Say what you like about Apple (and many people do), but that new iPad is one tempting toy. The shininess, the attention to detail, the sheer must-have-it-ness: It looks like Apple has got it right once again.

And I really, really want one.

Desire is one of those things that can seriously hamper the good intentions of those who are trying to make a real go of green living. Despite knowing that gadgets use up precious resources and drink copious amounts of energy, when faced against an opponent as slick and enticing as the Apple marketing behemoth, it’s easy to see how so many of us can get tempted.

But going green should not just be about practicing complete product deprivation like some strict anti-technology cult.

If you just can’t resist buying one then there are a few ways that you can minimize that new-purchase guilt you may be feeling and ensure that you continue to live an eco-friendly lifestyle along with your new toy.

Read Lots on Your iPad

If you buy a new iPad, stop buying books right now! Cancel your magazine and newspaper subscriptions, and forget about buying a separate e-reader. You now have an all-in-one computer-stroke-library, and the more you read on it, the more you are doing for the environment.

The general consensus seems to be that once you get to about 20 books on your iPad you are doing a good thing for the environment in terms of saving on the paper, ink, etc, that go into book production.

These things are always contentious, but I’m becoming more and more convinced by the eco benefits of ebooks compared to ‘dead tree books’. If you do a lot of reading, then over the course of your iPad’s lifetime you could end up saving a whole lot of paper.

Use It as an Opportunity to Scale Down

One of the oft-mentioned benefits of the iPad is that you can use it instead of a computer. If you think you can manage with just an iPad, it could be time to say farewell to your desktop or laptop instead of using them both together.

You could go further and start using your iPad for writing your notes instead of writing on paper; watching films instead of on the TV; taking photos instead of using a separate camera; or playing games instead of using a separate console.

Put simply, the more you do on the one machine, the more you can justify investing in it by cutting down on the power and resources you use for other devices.

Stop Printing

Another useful feature of the iPad is that you can use it to cut down on the amount of printing that you carry out.

Reading anything on the computer screen at your desk can be tiring after a while, so many people like to print off documents onto paper and read them in a café on in bed. Now you can keep all of your documents on your iPad, and share documents as PDFs instead as physical documents, meaning there is now no longer any need to carry out so much printing.

Invest in Eco-Friendly Accessories

If you are going to buy any accessories for your new iPad, make yourself feel good about doing so by opting for green products.

There are lots of green cases on sale (I loved this case made from coconut trees), so do a search for ‘eco friendly iPad case’ in Google and see what you can find.

Make Use of Green Apps

There are apps for everything these days, including for those who want to lead a greener lifestyle. Get researching with your new iPad and you can build up a large collection of apps which may help you to make your life even greener:

- My Recycle List: Find the nearest recycling centers across the United States and Canada.
- My Carbon Footprint: Insert your details and find out just how much of a carbon impact your lifestyle has, then use the eco tips to make improvements.
- Solar Panel Advisor: Find out how much energy you could produce with a solar panel before you invest in one.
- iGrowIt: Find out which fruit and vegetables to grow and when, as well as recipes for cooking them.

Recycle Your Old iPad

I have reservations about upgrading to a new iPad from an old one. Even though the latest iPad is thinner and lighter than the original model released in 2010, meaning fewer resources are probably needed to build it, and it has a longer battery life on a single charge, I still don’t know whether the figures add up when you upgrade (you can find more about Apple’s environmental footprint at this page on its website).

I know that the iPad 2 had a 20% reduction in carbon footprint compared to first one (down to 105 kg CO2e from 130 kg CO2e), but I haven’t seen any figures yet for the new model. In fact, the new iPad is slightly heavier (652g to 662g) than the iPad 2 (601-613g), so this might suggest an upgrade is not the right decision environmentally.

However, if you do decide to upgrade, make sure that you do the right thing with your old iPad.

Working iPads can be donated to schools and educational establishments, or donated to charities, where they will be used for many more years. Even selling it is better than trashing it because then someone still gets to extend its life.

Apple makes it really easy by accepting all old iPads, working or not. They’ll even send you a box to pack it in along with a gift card if it still works.

And even if you don’t plan to donate it, sell it, or give it back to Apple, just make sure that it gets recycled somehow. Even a broken iPad has all those precious resources inside which can be used again.

Don’t Feel Too Guilty

If you have got your heart set on a shiny new iPad, but you want to lead an eco-friendly lifestyle, don’t beat yourself up about it too much. The general green argument may be to restrict the amount of new gadgets and gizmos that you purchase, but by using the above suggestions you might not have to feel so guilty about buying a new iPad after all.

One big complaint that many people have about going green is that it is just too darn difficult!

Genuinely motivated people often give up on their green ambitions because they are under the misguided conception that it will involve constantly having to remember thousands of little rules and habits and giving up on all of those little luxuries that make life so enjoyable.

But the reality is quite different.

Even minor changes can go a long way to helping you do your part. Remember, when it comes to leading a green lifestyle it is the little things, carried out as part of your daily routine, which make the biggest difference.

To prove the point, here are eight small but significant steps that you can take every morning before you tuck into your cereal that will help you to reduce your environmental impact.

