100 ways to live green

1. Use low flow shower heads.
2. Collect water from the shower, kitchen, bathroom and laundry to use on the garden (not on vegetables).
3. Grow your own food, even if it is just herbs on a windowsill.
4. Choose products with less packaging.
5. Buy organic food.
6. Join a food co-op (if one exists in your area).
7. Buy food from local growers.
8. Reuse paper that is printed on one side.
9. Reuse news paper, shredded in compost or as wrapping paper.
10. Mulch your garden to save water and keep plants happier.
11. Make your own compost - great fertiliser for the garden.
12. Recycle everything that your council allows.
13. Instead of photocopying documents you want to keep a copy of, scan them and store them electronically.
14. Keep in touch with friends and family using email and Skype, reduce the number of letters and packages that you post.
15. Cook more healthy, whole food, less take-away and junk food - this reduces packaging that must be recycled or stored in landfill and is healthier for you.
16. Use aerators on normal taps.
17. Use a digital camera - saves on printing photos and storing them.
18. Exercise at home - you'll save both on gym costs and transport.
19. Use outings that incorporate exercise to entertain the kids - take them cycling instead of to the movies.
20. Rent and borrow books and movies - use the library, AppleTV, and video rental shops instead of adding to your collection
21. Share magazines, newspapers, books, DVD and games with friends - reduce boredom, and reduce the amount that people buy.
22. Get past wanting to collect things - it will save you money, you don't have to store everything, and it makes cleaning easier
23. Shop at secondhand shops for clothes, books, homewares - many of these are run by charity, so you are also giving back to the community.
24. Reduce the amount you use the car, batch your errands into one trip to save on fuel and time.
25. Ride or walk to work.
26. Use public transport to get to work, go to friend's houses and shop.
27. Arrange to work by telecommuting - working at home one or two days a week saves on commuting costs, saves time and saves wear and tear on clothes. You are usually more productive too!
28. Time shift your work, avoid the packed peak hour. This works on both public transport and to reduce congestion on the roads if you must drive.
29. Give gift cards or electronic vouchers for online stores - saves on unwanted presents and useless trinkets.
30. Re-gift or donate unwanted items, including electronic gadgets.
31. Give gifts of homemade food or services.
32. Or give sustainable or green gifts - fruit trees, herb seedlings, green cleaning products, LED light bulbs, etc.
33. Use and reuse fabric as wrapping paper. How to wrap parcels in fabric
34. Cut and colour your friend's and family's hair - you can even cut and colour your own hair. You save the transport costs, and have better control over your own hair colour.
35. Cook in bulk - batch cooking may require a good block of time, but you'll have easy to heat home made meals sitting in the freezer. Using an already warm oven saves on the extra heating time if you cooked dishes separately.
36. Keep your freezer full - it freezes food more efficiently when it is full.
37. Use up left overs - you'll have to shop less often and generate less waste.
38. Instead of eating at restaurants, have friends over for a home cooked meal, games or movies, and a great chat.
39. Make your own coffee and take it to work in a reusable stainless steel thermos mug.
40. Keep the thermostat on your heater a little cooler in winter and wear more layered clothing.
41. Buy good quality clothes, shoes and bags - they don't need to be replaced as often.
42. Make draft stoppers for your doors by stuffing a cylinder of fabric with worn out socks, and unrepairable clothes.
43. Use fabric, knitted or crocheted dish cloths instead of disposable ones.
44. Repair your clothes, shoes, belts and bags.
45. Use worn out clothes to make rags, or use them in crafts like patchwork quilts, bags or rag rugs.
46. Use home made cleaning products - safer for the environment, your health and your savings.
47. Include the less used parts of vegetables and foods in your cooking - beetroot leaves added to a salad, celery leaves to stock, save chicken bones to make your own stock.
48. Buy 'green' products when they are available, but only when you need to buy those items.
49. Don't buy things that you don't need!
50. Use recycled paper and toilet paper.
51. Use a smaller car - you'll save on fuel and it's easier to park.
52. Reduce the amount that you consume - stop collecting needless things, use up the items you have already!
53. Use the internet to find recipes, and swap favourite recipes with friends and family, instead of buying cookbooks.
54. Read e-books (electronic books) - there are many available for free from Project Gutenberg, and you save paper, printing and distribution costs.
55. Subscribe to podcasts and buy music electronically instead of buying physical CDs. Many podcasts provide free music!
56. Find support, self-help and personal development podcasts - it may save you buying or borrowing a few books, and you can listen to them while you commute on public transport.
57. Use the services available in your local area, and go to them by walking or cycling, instead of travelling by car.
58. Install solar hot water.
