UPDATE: Thanks to Kia and everyone for participating. There were many worthy entries, but after much debate over who left the best Top 3 Green Tips, we have our official winner — Geoff K of New Hampshire. Congratulations and enjoy your Gaiam Gift Card! (original post follows)…
Want to win a $100 Gaiam Gift Card? Here’s how to enter this giveaway, sponsored by Kia.
As you may already know, we’ve been committed to becoming more sustainable and greening our lifestyles for the past several years. If you drive, one of the most effective ways you can reduce your carbon footprint is to opt for a hybrid car. Kia’s all-new Optima Hybrid is one a cool ride — save money by filling up less at the pump, and save the planet by using less non-renewable energy and causing less air pollution. A sporty sedan, it’s priced to sell (in the mid-$20,000s).
To enter this contest, simply complete the following:
- check out the lifestyle videos @ kia.com and learn about the design, technology & value of the 2011 Optima Hybrid
- then leave a comment on this post telling us how you optimize your green lifestyle with your Top 3 Essential Green Tips for those who are just starting to become “green”
- check out the Official Rules – (they may look a little intimidating but no need for concern – no waiver needs to be signed, and no likeness of you will be used – promise!)
- be sure to add m @ alternativeconsumer.com to your email address book – winner will be notified via email
A $100 gift card will be awarded to the person who we deem to be the most worthy. So give it your best. Generously sponsored by Kia, the $100 Gift Card is from one of our favorite green emporiums: gaiam.com.
Hurry, contest ends Monday, October 17, 2011, 11:59pm, EST. NOTE: Contest is open to USA residents only. One entry per person. As always, we will not share your contact info or email address with anyone.
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1) Recycle – it’s easy
2) Reuse
3) Reduce
Just think about how your actions effect the world, and you will do what’s right.
my Top 3 Green Tips:
-Ditch the bottled water and get yourself a snazzy eco refillable one!
-Start composting if you can — if you can’t, find ways to use all the food that you buy or buy less.
-Recycle, recycle, recycle (once you start, you will find it difficult to stop as it transforms your life!)
good luck everyone and ty for the chance!
1. Use tote bags at grocery store instead of plastic
2. recycle plastic bottles & newspapers
3. compost for organic gardening
jofo120 at yahoo dot com
If you’re just starting to be “green”, here are some easy ways:
*recycle all those plastic bottles you use, and use a refillable one for water
*get some little totes to carry in your purse to use at the grocery store
*buy a big bag/box/can, and parcel it out into reusable boxes for your lunches
libgirl9@gmail.com
Recycle, we compost and we bring our own bags to the grocery store.
1. make sure you are re-using paper for SCRAP paper.
2. don’t forget to shred and recycle your snail mail when possible
3. buy and use products that have REFILL options. I just bought cat litter in a large container at a pet store and I can bring it back to purchase refills.
(1)Install an under the sink water filter vs buying tons of bottled water
(2)we hang our laundry outside to dry when weather is warm to save on energy instead of using our Gas dryer!
(3)Be aware of lights left on, and turn them off when you are leaving the room
(4)Plan shopping trips so that multiple stops can be made on the same route or area to save on gas.
I recyle newspapers
I reuse tote bags for grocery shopping
I plan my daily trips to conserve gas
1. Plan all my errands on one day in my new kia sportage :). 2. Take bags to grocery store and recycle plastic bags at the store use as lunch bag or garbage bags. 3. Feed our chickens kitchen scraps.
1) use cloth instead of paper (napkins, towels, diapers, wipes, etc.)
2) buy in bulk, and bring your own jars and bags to fill
3) grow your own food
1. combine errands
2. fix leaks
3. use plants to filter pollutants
1)ditch water bottles
2)use cloth napkins
3)eat in resturant instead of takeout that uses cartons
1.Buy Shade-grown Coffee-it ensures forest preservation, provides animal habitat and tastes better! Try Grounds for Change, Dean’s Beans or Caffe Ibis.
2.Buy Local Fruits & Veggies-fewer miles=less pollution. Besides, there’s nothing like fresh-off-the-farm blueberries, corn on the cob, apples…find a farmer’s market at http://www.localharvest.org/
3.Buy Organic Chocolate-it does a body and the Earth good! Theo, Endangered Species and Wei of Chocolate are super delicious choices!
Take a long hard look at your garbage, a high percentage of it can be recycled.
Buy net produce bags to go with your cloth totes for groceries.
Take any plastic grocery bags to a store that recycles them. It’s really important to get plastic out of our landfills and into the recycling chain.
1. No more bottled water
2. Recycle
3. Reduce your meat consumption
An easy way to start being green is with recycling. Set up a box or bags beside the garbage can to place papers and plastics. Another green tip is use less water. Try to shorten the amount of time in the shower, and turn faucet off when brushing teeth. Third is walk. If you live near a grocery store, don’t drive there to do your shopping, walk there. Bonus benefit of being good for your body as well!
here are my top 3:
-compost, compost, compost, very easy to do if you have some bare dirt in your backyard.
-recycle, most cities have public facilities
-give up the dryer and put up a clothesline!
bebemiqui82(at)yahoo(dot)com
1. Take advantage of recycling opportunities in your area.
2. Get some microfiber cloths and use them instead of paper towels for cleaning and wiping spills.
3. Purchase items made from recycled materials.
1) Take reusable containers to restaurants when you go for doggie bags. The containers they use add up quickly.