1. Keep the Light Off

If possible, as soon as you wake up, keep the light off. I personally hate a bright, synthetic light flashed in my eyes first thing in the morning, but if you are in the habit of reaching straight for the bedside lamp then try and get out of this.

Open the curtain or blind instead, and let the natural morning light seep into the room. It’s free, doesn’t use any energy, and will give you a better start to the day.

And if you have to use a light, switch to energy-saving bulbs and remember to turn it off when you leave the room. Many people have a terrible habit of leaving their light on when they go to the bathroom, and whether you’re using CFL bulbs or not, wasted energy is wasted energy.

2. Skip Your Shower

Don’t run away! I know that this does not exactly sound appealing, but bear with me.

There is a growing movement against showering every day, with an increasing number of people beginning to come around to the idea that the daily shower is not as necessary as we have been led to believe.

But why cut back on your showers? Because you’ll use less water, less energy, and fewer cleaning products.

Although it seems to go against everything the majority of us have been taught since the day we first learned to wash our own hair, this can be an easy way to save on your energy usage.

I think that good judgement is the name of the game with this one. If it’s going to be a hot day and I’ve got a trip to the gym in my schedule then skipping a shower does not sound too appealing.

However, on a cold winter day when I’m staying at home and haven’t got any social events planned? That sounds more realistic.

Use your own judgement, and do what you are comfortable with. Even skipping a shower once or twice a week is something, and when you add it up that’s a whole lot of energy and water that you’re saving.

3. Ditch the Hairdryer

If you’ve had a shower and washed your hair, the next step that you can take to go green is to ignore the hairdryer.

I know that this is not going to prove popular with many people reading this, and being a man with a very small—and rapidly diminishing—crop of hair I may not be the best person to get all high and mighty about hairdryer dodging.

But what I would say is that it is not always 100% necessary to use a hairdryer to dry your hair, and if you can go without it, even just one in three times that you wash your hair, you’ll save a lot of electricity over the course of a year.

4. Use Less Water When You Flush

This is an especially good idea if you’ve got an old toilet which uses up to three gallons of water in each flush.

Although some more modern toilets have cottoned onto the idea that you don’t need to release a tidal wave of water each time you flush, but many toilets still fall far behind the desirable flush level.

To save on the amount of water you use with each flush, fill up an old plastic bottle with water (make sure it is one that you can fit into your tank). Flush the toilet so that the tank empties, then place the filled bottle inside. The tank will only fill up around the bottle, saving you a liter or more from now on each time you flush. It doesn’t get much simpler than that!

5. Turn Off the Tap When Cleaning Your Teeth

This one is a no brainer. Luckily I’ve always been taught to turn off the tap whilst cleaning my teeth, but you’d be amazed at how many people do not.

Leaving the tap on uses in the region of six liters of water every single minute. That is a LOT of water, especially when you consider the amount of water a whole household uses in a year.

It’s sooo easy to turn that tap off, and it is a powerful way for you to cut back on your water usage and save one of the most precious resources on the planet.

6. Boil a Full Kettle and Fill Your Thermos

OK, I know that skipping a hot drink altogether would be the best option environmentally, but I cannot survive the day without a cup of tea first thing in the morning.

If you’re like me and a hot drink is an essential start to the day, avoid the habit of heating up a full kettle of water and then only using one mug’s worth, which is an egregious waste of energy.

Instead, either just boil the amount of water you are actually going to use or, even better, boil a full kettle and then fill up a thermos flask with what you don’t use. You can then take it to work and have a convenient source of hot water nearby throughout the day instead of using up more energy.

Easy, Right?

So there you have it, seven incredibly simple ways that you can start each day off like you mean to continue. Still think that it’s hard to go green? These small but important habits can help you to really make a difference and start to live a more eco-friendly existence, so see how many of them you can fit into your morning routine.

Anyone trying to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle knows how hard it can be sometimes. Despite our best intentions, we can sometimes get lazy or distracted, or simply forget to stick to our principles.

Sometimes we all need a little inspiration to keep on going. And what better source of inspiration than the movies?

So here are five simple but inspirational lessons that have arisen in a number of big budget movies over the years from which we could all learn a thing or two.

1. Just Because It’s There, We Don’t Have to Use it (Avatar)

The Na’vi are the giant blue creatures in Avatar who live in harmony with nature and have a deep, spiritual relationship with the natural world around them.

They also live right on top of a massive deposit of the new source of energy called ‘Unobtainium’ (in such demand by those fuel-hungry humans who have clearly used up all of their own resources).

Here’s the thing: If they were living on top of this huge deposit of a fuel which humans had traveled millions of miles through space in order to get their greedy paws on, why were they not using it?

One argument is that they simply did not know that it was there. But knowing the Na’vi, this isn’t it at all.

The real reason is because they did not need it or want it. They were far more concerned about living a sustainable way of life that would not destroy the very earth they cared so much for.

Now I’m not saying that we should all pick up our bows and arrows and start living like hunter gatherers.

But just because we have all of these resources underneath us, it doesn’t mean that we necessarily have to use them. Not only is it damaging the planet in ways we may not fully understand until it’s too late, but we all know that they are going to run out one day.

There are plenty of natural ways to generate energy all around us without digging up fossil fuels, if only we’d look a bit harder.

