Feeling a little overwhelmed by the push to go green?  If you’re driving around in a hummer like this one, having trouble grasping the “go green” concept, just ask yourself:

What one thing can I do to make the planet greener -besides paint my SUV green?

Here’s some ideas.  Many of them will even save you money.

Don’t Buy These 11 Things -

1. Farm raised salmon
2. Styrofoam cups/plates
3. Plastic forks/spoons
4. Paper towels
5. Bleached coffee filters
6. Conventional household cleaners
7. Chemical pesticides and herbicides
8. Teak and mahogony
9. Toys made with PVC plastic
10. Rayon
11. Body care products containing any of these chemicals:

• Mercury - sometimes listed as thimerosal
• Lead - listed as lead acetate
• Pthalates
• Hydroquinone skin lightener
• Petroleum by-products such as 1,-dioxane
• Fragrance

Buy These 6 Things Green -

1. Energy from alternative energy source suppliers - this will get easier and less costly in the next few years.  Right now, many electrical companies are offering wind energy options at just a few dollars more per month.
2. Paint - look for low or no VOC paint.
3. Paper - look for unbleached paper products with high recycled content.
4. Light bulbs - look for compact fluorescents.
5. Appliances - look for appliances with the Energy Star label.
6. Fruits and Vegetables - look for organic, local, in-season produce.  Be sure to at least buy these 12 fruits and vegetables organic:

• Apples
• Bell Peppers
• Celery
• Cherries
• Imported Grapes
• Nectarines
• Peaches
• Pears
• Potatoes
• Rasberries
• Spinach
• Strawberries

Look For These 10 Fair Trade Products in the Grocery Store -

1. Tea
2. Coffee
3. Chocolate
4. Bananas
5. Sugar
6. Rice
7. Vanilla
8. Spices
9. Wine
10. Olive Oil

Avoid These 10 Worst Corporate Criminals When Shopping -

1. Wal-Mart
2. ExxonMobil
3. Coca Cola
4. Nestle
5. Monsanto
6. Sears Roebuck
7. Dominion
8. Citigroup
9. Sara Lee
10. McDonalds

Recycle These 14 Items -

1. Plastics - of all types.
2. Paper - including newspapers, magazines, junk mail, computer paper.
3. Glass - jars
4. Metal Containers
5. Computers and electronics - can often be returned through your city or town.  If not, BAN will help you find local recyclers.
6. Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) - CFLs contain enough mercury to warrant proper disposal.  Take them to your local Ikea or Home Depot.  You can also order a Sylvania Recycle Pak.
7. Clothing - Wearable clothes can be donated to a local church, Goodwill, or shelter.  Dress for Success will take wearable women’s business clothing.  Unwearable clothes are often welcome at local pet shelters, where they’re used for pet bedding, or quilting clubs, or at senior centers and schools, where the fabric can be used for craft projects.
8. Ink/toner cartridges - Recycle Place can help you with these.
9. Oil - Find used motor oil hotlines for each state at Recycle Oil.
10. Phones - Collective Good will refurbish your phone and sell it to someone in a developing country.
11. Batteries - Battery Recycling
12. Appliances - Many stores will recycle your old appliance when you purchase a new one.  Steel Recycling will also take them.  Goodwill accepts working appliances.
13. Athletic Shoes - One World Running will send still-wearable shoes to athletes in need in Africa, Latin America, and Haiti.  Nike’s Reuse-A-Shoe program turns old shoes into playground and athletic flooring.
14. Vehicles - Give it to a family member.  Or there’s a number of organizations that will accept vehicle donations.  They refurbish the car, or recycle the metal.  You get the great tax deduction.

Use Less of These 6 Things -

1. Plastic bottles - almost 90% of plastic water bottles end up in the garbage, instead of the recycle bin.  Get a refillable water bottle and buy your drinks in 2 Liter containers.
2. Paper - use an electronic file cabinet rather than a paper file cabinet Have your bills sent electronically, read the newspaper on-line.  Ask companies to stop sending junk mail.
3. Water - put in water conservation shower heads and toilets.  If you have a regular toilet, put a few bricks in the tank to take up space.  You’ll use less water that way.  Get a rain barrel for outdoor watering.
4. Gasoline - walk, bike, take public transportation, car pool.
5. Heating Fuel - get programmable thermostats, where a sweater, look at alternative sources of energy to heat your home.
6. Plastic grocery bags - get reusable grocery bags.

Just do what you can, and leave your guilt behind. Every little bit helps.

Related Reading:

Planting Green Roofs and Living Walls

Go Green, Live Rich: 50 Simple Ways to Save the Earth and Get Rich Trying

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