Green

Go Green in 2009

Looking to become more environmentally friendly?
If so, try one of the following ideas……

1. Walk or ride your bike for short trips instead of driving. You will not only help the planet by not burning fossil fuel and releasing harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, but you will also save money and burn calories!
2. Plant a garden. Growing your own vegetables is cheap and easy to do. If you are short on space, try planting vegetables in pots or renting a plot in the Community Garden at the Wittenbach/Wege Agriscience and Environmental Education Center.
3. Start a compost pile. You can turn apple cores, broccoli stems and coffee grounds into rich, healthy soil.
4. Use cloth shopping bags. Bringing your own will prevent millions of plastic bags from entering our landfills where they could remain for 1000 years!
5. As light bulbs burn out, convert to compact fluorescent bulbs. They typically last 8 -10 times longer then traditional light bulbs and consume far less electricity saving you money in the long run.
6. Recycle old cell phones, ink jet cartridges and batteries. Disposing of these items can release toxic chemicals like arsenic into our groundwater. Bring these items to any of the Lowell Area Schools or the Wittenbach/Wege Agriscience and Environmental Education Center to be recycled.
7. Donate your unused eye glasses. Advanced Eye Care Professionals in Lowell accepts eye glasses on behalf of the Lowell Lions Club.  
8. Recycle paper. As part of a fundraiser, the Lowell High School softball team is recycling newspapers, magazines and office paper. Materials can be dropped off in the semi-trailer in the Lowell High School parking lot.
9. Use a refillable water bottle. Each year, Americans typically dispose of 38 million water bottles, requiring over 1.5 million barrels of oil to manufacture. At $1-$4 each, that’s a lot of money literally thrown away.
10. Use a rain barrel. A rain barrel can save approximately 1,300 gallons of water during peak summer months lowering your water bill and reducing stormwater runoff which could contain harmful chemicals.

Doing all or just a few of these items can improve your health, protect the environment and save you money. Try one today!

http://earth911.org/ Tips on recycling and green purchasing.

http://www.michigangreen.org/  a group committed to bringing renewable energy and energy efficiency to Michigan. This site includes tips as well as kits.

http://www.treehugger.com/ Information galore on greening up including forums to finding answers.

Watch for more info regarding Lowell Goes Green on our website.