Green living is a lifestyle that focuses on conserving energy, saving money and living in an environmentally friendly manner. Composting, recycling and gardening are three important activities commonly associated with a green lifestyle. You can adapt these activities to fit your schedule, needs and enjoyment, and they will bring you a variety of benefits.
Composting
Composting101.com is a user-friendly website that breaks down the details of composting for the household gardener. This website defines composting as "mixing yard and household organic waste in a pile or bin and providing conditions that encourage decomposition." American households dispose of large amounts of food scraps on a daily basis. You can turn these food scraps into compost that you can add to garden soil. A fact sheet published by the U.S. Composting Council outlines many of the benefits associated with composting, including improving the soil structure and fertility, supplying both macro- and micronutrients and stabilizing soil pH.
Recycling
Recycling can keep large amounts of waste from ending up in landfills or incinerators. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency defines recycling as "turning materials that would otherwise become waste into valuable resources." Local recycling centers can be of great benefit when starting a recycling routine. They can tell you what types of materials your community accepts for recycling and what the procedures are. You can easily sort and recycle paper, aluminum, cardboard, copper and metals. Plastics are a bit more difficult, depending on the type of plastic in question. According to Benefits-of-Recycling, plastic containers have numbers on the bottom to indicate the particular type of plastic used. Types 1 and 2 are commonly recycled, type 4 is recycled in some situations, and type 7 is virtually unable to be recycled. Larger items such as carpets, electronics, and paint have more specific details regarding recycling.
Gardening
Gardening is an activity that many people living a green lifestyle participate in. Gardening provides physical activity, is enjoyable and can yield fruits and vegetables to help save money on the grocery bill. Your garden can be large or small, and you can adapt it to fit your lifestyle. For example, community gardens are a great option for individuals living in an urban setting. Using your own compost can save even more money and provide an excellent fertilizer for garden soil. Gardening does take a little planning and maintenance, as well as some old-fashioned labor.
Benefits
Composting and recycling help reduce the amount of waste produced and can help reduce pollution. According to the EPA, composting and recycling also help conserve natural resources, such as water, timber and minerals, that can help sustain the environment for future generations. Gardening allows for fresh vegetables at a relatively inexpensive cost compared to grocery store prices. During the summer months, fresh fruits and vegetables are readily available, and you can freeze or can them for use during the winter months. The physical activity you engage in while working in the garden provides health benefits, as well. Through planting and harvesting your own fruits and vegetables, you gain control over the growth and harvesting of many of the foods you eat. You can easily avoid pesticides and preservatives, reducing the possible health risks associated with such products.
Materials Needed
Although composting, recycling and gardening are three simple activities, there are a few materials that can make these processes easier. Composting generally only requires a bin in which to store the composting material. Composting bins are readily available at home improvement stores, or you can construct your own. Recycling can be made easier through use of containers specific for such items as plastic, metals and glass. This will make sorting and collecting materials more efficient. Gardening requires few materials except a designated yard space, seeds, water and appropriate gardening tools. Specific fruits and vegetables may require additional materials that will generally be mentioned on a seed packet or in a gardening guide.
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