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5 Green Household Resolutions for 2012

Have you resolved to be greener in the New Year? You don’t have to spend more money or make huge changes in your lifestyle to do it. By making simple switches, you can cut down on energy waste and chemicals in your home while saving money. Try these 5 easy modifications in 2012:

1. Use natural cleaning products.

Many traditional household cleaners contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that cause harmful indoor air pollution. In fact, according to the EPA, indoor air can be 2 to 5 times more polluted than the great outdoors because of these VOCs. Try switching out your normal cleaning supplies for ones that are non-toxic, biodegradable, and made from renewable resources. Or, you can go one step further and use a few kitchen ingredients to do your cleaning. Here are some easy, green cleaning solutions for common surfaces:

Windows: 4 tablespoons lemon juice, ½ gal warm water

Floors: 1 cup vinegar to 1 gal warm water

Metal: Use equal parts salt, vinegar, and flour to make a paste. Cover the affected area, let it dry (this takes about an hour), then wipe the area clean with a cloth

Furniture polish: 2 parts olive oil, 1part lemon juice

Toilet: Sprinkle a toilet brush with baking soda to clean the inside of the bowl, and use vinegar to wipe down the outside

2. Get reusable cleaning supplies.

Not only are they more environmentally friendly, but they’ll also save you money on paper towels and Swiffer refills. Rags can be used over and over again and stand up to cleaning better than paper towels. You can even put your old cotton t-shirts back to work by cutting them up and using them as rags. You might be surprised how much you can do with an old fashioned cleaning kit of a broom, mop, bucket, and rags—and the best part is, you won’t have to go to the store every few weeks to replace them!

3. Clean your clothes more efficiently.

You can easily do this by following our laundry tips, including washing in cold water and using less detergent. Air-drying clothes also saves energy, so on nice days why not put a line up in the back yard?

4. Switch to power strips.

Appliances and electronics can draw a small amount of current when they’re plugged into the wall, even if they aren’t in use. An easy way to be more energy efficient is to plug things like lamps, toasters, and laptop and phone chargers into power strips, which you can quickly turn on and off if you need them. When the power strip is in the “off” position, your individual appliances won’t pull any current from the wall. With power strips, you can still have your things plugged in and ready to go at the flick of a switch, but not at the expense of your electricity bill.

5. Replace your incandescent light bulbs with LED light bulbs.

Although LED bulbs cost more to buy, they last longer (we’re talking years and years) and use much less energy, translating into big overall savings. LED bulbs turn on instantly, are just as bright as incandescent bulbs, and draw no power when they aren’t in use. Investing in a few LED lights for your most heavily used rooms will translate into smaller bills and less time wasted changing bulbs. And according to the U.S. Department of Energy, if consumers rapidly adopt LED lighting, it could reduce overall lighting demand by 33% in the next 15 years.

Have fun adopting these quick and easy tips to be more green and save some money. Want to do more? Check out the EPA’s Energy Star website to make sure your home is as energy-efficient as possible. And, as an added bonus, check out these surprising items you can repurpose if you’re trying to reduce your footprint even more.

What other green resolutions have you made for 2012? Let us know in the comments!

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