Unit III Essay

Go Green or NO Home

What does it mean to “go green”? We aren’t talking about just the color, but what the color represents. Environmentalism and environmental concerns are usually represented by the color green. When you “go green”, not only does it benefit the earth, our home, but you also help yourself. There are many simple ways that you can help. By not doing your part, you’re only harming yourself in the long run. By recycling, reducing, and reusing, you’ll see how the little things you do can help to make a big change.

When you begin to start living a greener life, it’s as easy as changing a few day to day routines. To save energy you can install compact florescent light bulbs in your home, unplug appliances when you aren’t using them, and use cold water when doing laundry. To save water, you should take shorter showers and install low-flow shower heads. Skip the bottled water because not only is it expensive, but it also produces extra container waste. Keep electronics out of the trash to reduce e-waste. You should also buy smart by buying lightly used things that are “just like new”, like furniture. You can also make your own cleaning products that are non-toxic and environmentally friendly.

Some people may think that they don’t need to do anything because it won’t make a difference and they don’t see what the long-term effects of not recycling are. If you don’t recycle, we will eventually run out of our natural resources. We are also running out of places to hide our trash. Trash smells, can be dangerous for children, and can be toxic. When you don’t recycle, it also causes pollution. Electronics contain mercury and other toxins which are dangerous to the environment and if not recycled properly can be very harmful.

There are many benefits for living a greener lifestyle. For every ton of paper that is recycled, the following is saved: 7,000 gallons of water; 380 gallons of oil; and enough electricity to power an average house for six months. You can run a TV for six hours on the amount of electricity that is saved by recycling one aluminum can. By recycling just one glass bottle, you saved enough electricity to power a 100-watt bulb for four hours. One of the main reasons you should be environmentally friendly is that is can save your money. When you take the steps to save energy or water, you save money. Also, creating new environmentally friendly products creates jobs. Jobs in new technology have usually been high paying. Going green is good for workers and good for the economy.

Now that you know more about being green, the decision of living a more environmentally friendly life should be easy. Just changing small things in your life should be effortless and you probably won’t even notice the difference when you make it part of your daily routine. Just think of all the money you can save. In this economy, the benefit of having more green products being produced and having more job opportunities is definitely a plus. So save money and save the earth. Go green or no home.