8 Superbly Easy Ways to Go Green... in Case You Weren't Already

So "green" has been around for more than a decade now. I really think there is no excuse for not developing your environmental ethics. (um, before we go further, let's address the fact that I drive an SUV. Yes, I do drive an SUV. I also spent 7 years walking to work every day, carpooling to town/trailheads on weekends, plus I'm a park ranger. It doesn't get any greener than that.)

Let us begin...


1. Solar Mio The sun is free... until some capitalist pig figures out how to charge you for it. It'll happen...

So I don't ski... but I did share my free solar juice with
an Incan shaman who only spoke Quechua but had an iPod.
Small world....

This is a most awesome device. A portable solar panel that is lightweight enough to strap to my backpack as I trekked across the Inca Trail. I needed some power for my iPod and this was the perfect thing! Its also the perfect thing to keep a GPS juiced up all day in the desert as you hike along. I figure if I'm living in "Sun City" I may as well take advantage of all the free power.


2. The Solar Mio is awesome and lightweight but wouldn't charge my smartphone. So my dad presented me with the Fuse from Voltaic. This solar charger doesn't fuck around. It can charge my iPhone, GPS, iPod, some can even charge my computer (with an adapter). Its kinda large so I wouldn't take it backpacking, but it does travel with me frequently on car camping trips.

Let the sun shine...

Both solar chargers are permanently set out on my porch so they are always ready to go.


3. Another awesome thing about living in the desert besides free sun? Free laundry drying! As long as there isn't a dust storm, a clothes drying rack is the way to go for laundry day.

Not only can you buy one at almost any grocery or big box store, but they are cheap! In El Paso's arid environment, I can have dry clothes (unshrunk) in an hour. There's no electricity cost and no heat build-up that my air conditioner needs to fight against. Perfect!

If you don't wanna buy one, get creative. I once strung climbing rope between two trees in the backyard - using what I had on hand.


4. Freecycle.... you've heard of Craigslist and you've heard of recycling. Freecycle is the bad-ass bastard child of the two! People post their random crap (and non-crap) that they want to get rid of. Someone else reads that post and says "Hey! I could use that crap!" and off they go. I've given away christmas decorations and cds. I've gotten old VHS tapes and those big glass pickle jars.

Basically if you have a pile of buttons, wine corks, or carpet pieces - someone wants those. Its better than it ending up in the trash. You can find some seriously good stuff. Lots of freecycling baby clothes, unopened cans of food, furniture, etc. It rocks and you will rock if you sign up.


5. Yard sales, tag sales, garage sales.... call it what you want, I call it cheap and recycling! I've sold lots of stuff at these sales and I think all of my clothes as a baby and child came from someone's yard sale in Galveston.. Go mom!


6. Thrift stores - corporate garage sales. They rock and you can find the most amazing stuff at them. Instead of sporting that shirt that everyone can buy at their local Target or Neiman Marcus, go for a truly one-of-a-kind item. After all, you are one-of-a-kind!


7. Eat less meat and animal products. Seriously. The factory farming of animals not only uses up food crops that we could be eating but it also uses petroleum products in the shipping and maintaining of all of these animals... millions of tons of animals are shipped each week. (Suddenly my SUV isn't so bad, now is it?) I won't even mention cow farts and methane gas....

8. Grow your own food. Gardening is great for your health, your stress levels, your wallet, and the environment. Start with something small, like a windowsill Chia Herb Garden. My mom had one of these and they grew easily and abundantly.






Now, dear internet, its your turn. I want to hear about your easy, cheap, or DIY green ideas and actions. We can all learn from each other.