2) Use reusbable bags-I keep them in my car for easy access.
3) Use a refillable water bottle instead of plastic water bottles.
Consolidate trips to grocery with other errands, or with your neighbors, and bike when possible.
Use one steel water bottle instead of dozens or more plastic throwaway bottles.
Use rain barrels to catch rain water for watering …and compost your kitchen leftovers and return to the earth.
Whenever you eat at home:
Use ceramic plates instead of paper plates
Use cloth napkins instead of paper napkins
Use real silverware instead of plastic
That would be a good start!
1- Recycle paper, plastic and aluminum
2-compost
3-use energy saver appliances and unplug unused appliances.
1. ALWAYS turn off all the lights when you leave a room.
2. Start using natural cleaning and house products like Seventh Generation.
3. Get a good set a of Tupperware and stop using ziplock bags!
use reusable grocery bags
use reusable water bottles
use cloth napkins instead of paper
vmkids3 at msn dot com
1. Recycle
2. Bring your own bags
3. Turn off the lights
My top 3 tips would be:
1. Only run the washer and dryer with full loads, use cold water instead of warm or hot, and line dry when possible.
2. Always shut down and unplug idle appliances, electronics, and chargers.
3. Use canvas shopping bags and reusable water bottles instead of plastic bags and plastic bottles.
Thanks!
gkaufmanss at yahoo dot com
Our top 3 ways we are greener are:
using reusable totes when shopping.
not buying single serve water bottles
recycle everything that is allowed in our city recycle cart
MY tips
1. Duh-recycle
2Use cloth bags whenever you shop, just keep them in your car’s trunk.
3 Try growing your own fruit and veggies
4 you don’t have to spray for weeds
5 Think about tap water, instead of bottled water
6 Do your banking on-line
1) Recycle
2) Use fabric grocery bags
3) Use a water filter instead of bottled water
dlsloveblogs(at)gmail(dot)com
The top three things we do in our house:
1. Ofcourse recycle
2. Instead of asking for bags, I bring my own when grocery shopping
3. I keep a garden for fresh veggies in the summer
flychild7(at)gmail(dot)com
1. Bring your own bags for shopping.
2. Turn off the lights when you leave a room.
3. Turn off the water when you brush your teeth.
Thanks! :-)
We also do all our bill paying and banking online to reduce the paper in my mailbox
We recycle daily
We’ve also put some insulation in our outlets which is suppose to help reduce utility costs. Haven’t been able to tell any difference yet, but we’ll see!
Well for me there are many things, but if I had to narrow it down:
1. I Make all my own non toxic-cleaning supplies and recycle as I do it, by using all my old spray bottles….first rinse them out then refill them with a blend of vinegar, water, a couple drops of seventh generation dish soap and a few drops of peppermint essential oil and oregano essential oil.
2. I Make all my own organic non toxic makeup, bodycare, perfume , deodorant etc) this way it saves the environment fron VOC and pollutants and saves me body from cancer.
3.You can make your own shopping bags by taking old pillowcases and adding a handle to them to reduce plastic shopping bags, or u can buy the premade cloth ones that can beasily washed after each use.
Use as little packaging as possible- this includes reusable containers instead of baggies, taking your own bags to the grocery, no waste lunches, refillable bottles, etc.
Coordinate schedules & combine errands so you can carpool and not go out of your way to pick up something across town when you will be there tomorrow for an appt anyways.
Support your local eco-friendly businesses. Buy your fruits & veg, even eggs & meat if possible from neighboring farms you know use healthy & humne practices instead of something that has to be shipped in, especially if you are unsure of what practices they use.
Remember that the little things add up- if we all do a few little things, adding to them as we go along, they will add up to huge things.
Top 3 Essential Green Tips:
1) Change out all household lightbulbs to LED or CFL saves TONS of energy and a lot of money over time. Its easy and once you’ve done it, you won’t have to do it again for YEARS!
2) If you are not already vegetarian or vegan, pledge to make 2 days a week vegetarian or vegan. The meat industry is the #1 cause of greenhouse gases, so any reduction in meat consumption saves the planet a lot!
3) RECYCLE!!!
1) recycle
2) stop buying bottled water to reduce the waste of bottles in the garbage
3)bring a tote bag to the store to reduce plastic bags going into the garbage
1) Compost- even if you have a small yard, you can make space to compost!
2) Reduce- turn off the lights when you leave, the faucet when you’re brushing.
3) Get some reusable grocery bags and stop using plastic shopping bags as much as you can.
three tips:
carpool
recycle
reuse
My 3 simple tips:
1- Walk, bike or Run whenever you can instead of driving
2- Reuse! Use what you already have as many ways as you possibly can before getting anything new
3- Use earth friendly cleaning products. There are many great, inexpensive Green Cleaning products.
Simple
Recycle
Use reuse products like totes and bottles.
Turn off lights and things when not in use
We recycle, reduce: what we purchase and reuse..
I optimize my green lifestyle with my Top 3 Essential Green Tips:
1. appreciate the outdoors
2. Reduce the use of my car
3. Turn off lights and water
Cynthia.Richardson at azbar.org
For someone just getting into green:
1 Take tote bags to all the stores
2 Shop thrift stores – easiest recycling
3 Stay out of stores to just window shop – buy less
Thanks for the contest.