59. Install solar panels.
60. Make sure your insulation is sufficient, add more if not.  Don't forget to insulate the floor, roof and walls.
61. Ensure the seals around your windows and doors are working well, especially in winter.
62. Keep the thermostat of the air-conditioner a little higher in summer.
63. Reduce or eliminate various body and facial products, and makeup that you use. Most makeup and body products contain unhealthy ingredients, and come with a lot of packaging that ends up in landfill.
64. Take home-made lunches and left overs for work - avoid the take away lunches, they usually use a lot of packaging. You'll eat healthier, and use up those left overs, reducing the amount of waste you produce.
65. Drink water instead of soft drink - you'll save your teeth, waist, savings and reduce waste.
66. Use freecycle to find second-hand items - it's both cheap and reduces the amount that goes to landfill.
67. Dispose of batteries, paints, oil and other chemicals responsibly - many local councils offer recycling and disposal to prevent these things from polluting the land around rubbish tips.
68. Donate old computers and parts to companies that give those computers to needy community groups.
69. Take the time to relax at home, meditate, exercise and look after the garden - you'll save on therapy and health costs, as well as reduce the amount of travel needed for you to be out and about.
70. If repainting, use non-toxic 'green' paints.
71. Use second hand timber for building, if possible, especially in the garden.
72. Use sustainable building materials (wood products from sustainable managed plantations, etc.)
73. Reuse office supplies like folders, manilla folders, plastic pockets, etc. Recover old folders instead of buying new ones if children want a change.
74. Use newspapers and non-waxed cardboard boxes to act as a weed mat under mulch.
75. Use scraps, things you have around the home, and be creative in your crafting.
76. Install a water tank, collect rain water to use on your garden.
77. Spend time playing and talking with your children, rather than buying their approval with gifts of toys and games.
78. Switch to green electricity - from wind or solar farms rather than coal fired plants.
79. Use a 'green' bank account - donate part of your savings to green companies, research and product development.
80. Stop smoking - it's a source of pollution, causes poor health (not just in you!), and creates a lot of waste.
81. Reuse containers for cutting or seedling pots, just poke holes in the bottom of plastic containers or egg cartons.
82. Use gravel instead of concrete for paths, or use flat rocks - reduces water run-off, allowing water to reach the soil.
83. Plant your garden thickly with local indigenous plants - provide a healthy habitat for local wildlife.
84. Take cuttings of plants, to grow more plants - saves you buying more pots from the nursery! Save seeds from vegetables and fruits. Share cuttings and seeds around your neighbourhood, family and friends.
85. Prune your shrubs, bushes and trees - it will make them healthier and provide a more bushy habitat for wildlife.
86. Use a human-powered push mower - saves on fuel or electricity and provides you with exercise.
87. Use free software that you can download, such as Open Office which can read Microsoft documents, and many other formats.  Saves on packaging and supports community based software development.
88. By in bulk, and reuse your own containers if possible, to save on packaging.
89. Reuse your own glasses frames when you need new prescription glasses or sunglasses.  Buy good quality frames that last.
90. Turn appliances and electronic equipment off at the wall where possible - many appliances on stand by still use a significant amount of power.
91. Remove power (charging) packs from power points - these always use power, irregardless of whether they are charging a device or not.
92. Use LED light bulbs, or flourescent globes.  But only purchase these to replace incandescent globes that have blown.
93. Try to go as long as possible without buying food or drinks at take-away places, make it a game.
94. Reuse boxes, paper, etc. as toys for your pets, rather than buying expensive toys made from plastic and nylon.
95. Pass on unwanted things to other people who will appreciate them, try not to throw things into landfill (trinkets, books, dvds, clothes, toys, appliances, etc.)
96. Print double sided, or even better two pages per page and double sided.
97. Or go one better, and try to avoid printing where possible!
98. Turn off the lights at work when windows provide enough light, and when everyone leaves for the evening. If you have to work late, consider using a desk lamp if you work in a shared office environment.
99. Ensure computers and monitors are turned off at night.
100. Use open source or online software, saves on packaging waste, is usually free, and does not need to be transported to shops. Try Google documents or OpenOffice to replace Microsoft Office software.  Google documents is especially neat because it allows multiple people to share documents and edit them at the same time).
101. Especially for swappers -reuse postage satchels, by cutting them open carefully, putting a blank page or sticker over the address area, and then resealing with tape.

Photos: nifwlseirff on flickr

This list was compiled for the 100 ways to live green swap on swap-bot.com.