2. We Can Be Green and Still Live in Comfort (The Lord of the Rings)

Hobbits may have lived in holes in the ground, but they sure did it in style. I don’t think anyone could disagree that they are just about the coziest, comfiest homes imaginable. And when you think about it, they are the epitome of green architecture.

They use natural materials from the local area, they have minimal impact on the surrounding landscape, the low ceilings are ideal for keeping warm in winter, and there is not a concrete block in sight.

The construction industry is responsible for a huge amount of CO2 emissions, and although many people are now trying to move towards more sustainable construction methods, there is still a long way to go.

One of the common myths is that green living means giving up on home comforts. But as Bilbo Baggins and company have shown, it needn’t be that way.

3. We Need to Look After Our Trees (The Lord of the Rings)

Sticking with Tolkien, we’ll moving onto my favorite of his creations, the Ents. These giant tree shepherds are ancient creatures who care for the forests around them, protecting the trees and nurturing them throughout their lives.

The Ents have a natural understanding that caring for our trees is one of the most essential things we can do if we want to look after our planet. A world without trees would be a very grim world indeed, and yet we continue to destroy our forests at an alarming rate.

It is thought that we destroy in the region of 15 million hectares of rainforest each year, a rate that will surely lead to the complete destruction of our forests in a matter of decades.

When you think that about two thirds of all animal and plant species on earth live in rain forests, that these lush ecosystems have produced many of our most important medicines, that millions of people rely on them for their survival, that they absorb vast quantities of the carbon we keep pumping into the air, and that they provide us with the air that we breathe… it becomes obvious why we really should be taking lessons from the Ents.

4. Reusing is Better than Buying (The Borrowers)

Did you ever see the film ‘The Borrowers’? It was based on the books by Mary Norton from the 1950s, and features a race of tiny human-like creatures which live in our homes and ‘borrow’ our belongings.

They had a use for everything! I used to love reading the stories as a kid and the movie really brought them to life.

They basically lived by borrowing things from the ‘big people’ upstairs, and whilst this may technically be considered stealing, at least they were showing initiative in how we can get by through reusing rather than buying new products.

Reusing is the ultimate way to save precious resources that go into all new products. Every time something new is created it uses up resources, and then it has to be transported to the place where it will be sold which uses up energy.

Reuse something and you can also stop a perfectly good item from being sent to a rubbish dump where it will release potentially harmful toxins and take about 10,000 years to disintegrate.

5. We Have to Fight for Our Planet (The Return of the Jedi)

Threatened with the destruction of their green and forested planet by the Death Star, the Ewoks knew what to do: Fight.

They joined forces with the rebels and fought off the threat to their planet which would have led to environmental catastrophe.

We are not faced with a Death Star, but let’s not beat around the bush: The situation is getting pretty drastic.

We continue to pump out ever increasing amounts of CO2 and other greenhouse gases into the environment, and the effects on the climate could be disastrous.

Those who want to protect their planet and make sure it remains a place where they would want their grandchildren to grow up need to fight for what they believe in.

Petitions, demonstrations, simple acts such as reducing one’s own environmental footprint—there are many ways to fight the harm being done to our planet. It’s up to all of us to do something about it.

It All Starts at Home

We can all do our bit to lead a greener, more eco-friendly existence. It’s not hard, but it does take a fair amount of dedication and persistence.

Even small steps can really help to make a difference, so take inspiration from the above movies and start doing what you can to lead a greener lifestyle.

Sometimes, despite our good intentions, us greens get a bad rap. Not only are many of our views on climate change and recycling ridiculed and despised in equal measure, but we are also dismissed as ‘tree huggers’, ‘hippies’, ‘radicals’, and a lot worse.

But let’s be honest: Sometimes we bring it upon ourselves.

Although we always do what we do for a reason (reduce waste, reduce our carbon footprint, etc), you have to admit that there are certain green practices which are not exactly mainstream.

Or, to put it another way, habits which many other non-greens find absolutely disgusting.

You may proudly proclaim your support of such habits from the rooftops; you may choose to practice discretion. But however you go about it, if you mention any of the following then there is a risk that at least one person in the room is going to think about you differently from that moment on.

1. “If It’s Yellow…”

One of my favorite lines from the comedy ‘Meet the Fockers’ was from Dustin Hoffman’s character, the hippy dad of Ben Stiller: “If it’s yellow let it mellow, if it’s brown flush it down.”

That was the first time I’d heard the phrase, although I later found out it had been around for some time.

If you did not know already, the argument for not flushing the toilet following a number one is building momentum, and has received some high-profile support (in the UK the ex-Mayor of London claimed back in 2006 that his toilet had not been flushed in 15 months based on the ‘If it’s yellow’ rule).

As such, many greens are taking up the call to action.

But why oh why would we do such a thing?

The argument is that you simply do not always need to flush the toilet, and by ‘letting it mellow’ you are saving considerable amounts of water.

We waste water on a colossal scale. Did you know that some older models of toilet use three gallons with every flush? Lack of water has even played a role in some major conflicts around the world, a pattern which may become more prevalent in the future as resources become more scarce.

By saving on unnecessary wastage, we’re all doing our part.

