All personal journeys in life begin with that first step. One step leads to another and before you know it, you’ve accomplished
something big! In the case of sustainable living, taking just one step could lead to a healthier and wealthier personal life and contribute to a greener planet.Use Energy Wisely. In Maui you have to fly to get to the mainland. If you do this more than once it’s the biggest contributor to your carbon footprint so try to pack light. Every pound less weight results in less fuel used during the long journey.
Even though we live on a small island people manage to drive quite a bit. My neighbor has not one but two Hummers. Plenty of people drive monster trucks in Maui. Consider trading your gas guzzler in for a compact or hybrid if you have the bucks. Don’t be a victim of the highest gas prices in the nation.
Speaking of highest gas prices we also have the highest electricity charges. Turn up or turn off your AC and save thousands. Take the plunge and buy a solar water heater. Turn off lights and appliance when not in use and replace all bulbs with CFLs (compact florescent lights).
Recycle Everything. Paper, Plastic, Aluminum and food. Also clothes, furniture, car, clothes electronics. Everyone knows to recycle paper, plastic and aluminum cans (by the way, Kihei has a brand new recycle center) but also think of your clothes, furniture and electronics. The garage sale is Maui is always a success, but get high tech and use CraigsList Maui or give your clothes, furniture, electronics and car to charity.
Conserve/Filter Water. Water is expensive in Maui, Bills can run $250 per month or more. Reduce your amount of garden watering by planting drought tolerant vegetation and reducing or eliminating your lawn. Water early in the morning. Use natural lawn care.
Wash laundry when washer is full on the cold cycle and hang dry. Wash dishes when full and let air dry. Replace your toilets with dual flush models and flush only when necessary. Reduce shower time or skip one. Don’t run the water while brushing and shaving.
Eat Organic. Buy local organic foods when possible. They aren’t transported as far requiring less precious fuel. Organic foods simply taste better so it’s worth the extra cost. For a wide selection of organic foods drive to Mana Foods, Down to Earth or Hawaiian Moons Markets. Safeway and Costco carry a surprising number of organ items. Besides the taste, organic removes unhealthy pesticides. Eating more organic foods reduces pounds of herbicide and pesticide used by farmers.
Don’t Dispose. Bring a coffee mug with you when you go to Starbucks and get refills for free with a registered card. Bring the ceramic mug with you everywhere. Same for a water bottle. Fill with filtered water from home and forget can and plastic bottled water and soft drinks. Pack your lunch and save on take-out bags and wrappers. The savings will add up surprisingly fast and you’ll keep refuge out of the landfills.
Clean Green. Remove harmful chemicals from your life and the environment once and for all. Use organic cleaning solutions. Even Costco started caring some.
Natural Personal Care. Use natural personal care and benefit from keeping toxins off your body and then keeping the out of the environment after washing your body. Wear organic clothing. Today they come in many materials and fashions. Try the Hemp House in Paia or Maui Seaskins in Hiaku.
Carbon Zero. For about a $100 per year through a nonprofit carbon fund you can offset your carbon footprint. Your carbon footprint is the amount of greenhouse gases your produce each year. The organizations you donate to, invest in renewable energy and conservation projects. Just google carbon footprint to find a number of organizations.
Think Green. Being green takes a shift in mine set from the way most of us were brought up. The best way to do this is to read your favorite recycled paper green book or online magazine. Do research. Try googling the combination of words that most interest you and you’ll be surprised at the number of environmental listings there are these days.
Sustainable Investing. Oh, and if you start taking the steps mentioned in this article you’re bound to save some serious cash. Retire, healthy, and wealthy while doing your greatest part to save the planet. So invest your savings in an environmentally-friendly mutual fund and watch your money grow.
