) Start a compost heap: If you don't have a composting facility near you that will accept your waste, do it yourself! While we don't recommend this for businesses, with a large amount of organics (find a composter, like GreenRU to handle services for you), a home heap is usually not too hard to maintain. It will save the emission of methane gases to the ozone layer and it will keep your organics from filling up space in the landfill.

Are you trying anything new this year to be green? Tell us in the comments!