However, although I myself am a firm believer in this one, I agree that there is a time and a place. Having a discreet arrangement with other family members is one thing, but there’s not a chance in hell I’m letting anything mellow when my in-laws come over for dinner.

2. Natural Fertilizer

Natural manure rich in phosphates is a big draw for us greens. Who wants all of those nasty chemicals having their wicked way with your organic vegetables when there are perfectly good natural alternatives available?

But what about human manure?

It is said to be a very effective fertilizer if used correctly (which means proper composting and treatment before it is applied to the garden). However, the majority of people couldn’t care less if it worked or not: It’s simply too disgusting for words.

Let’s face it: If you tell your guests at your next dinner party that the carrots they are currently tucking into were grown using your own special brand of manure, you’re going to be making a whole lot of carrot cake, carrot pie, and carrot everything else with all those leftovers for a long time to come.

But don’t let that stop you if you are keen to try it out for yourself. There are special toilets that allow you to collect the raw materials and process it properly, and there are lots of books and detailed guides online. Then instead of wasting water by flushing all of that first-rate fertilizer down the pipes, you can save on your water usage and your fertilizer bill at the same time.

And no one really needs to know, do they?

3. Soap Dodging

I always thought the phrase ‘soap dodging’ was a bit unfair. It implies a habit which is somehow lazy when the reality is that people refusing to wash every day are actually taking decisive action to avoid the amount of chemicals, energy, and water which they use.

If the subject of how many showers you take a day has not come up around the breakfast table lately, here’s the general concept:

- We don’t need to wash half as much as most of us do to stay healthy and hygienic.
- Saving on showers means less water, less energy, and fewer chemicals are used.

Over the years we have become conditioned to believe that you must wash every single day, if not more than once. Failing to do so will mean you start to smell and people will avoid you in the street.

But actually this is far from certain, and many people now profess that a shower every day is unnecessary.

Again, however, this is one thing which is not likely to be a massive hit amongst people who are not serious about living an eco-friendly lifestyle. The very idea of not washing every day is simply alien to most people, even if the reality is that you can get by perfectly well without going shower crazy.

There is an alternative if you’re not happy about giving your daily shower a miss completely. Why not try washing with cold water instead? I do this quite a lot (although admittedly it is not so easy during the winter months). But this alone can save on energy, and it certainly gives you an invigorating start to the day.

4. Liquid Gold Compost

I’ll bet there are many people reading this right now who are quite happily providing their own ‘additions’ to their compost heap but who would never in a million years admit to it.

This is, of course, the habit of adding one’s own urine to the compost pile due to the high nitrogen content which helps to break down the organisms and leads to a fine end product.

I think it’s fair to say that any use of human waste that does not involve flushing it immediately down the toilet never to be seen again is generally considered an unpleasant prospect for the vast majority of people.

However, there is no reason why anyone has to know about your habit. A plastic, non-see-through bottle can be discreetly filled and deposited without so much as arousing the curiosity of anyone who happens to pay an interest in your backyard.

Completely free compost activator is something which anyone with an interest in compost cannot afford to ignore, but it might be a better idea to carry out this one discretely.

Disgusting? Who Cares?

You’ve either read this article and thought: “Nothing disgusting about any of that.” Or you’re cringing at every word and wondering how on earth anyone can pretend such habits are in any way normal.

That’s just a matter of opinion.

The fact is that all of the above are excellent ways to reduce our impact on the environment and lead a greener lifestyle. That’s not to say that you have to do any of them yourself. After all, there are plenty of other ways to do your bit to go green. But the general rule is to do what you are comfortable with and not to worry about what anyone else says.

Just because you are an eco warrior doesn’t mean that you have to be an animal lover as well. I have a very committed eco-friendly pal who despises dogs, ignores cats, and pretty much stays out of the way of almost anything which doesn’t have two legs.

But there is one of God’s creatures that all greens love: The humble garden worm.

They don’t look like much—in fact they look pretty hideous—but worms are the wonder of the natural world. If you have ever done any gardening before then you have undoubtedly spotted them burrowing their way through the ground trying to escape from airborne hazards before they are plucked from their damp, dark homes and eaten.

Worms were the fascination of Charles Darwin who spent decades studying them to uncover their secrets. And if they are good enough for Darwin then they are good enough for me.

But, quite frankly, they don’t get the respect they deserve, and that needs to change. So I’ve scoured the internet and journeyed to the far flung corners of the web to dig up some fascinating facts about worms, which is as much an edifying exercise for me as anything else.

And having now written it I can tell you that, whatever you may think about these underground garden dwellers, worms are much more interesting than you ever realized.

Worm Facts You Didn’t Know Until Now

Fact 1: Worms have no eyes
I’ve seen cartoon pictures of worms with eyes, but this is like drawing an adult human with a tail coming out of their left ear. Worms are completely eyeless and therefore completely blind. They can, however, sense light, so that’s something at least.

Fact 2: There are lots of them
And when I say lots, I mean lots. And I don’t just mean lots of species (2,700 according to what I could find). There are lots of them in quantity as well. In a single square meter of space, you can find hundreds of worms. In an acre, millions. We walk over them every day and have no idea just how many of them are wriggling around beneath our feet. I don’t know about you, but I find that fascinating.

