Living in a green home is a huge step in the right direction, not only for the health of the people who live within it, but also for all of the environmental benefits that come along with it. At the same time, green housing is not the complete picture. It is also important to consider sustainable lifestyle choices. What else can you do to minimize your environmental impact?

Reuse, Reduce, and Recycle

The order of these three sustainable lifestyle choices is important, because they are in the order of preference and in the order of greatest environmental impact.

First, consider the ways that you can reuse items that may otherwise end up in the garbage. Instead of throwing away that empty jar of pasta sauce, reuse it when you make your own jam or reuse it as a pen holder at your desk. Be creative, because nearly everything can be reused in some way.

Second, reduce the waste that may end up in the trash. Don’t be wasteful with your resources and minimize everything that you use. For example, when you need to scribble down a phone number on a large piece of paper, do not discard this entire piece of paper. The rest of the sheet can still be used for additional notes. Use less and less will end up in the landfills.

Third, recycle everything that can be recycled. It is easy to set aside empty cans and bottles, because most jurisdictions offer some sort of deposit refund when you return these empties to bottle depots. Even where such refunds are not offered, you can still easily set aside all recyclable materials and place it in the “blue box” or “blue bag” program in your area. This includes newspapers, milk jugs, cardboard boxes, and more. Further still, there are programs in place for recycling computers, cell phones, and other electronics.

Transportation Options

Ideally, you’d like to use no form of transportation other than your own two feet. When choosing your green home, it is important to see what amenities are within walking distance. Instead of driving to the local grocery store or post office, walk there. For slightly longer distances, consider using a bicycle or a set of rollerblades. Again, these are zero-emission options.

Where even longer distances are required, use public mass transit as much as possible, relying on the train system or local buses. This is particularly good idea when the public transportation is “green” in its use of renewable energy and other innovations.

If you must drive, drive a smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicle. See if your workplace as a carpool or van-pool and if it does not, urge your employer to consider implementing one.

A Sustainable Lifestyle

Green living starts at home and with leading a sustainable lifestyle. Buy local-produced items (like grocery items) as these significantly reduce the amount of transportation required to get the product from the manufacturer (or farm) into your hands. Similarly, do not use disposable grocery bags, opting instead for reusable tote bags.

Many other personal practices are advisable as well, like using nontoxic gardening techniques, using compact fluorescent bulbs, washing your clothes in cold water, and unplugging home electronics when not in use. Think about everything that you do. There’s a good chance that there is a greener way to do it.