Have you ever wondered, what does it mean to go green? If you aren’t totally sure, then you’ve come to the right place. And you aren’t the only one, this gets asked a lot! We’ll cover the definition of going green along with ways you can personally be a little bit greener.
What is the Definition of “Going Green”?
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Nation defines going green as taking steps to “conserve energy, reduce pollution, and save money.” As you can see, this is a bit of a broad definition which tells us that the term can mean many things to different people.
Going green to be more environmentally conscious doesn’t have to mean you completely change your lifestyle from top to bottom. You can take small steps to reduce your carbon footprint, by doing things like cutting down on meat, recycling, using energy-efficient appliances, among so many other things.
Is There a Difference Between Going Green and Sustainability?
Going green and sustainability are very similar concepts. “Sustainability” defined by the UCLA Sustainability Committee:
“[Sustainability is] the physical development and institutional operating practices that meet the needs of present users without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, particularly with regard to use and waste of natural resources. Sustainable practices support ecological, human, and economic health and vitality. Sustainability presumes that resources are finite, and should be used conservatively and wisely with a view to long-term priorities and consequences of the ways in which resources are used.”
As you can see, this concept is also in tune with being mindful of resource use, economic health, and supporting the environment, therefore it is similar to the going green definition. So if you’re planning on “going green,” you’re also very likely following a sustainable lifestyle.
Should You Go Green?
Again, going green doesn’t have to mean changing your whole lifestyle. But the purpose of this website is to teach you ways to make small changes to help the environment. As you may have heard, there are serious issues happening with our climate, with NASA’s data indicating that “Nineteen of the 20 warmest years all have occurred since 2001.”
And according to the The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), human activities are the main cause of climate change and the warming of the planet. (You check out more of the UN’s data on climate change here for more eye-opening information).
With the science being in, I think it’s safe to say the Earth will benefit from all of us making changes to “go green,” which is what this website is all about.
We don’t want to be alarmist and overbearing, but do want to share with you easy steps to live a greener lifestyle.
Everyone Can Be a Little Greener!
It isn’t as hard as it sounds, we promise! I personally can feel overwhelmed that I’m not living a fully zero-waste lifestyle. And I know many of my friends feel guilty that they aren’t being as green as possible, so they give up and don’t think about it or even try.
Don’t give up! Remember that if we all make small changes, the results will add up. It’s not about doing everything perfectly; it’s about doing what you can. Just think about how easy it is to unplug your appliances when not in use, or switch your old light bulbs to LEDs. Even biking more to run errands reduces car emissions and makes a small but meaningful difference.
What Other Ways Can You Go Green?
Along with a few ways listed above, here are a few more easy steps you can take to greenify your lifestyle:
- Take one less flight per year
- Drive a hybrid vehicle (this will also save you a LOT of gas money!)
- Bring your own to-go boxes when dining out
- Use reusable produce bags when grocery shopping
- Bring your own coffee cup to coffee shops (learn more about “green” coffee here)
- Grow your own vegetables (they always taste better anyway!)
- Learn the ins and outs of recycling the proper way
- Ditch bottled water and use a water filter (Berkey is my favorite)
- Join a trash pick-up group, which is a great way to meet people and get outside
- Enroll in online bill-pay (many companies offer a discount too)
- Buy second-hand items instead of new, mass-produced items
- Buy less stuff! This can be hard but one of the best things you can dohave-more-sustainable-coffeeTake one less flight per year
- Drive a hybrid vehicle (this will also save you a LOT of gas money!)
- Bring your own to-go boxes when dining out
- Use reusable produce bags when grocery shopping
- Bring your own coffee cup to coffee shops (learn more about “green” coffee here)
- Grow your own vegetables (they always taste better anyway!)
- Learn the ins and outs of recycling the proper way
- Ditch bottled water and use a water filter (Berkey is my favorite)
- Join a trash pick-up group, which is a great way to meet people and get outside
- Enroll in online bill-pay (many companies offer a discount too)
- Buy second-hand items instead of new, mass-produced items
- Buy less stuff! This can be hard but one of the best things you can do
I hope this article helps clear up what going green means, along with offering you a few easy tips to do so. We will be sharing quite a bit more information on easy ways to go green based on various life components on the Tamborasi blog, so be on the lookout.