Fact 3: They can grow very, very big
I wouldn’t have bothered writing this fact if by big I was just referring to 20 centimeters or so. Oh no—they get much, much bigger. A few years ago I went to Brazil and almost stepped on a worm which was about a foot long. I thought that was big, they can get a lot bigger than that (disturbing, I know). The rare Giant Palouse Earthworm grows to over three feet in length. But that’s nothing. The Giant Gippsland Earthworm grows up to 10 feet in length, and has been known to grow up to 13 feet. For more info on giant worms check out the excellent website All About Worms.

Fact 4: They are male and female
And I don’t mean that some are male and some are female. That wouldn’t be strange at all. I mean they are both male and both female. It turns out that our favorite garden friends are hermaphrodites. However, they still need other worms with which to mate. They can’t mate with themselves, because that would just be weird. So they meet together, swap sperm, and both form an egg. Fascinating!

Fact 5: They eat a lot
Seriously. An earthworm can eat it’s own weight in, well, worm food, in a single day. Not even an elephant can boast that appetite.

Why Bother Mentioning Worms At All?

OK, OK, so worms are fascinating. But why bother writing an article about them? And why should people trying to live a green lifestyle care about worms in the first place?

The simple answer is because worms are a gardener’s best friend. They really are.

Worms do so much in the garden:

• They mix up the soil so that the soil near the surface is full of nutrients such as nitrogen.
• They break down all the different organic matter which is found in soil, such as leaves, so that they can be useful to plants.
• Their castings are an incredibly effective fertilizer.
• They increase the air and water which can get into the soil.
• They make sure that leaves and other organic matter on the surface is taken down into the soil and mixed into it.

Basically, they enrich the soil for free and mean that we can grow our tasty organic vegetables in it.

Worms Make the Best Compost Around

If you are a fan of composting—and I am fascinated by compost—then worms can be put to very good use indeed.

It’s important to remember that there are different types of worms, and that you cannot just go and dig up some worms in your garden, stick them in a bin, and hope that they will come up with some awesome compost. In fact, many of them will probably die.

But if you get hold of the right worms, you can set up a composting system in your back yard or shed which will produce excellent, natural compost for as long as you want. The worms will be happy eating all of that waste, and you’ll be happy by reducing the amount of trash you throw out and through the high-quality compost that they regularly provide you with.

All in all, these really are amazing creatures.

Enjoy These Amazing Animals

I hope that after reading this you will, like me, be convinced by just how amazing worms really are. I’ve gone through my whole life not really appreciating just what it is that these creatures do, but I’m sure going to give them a whole lot more respect from now on.

Whether you are an organic gardner, compost fanatic, or simply interested in living a greener and better lifestyle, you cannot argue with the fact that worms really are incredibly special—and fascinating—creatures.

You’ve decided to live a green lifestyle, to cut down on consumption, reduce your energy usage, and increase the amount of organic vegetables filling up your shopping basket.

And for that you should be commended.

However, even though you think you’re doing everything right—and enjoying the pleasantly smug sensation which that brings—there is still a chance that you are actually falling for a few common eco misconceptions.

Don’t berate yourself too much—no one ever said it’s easy being green after all!

But take note of the following pitfalls that you could easily slip into and do your best to change your ways to ensure that you’re doing everything you can to lead a cleaner, greener lifestyle.

1. Buying Green Products You Don’t Need in the First Place

It feels good to buy products which have eco benefits. But that doesn’t mean you should go and buy them just for the hell of it.

Even the greenest of green products has to be manufactured, and that uses up energy. If you can go without it then surely you should refrain from making the purchase and instead make do with what you have already.

For example, if you currently make do without a clothes dryer but you see one that has good green credentials, wouldn’t it be better to continue to go without?

Any time you buy a new product, energy will be used in its manufacture, and depending on the product it will also use energy when it is operating.

Even if the tools and devices you currently use are not as environmentally friendly, is it not better to continue to use them until you need to purchase a new one, and then to choose the greener item?

The argument against this is that you could be saving more energy and resources by using a more environmentally friendly object than continuing with your old one.

It is simply a better idea to be aware of the fact that you may not always need new items. If you can still make use of what you have in a way that is not harming the environment then keep using it until it comes to the end of its life, and simply opt for a greener version the next time.

Minimizing waste is the name of the game here, and if you do end up replacing your items then try to at least find a use for your old ones.

2. Using Energy Saving Lightbulbs All the Time

Everyone knows that energy-saving lightbulbs are better for the environment. They cut down on the amount of power used considerably and can save you money on your energy bills as well as saving the planet.

But what they don’t tell you is that they are not always the best option.

There are some rooms in your house that you use differently to other rooms. A closet, for example, is not a place in which you are going to spend a great amount of time. And in rooms where you generally only peek in for a few seconds and then disappear again, it may actually be better to use the incandescent lightbulbs you already have.

CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps) only really achieve maximum energy savings when they are left on for longer periods of time, and turning them on and off quickly can reduce their lifespans.

That means that you may end up having to buy a replacement sooner, and this could mean you end up using up more energy overall.

