Healthy Tips

Looking for ways to save your health, the environment, and money? Here are a few suggestions you can use during the holiday season:

• Even in cold weather, getting outside is good for your health and should be preferred over going to a health club for exercise. Bundle up and get moving! Even though gas prices are currently down, avoid driving unless absolutely necessary. Walk, ride your bike, ride your horse, carpool, ride your skateboard, or take the bus. When you do drive, try to accomplish multiple tasks that are in the same general location at once instead of making multiple trips throughout any given day or a week. Visit The Alliance to Save Energy site for more gas and energy saving tips related to your vehicle.
• Do not allow your engine to idle. In cold seasons, people tend to sit and wait with their engines running. This pollutes the air for people passing by all around you. Be especially aware if bus or truck drivers are idling in areas where people linger or loiter - such as at bus stops, schools, or city centers. Ask drivers to turn off their engines. Visit the Clean Bus USA Campaign page on the EPA site.
• Buy energy efficient lightbulbs and/or fixtures, or change your current to a more energy efficient variety. Look for the Energy Star label. Visit the Energy Star site for more information.
• Load up all your used or old electronic devices such as cell phones, video game players, or computers and take them to a recycle center. Doing this will eliminate more cadmium, lead, and other hazardous substances from being placed in landfills. Visit the eCycle page on the EPA site.
• Consider changing where your electricity is generated from standard to solar, wind, or other viable types. Visit Home Power for more information.
• If you are building a new home or renovating, use materials and designs that are environmentally-sound. Visit the Green Building page on the EPA site.
• Purchase less during the holidays or do your shopping online (and try to do online shopping sparingly to save on shipping for financial and environmental savings as well). Make gifts out of things you have at home - be creative.
  
• Recycle bags and paper for gift-giving wrap and presentation.
• Invite friends or family over for home gatherings instead of opting for expensive nights out. Encourage everyone attending to make something from home and bring a dish to share.
• Trade decorations and lights with friends and family instead of making a trip to the store and wasting gas and spending more money on new items.