14 Ways to Go Green, Tips From Our Neighbor Carlsbad Patch

1. I don't use plastic water bottles, I use reusable bottles.
2. At the grocery store, I use my bag.
3. I buy a lot more organic vegetables and eat, shop and play local.
4. I bought a bike.
5. I walk a lot, and keep track of it using a pedometer. I strive for 7000 steps a day. Instead of driving around a parking lot looking for the closest spot, I purposely take one far away.
6. I don’t print photos. If I want to share a photo, I put it online. Carlsbad.Patch.com and LaJolla.Patch.com are great places to post photos. I also use Facebook a lot. 
7. I use my Patch laptop. Did you know not using a desktop computer cuts  three-quarters off my electrical use? When I’m not using it, it’s turned off.
8. I pay my bills online and request paperless billing.
9. I don’t get newspapers. AOL.com has all the news and info I’ll ever need including sites like Patch.com (wink, wink).
10.  I recycle what I can.
11. I’ll admit it, I wear my jeans a few times before washing them.
12. I wash laundry in cold water instead of hot.
13. I turn off lights when I leave the room or don’t need them on.
14. When I’m done with something someone else might want, I don’t toss it in the trash—I either sell it online or donate it to charity.