3. Always Buying Organic

Organic food is delicious, nutritious, and gives you a warm feeling inside knowing that you are not soaking up all the pesticides and other chemicals used in the production of standard food.

But whenever you follow the mantra of ‘only buy organic’, you forget to consider other details which are just as important.

Such as how far the food has traveled to get to your plate. If you have the option of buying local food grown down the road which is not organic, or organic food which has traveled a few hundred miles, then the argument becomes a bit trickier.

This is really more of a case of priorities, but you might want to remember that some standard foods are not as affected by pesticides and other chemicals as others, such as onions. With such foods, perhaps opting for the one which has released the least amount of carbon in its transportation is the best option.

4. Using Things More ‘Because They Are Greener’

I was once warned in my gym class at school that the big, soft mats were responsible for far more injuries than the thin, hard floor mats because the kids jumped on them more and took more risks.

In the same way, when you have green products in your home there may be a temptation to use them more than you need to simply because they are more eco friendly, and end up harming the environment more as a result.

For example, you might be less likely to turn off your energy-saving lightbulbs because you know that they use less energy, even if you don’t really need them on.

Greener products do not mean that you should use them more, and you should always be trying to minimize the use of anything which uses up power, even if it is more eco friendly.

5. Always Recycling Everything

Recycling is a good thing, and even the least dedicated eco-conscious person knows that. But is it always the right decision?

The thing you have to remember is that recycling still uses power in the process. That means if there is a way to minimize this power then you should take the opportunity.

Reusing is always the best option. If something is not useless, if something still has life in it, then try to make use it. Even if you don’t want to use it yourself, you may find that someone else is happy to.

The longer you keep things going, and the more life you get out of them, the better it is for the planet.

Dilemmas of Living a Greener Lifestyle

Don’t beat yourself up too much about these things. If you are making the effort to go green then you should be proud of yourself. Like anything, there is a learning curve involved, and having the right intentions is the most important thing.

But do be careful about these common pitfalls. You want to lead the greenest life you can, and the above problem areas can undermine what you are trying to achieve.

Going green is a constant challenge, so try to sort out any of the above areas where you might be going wrong and then enjoy living an even greener lifestyle.

You’ve decided to lead a greener lifestyle. Good for you! But there’s a problem. Your husband/boyfriend has already put his foot down and given a resolute rebuff of any attempts that you may have to convince him to follow suit.

It was probably along the lines of: “I don’t mind what you do, just don’t expect me to do the same.”

It’s a dilemma many a woman has faced over the years (at least I’m guessing it is), and being a man, I like to think that I have some insight into how men may be convinced to go green when you are trying to get them to toe the party line.

So here you have it, a quick guide to putting the pressure on and getting your man to follow suit in your new determination to lead a more eco-friendly lifestyle.

1. Appeal to His Primary Instincts

Men love good food, and if you want your man to see the benefits of leading a greener lifestyle in the one way that will affect him more than anything else then cook him a big plate of organic food.

Believe me, there is nothing a man likes better than a large dish of delicious food cooked up by his favorite person in the world.

Consider throwing an organic steak onto a plate along with some organic vegetables grown locally (maybe some of which you have grown in your own garden), and watch him tuck in happily.

Only halfway through the meal, mention to him how by eating the food he has just taken the first step towards living a greener lifestyle. No matter how reluctant he is to accept it, he won’t be turning down any more of your ‘tree hugger’ food if you make the first one a roaring success.

Warning: This technique can backfire spectacularly if you fail to get the first meal right. Serve him up some soggy beans or a lukewarm vegetable soup and you could have the exact opposite effect to what you intended.

2. It’s All About the Money

One thing that men will never complain about is having a bit of unexpected money left over at the end of the month to spend on what they want.

Because of this, any green practices which can save them money is going to help in your bid to show them the benefits of leading a greener lifestyle.

So how can you do this? There are literally hundreds of money saving green tactics that you can start to use straight away. A few of my favorite include:

• turning down the thermostat by one degree (just don’t turn it down too far or you’ll have a very grumpy partner who will be a lot harder to convince)
• switch to low-energy lightbulbs (a bit risky because the initial expense may put him off, but still a money-saving technique in the long-term)
• switch your expensive cleaning solutions to baking soda, vinegar, and other natural alternatives
• recycle his old phone or TV for a cash payment (he’ll love this one)
• sell old things on Ebay (reusing is the best way to recycle, and you’ll be making money at the same time)
• grow your own vegetables and save money on food, and even sell it (there’s little investment needed either so he won’t feel the pinch)

But that’s a just a start. There are literally hundreds of savings to be made when going green, and the ones that lead to savings the soonest are going to be the most effective when you are trying to convince an unwilling partner.

3. Make His Life Easier

Your man is not going to argue with anything which makes his life easier, so this is a great way to get him around to your way of thinking.

Again, there are loads of ways that you can make his life easier by adopting a more eco-friendly lifestyle.

Technology is a big one here. If he hasn’t already, make sure that he signs up to paperless banking and makes as many payments as he can online. That will save on paper and keep him from having to see all the bills coming through the door.

It’s already come up, but it deserves another mention: Buy energy-saving lightbulbs and not only will he be saving money but he won’t be required to change them so often.

