By Libby Huffman
Of all the steps you take to get green around the house, have you thought about the impact your garage has on the environment? Besides parking an electric/gas hybrid in the space, there are other things you could be doing to reduce your carbon footprint. Here are a few tips for remaining eco-minded in that junk filled room you call a garage:
Clean is Green
It’s important to clear the entire garage out in order to begin to put the pieces of the puzzle back together. Clean out old boxes, drawers, tools and equipment you’ve got lying around. Next, get rid of all of your harmful chemicals. When dealing with household cleaners, most of them can simply be thrown away whereas items like paint and oil have a special mode of disposal. For paint, you can drop it off your local hardware store and they will use an environmentally friendly method of disposal. For used oil, it's as simple as dropping it off at your mechanics to get rid of it. Then, you'll want to purchase eco-friendly, all natural cleaners that are non-toxic to you and the Earth.Note: Never pour any type of chemicals down the drain. When in doubt, consult the label for instructions on proper disposal.
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Get Eco-Organized
It’s not enough to simply clean out the garage if you just throw all your junk right back in it. You’ll need to purchase or reuse some economical and ecological tools to put your things in order. Old glass jars are great for keeping small things like nails and thumb tacks neatly tucked away. You might even consider building your own containers and boxes out of recycled materials. The ideal organizers will be durable and keep things close at hand. Using bamboo to build your containers will help to reduce carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and it’s incredibly durable and flexible.
Stay Away From the Rake
Sounds like a dream come true right? Unfortunately, this isn’t your excuse for not doing yard work. This simply means that the tools you’ve been using are probably not safe for the environment. It’s actually not the garden tools themselves but their manufacturers that are doing their part to destroy our planet. Each factory using PVC materials emits harmful toxins into the air when producing these tools and even more when destroying them. Slow the production down by refusing to purchase their products. To be safe, use steel or metal tools.
Many other manufacturers use materials that are not safe for the environment as well. Even something as seemingly benign as garage cabinets can emit harmful chemicals like formaldehyde. Some companies are better than others in their emissions standards so be sure to shop around for an eco-conscious corporation before installing those cabinets.
Reduce Your Waste
Working in the garage can be a dirty job. While it’s tempting to use paper towels or other disposable cleaning materials, it’s just not ideal. More trash means less renewable resources and overflowing landfills; both are huge problems. Try to use micro fiber towels for your messes or other cloth towels that can be washed rather than thrown away.
As the green movement gains momentum, it’s important to stay abreast of the issues. Learning ways to become eco in every facet of life is each of our responsibilities. With a little diligence we can all make sure we’re doing our best to keep up with the demands of our planet. After all, every part of our lives makes an impact including the garage.
© 2009 Libby Huffman
Read more at Suite101: Greening Your Garage: How to Make the Garage More Environmentally Friendly http://greenliving.suite101.com/article.cfm/greening_your_garage#ixzz0vNXL7lts
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