The key to a green lifestyle? Variety. Every day there’s something new you could be doing, keeping your enthusiasm fresh and raring to go. But…what? How do you find those all-important new ways to make a difference? You’ll need green living tips, designed to read in a glance. Here are ten sites that brim with them. Get clicking!

1. Green Living Tips

(On Twitter)

(On Facebook)

Brainchild of green businessman Michael Bloch, Green Living Tips is highly focused. Get past the somewhat unprepossessing homepage and you’re in for a lots of great information: hidden behind the categories in the left sidebar is tons of useful info, from the environmental difference between brown and white rice to ways to recycle or upcycle styrofoam. You could spend days here. We warned you!

2. The Green Guide (National Geographic)

(On Twitter)

While National Geographic needs no introduction, you might not know about its Green Guide. If that’s the case, you’re missing out on stunning presentation and, in the main site or the accompanying blog, the kind of content you’d expect from one of the most reliably excellent magazines in the world.

3. National Resources Defense Council Green Tips

(On Twitter)

(On Facebook)

New to the NRDC? It’s a grassroots environmental action group (founded in 1970) with over 1.3 million members – and their resident experts have set up a page loaded with good, green advice.

4. Green Living Ideas

(On Twitter)

(On Facebook)

Helmed by Sean Daily (GreenTalk Radio Podcasts) and part of the Simple Earth Media Network, Green Living Ideas (and its close neighbor Blue Living Ideas) is a green tips resource that doesn’t quit. Click on “topics” on the homepage and go exploring the 200+ categories of archived posts – as long as your next few hours are free, of course.

5. Organic Authority

(On Twitter)

(On Facebook)

A specific tips site, this one. For all you foodies, a site featured on Oprah Magazine that’s a wealth of vegetarian and healthy food tips laid out thusly. It even has its own web TV show. Tuck in!

6. The Daily Green

(On Twitter)

(On Facebook)

Does The Daily Green need any introduction? Nope, but here’s one anyway. Often featured in mainstream media (the Today show, for example), this green consumer darling is built around a core of tips and advice not only from staff members but also from its readers.

7. GreenUPGRADER

(On Twitter)

(On Facebook)

Longtime friends of EcoSalon, the team at GreenUPGRADER is here to spread the word about nifty improvements around the home, whether in the form of new innovations or natty tricks you can apply yourself. Warning: Reading this website may result in recurring attacks of DIY.

8. Mother Nature Network

(On Twitter)

(On Facebook)

The tips over at the brilliant Mother Nature Network aren’t neatly categorized as at the other sites listed here. In other words, a game of “hunt the tip” beckons. But when the writing is this good, that’s far from burdensome – there are some truly terrific articles to discover. For example, were you aware of all of these uses for salt?

9. Planet Green (Discovery)

(On Twitter)

(On Facebook)

Like MNN, Planet Green – backed by Discovery, like its sister site Treehugger – is a place that surrenders its tips a little reluctantly (read: prepare for some reading). But what tips they are! From ways to teach kids the value of real food to growing Gandhi’s favorite food … and don’t forget each section’s “How To Go Green” roundup (here’s the Home & Garden one).

10. Treehugger (Discovery)

(On Twitter)

(On Facebook)

No self-respecting green tips list would be complete without mentioning Treehugger – they’ve earned their spot with years of good quality (but rather loosely categorized) green tips. Yes, they have a “How To Go Green” section – but it links to the one at their sister site, Planet Green. You’ll have to go explore through the archives, but if you’re willing to invest the time, Treehugger has the goods!

Photo credits: Arria Belli, pacomexico, Ed.ward, Mickey.!, *clairity*, Stephen Korecky, Lauren Manning, Niffty.., Bruce Tuten, alexbartok and miyukiutada. All photos from Flickr, licensed for commercial use under Creative Commons.

The post 10 Green Living Tips Websites We Love appeared first on EcoSalon.