If he likes gadgets then you may want to buy him an e-reader for his birthday. I’m not 100% convinced that e-readers are always more eco-friendly, but if he reads a lot and uses his e-reader every day then it could be a better option—and it will make life a lot easier for him, which may help to persuade him of the benefits of going green.

4. Trick Him

If your man is absolutely resolute in his objection to going green, then don’t let him know that he is actually going greener.

Do this by subversively getting him to help out when you need a hand with your green tasks. Even if he is unwilling to change his ways, he’ll still be willing to help you when you ask for it (hopefully).

By getting him to install new insulation in the loft, empty the compost bin in the backyard, dig up the vegetable patch, etc, he’ll be doing his bit even if he doesn’t realize it. And then a few months later you can thank him for doing his bit to go green with you.

The Power is In Your Hands

So there you go ladies. If you have a stubborn partner who is for some reason dead against your ambition to go green and simply will not share in your new lifestyle, the above advice should help you out.

It’s all about rewarding him rather than forcing it upon him. Us men don’t like being told what to do and will rebel against orders simply because they are orders.

But show him how he can benefit, provide him with the rewards, let him realize how he can save money, make his life easier, and you’ll have no problems getting your man to adapt to a new, greener lifestyle in no time.

When I first heard about e-readers, my initial reaction was: “Hmph”.

I’m something of a traditionalist when it comes to reading. You’ve met people like me before (always going on about how much they love the feel of paper in their hand, the musty smell found between the pages of an old book, how you can do so much more with a real book than with a digital version—drop it, for example).

I’m a book bore, if you will.

Only a couple of years ago, or even less than that, I was adamant that I would never buy an e-reader as long as paper versions were still available.

And yet at the moment I write this article I am seriously considering buying an e-reader for myself.

What has happened to make me change my mind so rapidly? Where has this sudden about-turn come from?

e-Readers: The Greener Choice?

Not too long ago, I read an article in my local newspaper about the eco benefits of e-readers. To be honest, I had never thought about this before. I’d always assumed that something which you have to power using electricity is surely a bad alternative to something which requires no batteries to run.

But the arguments were quite convincing. In short, the two main points covered were that:

• e-readers save trees from being cut down, harming the environment and affecting wildlife
• the amount of energy required to construct a book and transport it to your home is more than that required to send an electronic version over the internet

On top of that, there is the whole issue of pulping to consider. I actually used to work for a publisher, albeit only briefly, and I can tell you that pulping is something that happens a lot.

It may happen when there are mistakes that cannot be corrected, but it seems to occur more often when a book is a complete flop and they cannot shift any copies. And that is not a rare occurrence in the world of publishing.

And then there is the argument that, with textbooks at least, many are updated quite regularly meaning that the old copies become out of date and obsolete, leading to a whole lot of wasted paper.

What is a Green to Do?

After reading that article, and a few others on the same topic, I became more convinced about the possible eco benefits of e-readers over their tree-based cousins. Much as I did not want to believe it, I was more or less sold.

But… then I decided to dig a bit further and put my thinking cap on. Should I really just go with a decision after reading a few articles proclaiming the benefits of e-readers over books?

I discovered that you don’t have to look very far to find a whole lot of complications surrounding ebooks that mean they might not be as good as some people are saying.

Questions Surrounding the ‘eBooks are Greener’ Argument

It turns out that this is not such a cut-and-dry issue as I may have thought, and there is hope yet for the humble book.

Here, then, are a few of the main problems that I have found with the pro-ebook argument:

Longevity:

Books can last a long, long time. I have just read a copy of ‘Hard Times’ which was printed in 1968, and that’s not even very old for a book. Books last, and they get read and read and passed around and shared and borrowed, and still they keep going.

Do you really think that you’re going to be reading books on the same e-reader that you currently use in 40 years time?

Putting aside the fact that technology just does not seem to last that long, e-Reader manufacturers want to sell their latest models, and they will continue to release new, better, faster e-readers to convince you to buy them.

Use of Power:

How much power does an e-reader use in its lifetime? The truth is we don’t really know. There have been a few guesses, but there are so many variables involved.

Even if an e-reader releases less carbon into the atmosphere, what if it breaks? What if it is updated after a year? What if the owner only reads a few books a year?

And then there’s the great unknown of the internet. The internet uses power. Although downloading an ebook itself might not release much carbon, what about the company’s servers? How much power do they burn up each second?

People may mention the amount of power used by someone driving to buy a book from the shop and taking it home. But can this really be used in the calculation? What if they walk to the shop instead? How do we know how many people will walk to buy their books?

The Afterlife:

What happens when an e-reader breaks or is swapped for a newer model? I’d like to think that they will be recycled and turned into new models. But I worry that they might in fact end up on some third-world rubbish tip leaking radiation into the ground.

Books can be recycled with ease because they are made from paper, and although I’m not naive to think that every book is recycled, I’m sure that many of them are.

Advanced e-Readers:

When I think of e-readers, I’m really thinking about dedicated models like Amazon’s Kindle or the Barnes & Noble Nook.

But what about more advanced tablets like the iPad? Do they make reading ebooks less green because they use up more power in the process and are more carbon heavy to create?

