How can I go Green at home?
So I am 15 and I obviously live with my parents. I don’t have a fridge or anything in my room, I have like 4 lights though. How can I go ‘green’ in my room? And how can I go green with the makeup products I use and the hair products. WOW this makes it seem like I want to be a hippie!
Thanks,
Angie 
You could buy energy efficient light bulbs. you could also save water by turning off the sink when you brush your teeth.
I really appreciate your concern towards the environment. Here’s my suggestion – Save Water. It’s a simple and inexpensive process, but has immense importance. Many regions in the world are facing fresh water shortages. By conserving water at home you would make a big contribution to the planet. Here are some simple tips to get you started: http://www.bewaterwise.com/tips01.html
Hope this helped you. All the best!
"Honest" is pulling your leg.
Unplug your cd player, dvd player, TV when yhey’re not being used; these appliances use energy when in "standby" state (it’s not much but every little bit helps).
Here are some suggestions for going "green":
1) Ask mom and dad to replace the bulbs in your 4 lights with CFC bulbs; these are fluorescent bulbs that will fit in most lamps and fixtures and they will cut the cost of lighting your room by up to 75%,
2) Try to take shorter, cooler showers to save water and water heating costs.
3) Buy cosmetics that are packaged with minimal packaging materials.
4) Use natural spray hairspray (no propellant, no steel can) and recycle the container if possible.
5) Buy used clothing at thrift stores, like the Salvation Army, Vincent de Paul, or Goodwill; you’ll save money and be helping a good cause at the same time. (This suggestion was a good one).
6) If you "brown bag" your school lunch, use a reusable cloth bag or reuse your paper sack until it falls apart before replacing it (remember that a cloth bag will last "forever").
7) Don’t use medicated soap; it’s not really better than regular and you won’t be releasing the antibacterial chemical into the environment or into your body through your skin. Also you can use bar soap to reduce the use of plastic dispenser and refill bottles.
Remember the mantras: "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" and "Make it do, make it last"
I hope these suggestions are helpful.
J
Some things you could do to be greener could be turning off the heating/cooling before leaving the house for work or school; using less water; turning off uneeded lights; recycling; and planting some trees around your house. Trees provide many benefits.
I don’t think you sound like a hippie, you sound smart. There are a variety of harmful chemicals and hormones in the products we use on our bodies, our skin is our largest organ and it absorbs at least 40% of what we put on it. There is an increasing number of studies linking cosmetics to various health problems, everything from breast cancer to organ failure. The FDA allows the cosmetic and cleaning companies to decide how much of these chemicals are safe. I’m not 100% sure all the science is right, but why take the risk when there are products that are easy to find and are safe.
Here is a great website to learn what is in the products you are using and if they have any chemicals that have health risks. http://cosmeticsdatabase.com/index.php?nothanks=1
I can also recommend a few brands I use, Kiss my face, Aveda, Burt’s Bees and Ecco Bella, they can all be found online and I think all but Aveda are at Whole Foods.
Start with school supplies, don’t just empty your backpack into the garbage at the end of the year. Reuse you binders, use partial notebooks for notes or other purposes. Locate all your office/school supplies in one place so you don’t have to buy things you already have. Buy a plain backpack so you can use it for several years, you can decorate it with pins or key chains if you want to embelish. Use both sides of paper, print only the pages you need. When you need to purchase supplies look for recycled content, an non chlorine bleach paper.
Eat less meat, and more local, organic in season produce. Help make meals at home so you don’t need to purchase so many packaged or take out meals. Pack a waste free lunch.
Buy fewer clothes and look for organic cotton or other natural materials. Donate used clothes instead of tossing them in the garbage. You can also organize a clothing swap so you can change your wardrobe without spending any money.
Conserve energy, many teens have several electronics and many use energy even when they are off. Plug everything into a power strip so you can shut everything off when you leave the house or go to sleep.
Walk or ride a bike to school, friends houses, practice the mall etc. If you have to have a parent drive you to or from school arrive 15 minutes early and ask them to pick you up 15 minutes later, that will reduce the amount of time they have to wait with the engine running.
Over the summer read "The Green BooK" this will give you many more ideas of little things you can do to help the planet, save money and improve your health.
Save water – bath less, maybe once a week, just wipe down with a wash cloth the other days.
Save landfill space – stop shaving, too many razors go into landfills, don’t use hair dyes, too many chemicals go into the water,
Buy used clothing or makes clothes out of old drapes or sheets, don’t follow trends, wear same clothes until they fall apart, then use them as cleaning cloths or cloth diapers