Why Don’t You Live A Healthier Lifestyle?
November 3, 2008 - Posted in Happy Home
Did you know that green living can actually help you live longer? It might sound strange, but it’s really true - many of the same things that help the earth will help you, too. If you drive less, eat fresh organically grown foods and do many other ecologically friendly things, you’ll live a lot longer.
Healthy organic food from sources you trust helps prevent contamination of the environment by chemical fertilizers and pesticides. It also helps your body, offering it the high quality nutrients it deserves. Organically produced meats and other animal products are great for us, keeping antibiotics and growth hormones out of our systems, and out of the would around us. Eating well, from organic sources, also helps us avoid processed foods that have little nutrition, but are great at clogging our arteries and making us sick.
Driving less allows you to save fuel and cut down on traffic. You’ll feel less stressed when you aren’t dealing with inconsiderate drivers and traffic jams. When you can, take public transit or carpool - you’ll save money and the environment. Biking and walking are a great way to accomplish errands close to home, and they help you get your exercise. That means you’ll look great, feel great, and be in good health!
Composting food scraps is a great way to save money on your garbage bills, while getting a free supply of high quality fertilizer for your gardening efforts or landscaping. It keeps lots of useful material out of landfills - just add veggie and fruit waste, coffee grounds, eggshells and most other food matter to the compost pile, along with yard waste. Watch out for meat and other animal products, though. They can attract pests and take longer to decay. Remember to moisten your compost pile periodically to keep it working, and you’ll have excellent fertilizer for your garden or lawn in the spring.
Other things you can do will just make your home more comfortable. Larger windows can help let in more natural light so you don’t need to turn your lights on early. Using compact fluorescent bulbs can save you money and will save energy. Use energy-efficient appliances and don’t leave your air conditioner on when you’re not at home. You’ll be amazed at how much this impacts your energy usage.
Small things like recycling cans, bottles and plastic packaging helps lower your garbage bills and helps reduce your carbon footprint. Use cloth bags when you shop instead of taking their paper or plastic bags. Some stores even knock off a few cents when you use your own bags. All of this will help reduce pollution, which is healthier for you because you’ll be breathing cleaner air.
Once you get started, you’ll wonder how you ever lived another way. Living greener allows you to feel better, be healthier, and be happy knowing that you’re living on a healthier planet. Try greening up your life a little and live a lot longer.