Or do they make them more green because people can use them for all of their tasks instead of just for reading?

It’s All About the Person Doing the Reading

I’m afraid I just don’t know any more which is the greener option. But I wonder if there can ever really be a definite outcome?

I think the only solid conclusion right now is that it depends upon the person doing the reading.

I know, for example, that I like to borrow books from friends which might have been read many times before. If I just read second hand books then surely my carbon footprint is minimal because I’m reusing resources?

But then if you are eco-conscious and like buying new books then you may read lots of books on your e-reader and save on all the energy that would have been released from buying new physical copies, and then make sure you recycle your e-reader when you’re done with it.

It’s all very complicated, so I think that for now I’ll stick to second-hand books until someone far cleverer than I am comes up with a more definitive answer.

Wind farms are “completely useless” and the people who think that they are going to play a large role in the rollout of renewable energy believe in “fairytales”.

Or so says Prince Philip, the royal consort in the UK.

Now, whenever the good old Duke opens his mouth I am inclined to disagree with what he says on instinct. I mean, have you heard some of the things he has said in the past?

But on this occasion I think his words have to be taken rather more seriously. After all, there is a big debate going on at the moment about whether wind power has a role to play in the green energy evolution, and his comments have been celebrated and ridiculed by both sides.

What Has the Prince Got Against Wind?

According to comments made to the head of Infinergy, a UK company which builds wind turbines, as reported by the Sunday Telegraph in November 2011, the Duke of Edinburgh is no fan of wind farms in the UK or anywhere else.

It seemed that the main arguments that the Duke had against wind farms in the UK were that:

• They are ugly
• They damage the countryside
• They are too reliant on subsidies

The Duke is not alone in his views. His environmentalist son, the future King of England, has his own reservations about wind farms appearing all over the English countryside.

As you can imagine, the views of this father and son team do not sleep happily alongside those of the UK government. Indeed, it was only a short while ago that the Energy Secretary, Chris Huhne, described anyone who doubted the government’s plans to increase electricity produced from turbines as “curmudgeons”.

The Dilemma

As already mentioned, I was keen to dismiss the Duke’s comments as soon as I heard them. After all, I quite like wind farms. I think that they do indeed look elegant, and for me a row of towering windmills lined up on top of a distant hill in the horizon looks romantic and evocative.

I also think that they are beautiful for what they represent: clean, green electricity, which does not pump out any greenhouse gasses into the air and can be used guilt free.

But the Duke’s views are shared by many, many people across the UK and beyond, a lot of whom are respected environmentalists.

So I thought I’d dig deeper into the debate surrounding wind to find out why wind turbines get people so worked up.

The Arguments Against

The antis are good at getting their voices heard, and there are lots them. Here’s what they have to say about wind farms:

Ugly Beasts

Contrary to my personal opinion, there are many lovers of the countryside who can think of nothing worse than thousands of mighty windmills being erected all over it.

I can certainly sympathize with this position, especially because I’ve never actually had a windmill put up in my back yard or in areas where I like to go for a walk.

But even when their own back yards are not the problem, many people hate the idea of wind farms being built in beautiful countryside. Unfortunately, many of the windiest places are also in the most isolated and beautiful places, so if wind is ever going to take off then these areas are sure to be affected.

Harmful to Nature

The very idea behind wind farms is that they produce clean, green energy which is good for the planet. But some claim that they have a devastating effect on wildlife, meaning they are not a good enough solution to the problem of greenhouse gasses.

Too Noisy

Many people who do live near to wind farms complain about the noise which they generate. I must admit I have never heard one close up, but perhaps I would change my opinion of them if I did.

Alongside those who complain about the noise are those who say that they lead to health problems such as dizziness, stress and sleepless nights. If that’s true then it’s easy to see why so many people are anti wind.

Not Reliable Enough

For many, wind farms are broken even when they are new because they don’t work all of the time. They are limited by the amount of wind which is available, and then they end up producing too much in sudden surges. This inconsistency means they have to be backed up by other forms of power, meaning they are not a viable option.

Expensive

For some, the cost is simply not worth it. Wind farms are very expensive to build, and once they are complete they only last for about 25 years.

Connecting wind farms to the grid is also incredibly expensive. Some say that the money would be better spent on insulation for homes instead.

There are also huge subsidies being pumped into wind farms (in the UK at least), meaning the tax payer is paying for something financially unfeasible that many don’t want in the first place.

The Arguments For

It’s looking like a pretty bleak picture for wind power. However, it should be remembered that there are many in favor of wind power. Their arguments include:

• It uses a free and limitless energy source
• It means the country no longer has to rely on temperamental foreign gas supplies
• Jobs are created through the construction of wind farms, which is even more important in the current economic environment
• We get to make use of clean, green energy which does not worsen climate change

So Where Does That Leave Us?

After what Prince Philip said, and having done a bit more research into the arguments against wind, I realize that there are some very strong opinions on both sides of the argument.

But even after all of the arguments against wind, I am still pro wind power. Although I realize that it is not the ideal answer to providing green energy and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, I think that it certainly has a role to play.

There are just as many arguments in favor of wind farms as they are against, so for now I’m going to go with wind—even if that means someone ends up putting a turbine up in my back yard.