Article by Annie Scott, first published March 2010 at Tonic.com.

I’m America, and I’m a pollutionoholic.

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has some good news for us all: the US can cut its carbon pollution by 15 percent right now if we all take simple steps. Know how much pollution that is? One. Billion. Tons. Yes we can!

We all know that we should do certain things to keep pollution levels low, but never before have we been told exactly what to do and exactly how much it will help. Hopefully, this is enough to get you and me and everyone we know motivated!

Here’s what you have to do:

1. Use a programmable thermostat and set it to cool down when you’re asleep or out.

2. Reduce your “vampire” electrical usage; unplug stuff that’s charged, unplug the extra refrigerator, turn off the lights (just like your dad said). This will also save you money on your electric bill. Sweet!

3. Consume less red meat and dairy. What’s “less”? Well, think about how many times per day you have a serving of red meat or dairy. Try to halve it. If you’re worried about your calcium, think about other foods like salmon, spinach, okra, almonds … there’s a list here. Here’s where you can get some iron. Delicious – and likely to help you shed some pounds.

4. Waste less food. This is a no-brainer. Nobody’s going to watch you and make sure you eat every pea on your plate, but don’t let your leftovers go bad, don’t buy more perishables than you can consume before they perish. If you want to go all the way, become a freegan dumpster diver, but 25 percent less wasted food will do the trick.

5. Recycle whenever possible. Permission to not recycle when it’s impossible: granted.

6. Replace your incandescent bulbs with CFLs.

7. Reduce motor vehicle idling and maintain your vehicle properly so it doesn’t go spewing noxious gases everywhere. Again, saves money!

8. Carpool twice or telecommute once per week. Propose telecommuting to your boss with environmental intentions and you may finally get your wish!

9. If you fly more than three times per year, fly one less time.

10. Fix your leaks to cut heat loss.

11. Use hot water efficiently – did you know that you can save energy just by insulating your water heater? You can also keep it at a lower temp and use efficient faucets and showerheads. Also, do your laundry in cold water. It keeps the colors brighter anyway.

12. Next time you replace an appliance, get an EnergyStar certified one. This can save electricity and even get you a tax break in some cases.

That’s it. Twelve steps to 15 percent less pollution. Are you in? I am. You can sign up to be part of the movement here, and check out the NRDC’s full analysis and report here.

Editor’s note: Article by Annie Scott. Originally published by our friends at Tonic.com. Tonic is a digital media company and news source dedicated to promoting the good that happens each day around the world. Tonic tells the stories of people and organizations who are working to make a difference, by inspiring good in themselves and others. Be sure to visit them and say hi, and follow Tonic on Twitter, too!

Photo by *~Dawn~* via Flickr.

The post Reduce Your Carbon Impact by 15% in 12 Easy Steps appeared first on EcoSalon.

Who says you have to be serious while saving the planet?

Definitely not Envirofone, the UK’s leading mobile phone recycling company. They recently did a survey asking Brits to share their favourite tips on how to reduce their environmental impact. Envirofone surveyed 3000 people, who came up with a mixture of useful and quirky (read: strange) ideas for greening our collective ways. From reusing tea bags to getting creative with underwear (in the name of decency we’re picturing the former), the top 1o tips were:

1. Share a shower.
2. Air your pants, don’t tumble dry them.
3. Turn underwear inside out for, um, extended use.
4. Share your bath water (with the whole family)!
5. Re-use your tea bags (hey, it’s the UK).
6. Use newspaper as wrapping paper this Christmas.
7. Use dirty socks as hankies. (Really?)
8. Recycle your old mobile phones.
9. Use old knickers as dusters.
10. Pee in the shower.

Now I’m more than happy to go with tips #1,2,5,6, and 8 but I have to say the rest of these tips are more than a little out of my comfort zone.

Image: quinn.anya

The post Brits List 10 Quirky Ways to Reduce Your Environmental Impact appeared first on EcoSalon.