These days, people are learning the hard way what it takes to have a damaged environment. Much of these are repercussions of human or anthropogenic activities. As everyone says, there is still hope as long as humans try to change their ways of living, a life where humans can live in harmony with mother earth. To achieve that kind of life, humans need to do their share because Mother earth cannot give everything and receive nothing. It isn’t actually that hard because there are little things humans can do that can make big changes. You can even start your help by greening your home.

Greening your home can start by simply getting rid of old appliances. Studies show that old appliances use up more energy compared to new ones. If old appliances are replaced with new ones, a homeowner can save up to $150 dollars a month in their electricity bill. Air conditioner and heater are home appliances that are contributing to the serious problem of global warming. To save power and minimize release of CFC, use these appliances only when needed. Choosing air conditioners and heaters that are fuel-efficient can greatly reduce power consumption and lower the bill.

A clothes dryer is another appliance that can cause major problems because they release chemicals that are bad for Mother Earth. Instead of using dryers all the time, why not put up a clothesline and let the heat of the sun take care of all the drying whenever possible?

Perhaps everyone already knows that the fresh water on earth is not unlimited. Therefore, humans need to conserve water as much as possible. Again, it is not a hard thing to do. When you’re brushing your teeth, use a glass of water instead of letting the water run. When you’re taking a bath, don’t let the water spill out of the tub just put enough. There are many ways on how to conserve water. There is also bathroom and sink fixtures that can help reduce water consumption.

Try to use eco-friendly cleaners instead of toxic ones when you clean your house. It’s going to be a lot safer for the environment and for the whole household as well. Use traditional cleaning supplies like homemade soap and water with vinegar instead of harmful bleaches and disinfectants.

Use bulbs that are eco-friendly. It has been proven that compact fluorescent light bulbs save up to 66 percent energy compared to the usual incandescent light bulb and it can last up to ten times longer.

Parents can also help teach their children green ways like using less paper, recycling and reusing materials, as well as doing waste segregation. Since papers come from trees, saving up on paper can as well save mother earth. The lesser demand for paper, the lesser papyrus trees are needed to be cut. Papers can also be recycled and reused and they can be formed into new things. Before throwing papers, think twice.

Plastics are known to be the cause of so much environmental problems. In turn, reducing the use of plastics can reduce the effects it is causing the environment such as drought and flooding. Instead of plastics, you can use brown paper bags, cloth bags or any reusable bag.

These are just some of the many ways that you can do to save the environment. It is always best to start these kinds of value-forming practices at home. Greening your home is a good way to teach your kids to make these practices become habits that they can teach their own children in due time. Life is good because there is a nurturing Mother Earth; let the future generation get a chance to lead good lives too.