Leslie of Big Rich Texas Shares Tips for Green Living

It's important for everyone to be green, even if they do it in a small way. We don't know what the world could be like a hundred years from now because of how we lived today. We just need to be aware and lessen our impact on the environment.

In Seattle, it's just something you do. As a child I was geared to think that way. So when I came to Texas, I was surprised by how wasteful everything was. I moved into a green condo to help the environment, but since there's just so much land and space, I guess people don't really think about conserving. This was foreign to me since I feel guilty even if I have a paper receipt in my pocket that I haven't recycled!

So to encourage everyone, here are some pointers for green living:

1. When I leave the house, I unplug my appliances. Everything. People don't realize how much energy they zap even when they're turned off. Only plug them in when you need to use them.

2. Also when you're brushing your teeth, only have the water running when you actually need it. So many people leave it on while they're brushing, and it's such a waste. I also recycle newspapers and magazines, any kind of paper.

3. I love to soak in my bathtub, but it takes about 75 gallons to fill a bathtub. If you take just a quick shower, it takes only 25 gallons. I used to take a bath everyday, but now I try to just shower most of the time and maybe take a bath every 10 days to conserve.

4. I try to buy natural things, a lot of organic food. I go to farmers' markets every Sunday and try to always buy local. When possible I also try to buy green fabric like hemp.

5. Finally, though a lot of people don't think of this, I plan on having a green funeral. In a green funeral, you aren't embalmed, but wrapped in gauze. You also have to be buried very quickly, within three days. They put you straight into the ground with no coffin so that you can just naturally decompose. They have these cemeteries in Seattle, and they're beautiful.

There are just a lot of little things like that I'm used to doing since I grew up in Washington, which is a very green state. I'm just one person so what I do has little effect, but if everyone makes just a tiny bit of effort, it will collectively have a huge difference. Once you start living green, it becomes easier. It only take six weeks to start or stop a habit. It's not a huge inconvenience to live green, and it makes a huge impact!