By Shireen Qudosi
What is a Green Lifestyle
A green lifestyle is an ethical commitment to conservation - or just simply a greater awareness of what we're consuming and what impact we have on our environment. Over the last few years, with the rise of a 'green' trend, we've seen a lot more companies not only catering to the green market, but making it easier to consumers to be educate on ways to be more eco-friendly. Just picking up a few tips here and there goes a long way. And with summer right around the corner, now is the best time to see what little hidden eco trolls lurk in the habits we've developed over the years.
Fueling your BBQ
Nothing says summer like a BBQ. It's good to know you don't have to sacrifice your time honored summer tradition just to stay in step with Mother Earth. If you're going to BBQ, make sure you use propane rather than wood or charcoal, since propane burns much cleaner. Using briquettes or charcoal creates about 105 times more carbon monoxide than if you cooked on a propane grill - not to mention the fact that those fumes are not only entering into the atmosphere, but directly into your food and lungs.
However, if you can't resist charcoal, consider Cowboy Charcoal. This way, you're not exposing yourself or your family to harmful volatile organic compounds. And if you want to get really nifty, try a using solar energy to cook your food! With the emphasis on green, more and more companies are not only redesigning existing products to be more eco-friendly, but they're coming up with new clever ways to do the same old thing. Featuring several different types of cookers, from a flat top grill to an oven, Solar Cookers completely take away any lingering guilt you may have for flaring up the BBQ grill.
Conscientious Cooling
One of the biggest barriers to a green summer is your central air conditioners. Every time you switch on the central air, you pump out harmful gases into the environment that contribute to the global warming crisis. The more gases that go into the atmosphere, the more we turn out planet into a mini-bake over - creating a cycle that makes us run to our ac all over again. But not only are standard ACs destructive to the environment, they're also considerably harmful to your health.
A smart green alternative is a portable AC unit. Portable air conditioners are mobile cooling units, and unlike their bulky and expensive counterparts, portable ACs do not require specialized installation. Portable, or mobile ACs, are cost-effective, energy efficient, environmentally-friendly, easy to use, and now offer multiple features that makes these little gizmos a must have - especially during summer months!
However the one gold-nugget piece of info that most people don't know is that there is more than just one type of mobile cooling unit. Portable ACs are one thing, but you also have the option of a swamp cooler. Swamp coolers, also commonly referred to as evaporative coolers, have the same effect as a wet towel on a fan. If you're looking to browse smart green cooling alternatives, consider a Soleus portable air conditioner or a Symphony Swamp Cooler.
Don't be a Water Waster
Water is one of the biggest wasted resources during the summer, but there are a number of ways we can just begin to be more aware of how much of this liquid resources we're wasting in even the smallest ways. Starting with the garden, people think because its hotter they have to water their lawns that much more. What's worse, people will water their lawn during the day - big mistake! Not only are you wasting water this way since it evaporates faster (driving the need to re-water), but you're actually killing your plants. Water droplets act like a magnifying mirror attracting even more light/heat to your already fragile plants. What should you do? Wait till late evening or even early night, and water as you would during any other reason.
But along with BBQs and AC's, swimming pools is the third key word that comes to mind when people think of summers. If you've got a pool, think about making a change that not only helps the environment, but helps you directly. Most swimming pools have countless chemicals poured into them weekly. These chemicals come into contact with your skin, your eyes, and are sometimes even accidentally ingested. The smart green move is to invest in a chemical free pool that uses ionization technology to keep your pool clean and sanitary.
There are a ton of small things you can do that will make a big difference, promoting not only a healthy lifestyle, but a healthy environment. Share these ideas with your friends and family and get the ball rolling on your green summer!
Shireen Qudosi is a green expert working with Air Conditioner Home. A premier online retailer of residential/commercial cooling, Air Conditioner Home is dedicated to raising consumer awareness on green issues & promoting both air purification and eco-friendly cooling.
