Mark St. Patrick’s Day with these 17 ways to live greener

  • By Andrea Brown Herald Writer
  • Friday, March 14, 2014 1:55pm
  • Life

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by wearing green, drinking green and going green.

Don’t panic. You don’t have to make your own cleaning products or use cloth diapers.

Here are 17 easy ways to be green any day of the year, culled from utility experts to moms everywhere.

1. How many times do you forget to bring your bags inside the grocery store? Instead of telling yourself, “OK, next time I’ll remember” (you probably won’t), just go back to the car and get your bags.

2. Avoid the temptation to use the drive-through lane at pharmacies, banks and fast-food joints. Walk inside, and you’ll get a little exercise.

3. Wash clothes in cold water. That way you don’t turn the whites pink if a red shirt sneaks in with the load.

4. Don’t stand there with refrigerator door open while you ponder. There’s nothing good in the house to eat anyway.

5. Unplug unused cellphone and laptop chargers.

6. Pay bills online or by phone. Sign up for electronic statements for bills, banking and credit cards. Stop unwanted mail by going to www.ecocycle.org/junkmail.

7. Switch to reusable water bottles and coffee cups.

8. Keep tires properly inflated.

9. Don’t run the water while brushing your teeth.

10. Walk the kids to the school bus. Take the bus to outings in Seattle: It saves on parking fees and parking tickets. You can plan a trip at www.soundtransit.org.

11. Feeling a tad chilly lounging around the house half-naked in shorts and T-shirt? Put on more clothes rather than cranking up the heat.

12. Use light dimmers and energy-efficient light bulbs.

13. Invest in energy-saving appliances. These really do cut bills. Some qualify for utility and income tax rebates.

14. Got lots of grass to mow? Rent a herd of goats. They’ll fertilize it while they’re at it.

15. Get organized. Know where your stuff is. Before you buy an item, look around the house to see whether you already have something that will work just as well.

16. Buy gently used toys at yard sales, thrift stores or online at sites such as www.babyplays.com.

17. Relax. Quit expending energy. St. Patrick’s Day is a fun holiday. Drink a green beer.

Sources: www.snopud.com and www.50waystohelp.com

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Brandon Hailey of Cytrus, center, plays the saxophone during a headlining show at Madam Lou’s on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood-based funk octet Cytrus has the juice

Resilience and brotherhood take center stage with ‘friends-first’ band.

FILE - In this April 11, 2014 file photo, Neko Case performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. Fire investigators are looking for the cause of a fire on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017, that heavily damaged Case’s 225-year-old Vermont home. There were no injuries, though a barn was destroyed. It took firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Singer-songwriter Neko Case, an indie music icon from Tacoma, performs Sunday in Edmonds.

Sarah Jean Muncey-Gordon puts on some BITCHSTIX lip oil at Bandbox Beauty Supply on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Langley, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Bandbox Beauty was made for Whidbey Island locals, by an island local

Founder Sarah Muncey-Gordon said Langley is in a renaissance, and she’s proud to be a part of it.

Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli
Tangier’s market boasts piles of fruits, veggies, and olives, countless varieties of bread, and nonperishables, like clothing and electronics.
Rick Steves on the cultural kaleidoscope of Tangier in Morocco

Walking through the city, I think to myself, “How could anyone be in southern Spain — so close — and not hop over to experience this wonderland?”

Byrds co-founder Roger McGuinn, seen here in 2013, will perform April 20 in Edmonds. (Associated Press)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

R0ck ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer Roger McGuinn, frontman of The Byrds, plans a gig in Edmonds in April.

Mother giving in to the manipulation her daughter fake crying for candy
Can children be bribed into good behavior?

Only in the short term. What we want to do is promote good habits over the course of the child’s life.

Speech Bubble Puzzle and Discussion
When conflict flares, keep calm and stand your ground

Most adults don’t like dissension. They avoid it, try to get around it, under it, or over it.

The colorful Nyhavn neighborhood is the place to moor on a sunny day in Copenhagen. (Cameron Hewitt)
Rick Steves: Embrace hygge and save cash in Copenhagen

Where else would Hans Christian Andersen, a mermaid statue and lovingly decorated open-face sandwiches be the icons of a major capital?

Last Call is a festured artist at the 2024 DeMiero Jazz Festival: in Edmonds. (Photo provided by DeMiero Jazz Festival)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Jazz ensemble Last Call is one of the featured artists at the DeMiero Jazz Festival on March 7-9 in Edmonds.

Kim Helleren
Local children’s author to read at Edmonds Bookshop

Kim Helleren will read from one of her books for kids at the next monthly Story Time at Edmonds Bookshop on March 29.

Chris Elliott
Lyft surprises traveler with a $150 cleaning charge

Jared Hakimi finds a $150 charge on his credit card after a Lyft ride. Is that allowed? And will the charge stick?

Inside Elle Marie Hair Studio in Smokey Point. (Provided by Acacia Delzer)
The best hair salon in Snohomish County

You voted, we tallied. Here are the results.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.