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Ways to Green Up

Resolve to live a greener life by tackling small tasks one month at a time and renewing your dedication to a cleaner, greener lifestyle. Use this as a reference and checklist as you work towards greening up this year.

Are you ready to green up?

This isn’t just about making a resolution to make greener choices. This is about GREENING UP, taking the next step in your commitment to living a greener life every day, every month, every year!

Instead of striving to attain multiple, aspirational resolutions throughout the year, what if we resolve to tackle simple, small tasks one month at a time? For us, that means upping our game in living a thoughtful, greener lifestyle. And if you would like to join us on this journey of greening up, we have mapped out easy, good-to-do tasks that can be completed one month at a time.

When you’re aware of the impact every green choice you make has on our environment, it helps you renew your dedication to a cleaner, greener lifestyle. Let us know about the ideas you have and how successful you’ve been! Bookmark and/or print this page to use as a reference and checklist as you green up through the year.

Green up by doing something green every month of the year!

January: Start Smart, Recycle Right

Make this the year to “Start Smart, Recycle Right” by selecting products with less packaging (or packaging that you know is accepted for recycling) and knowing which items are recyclable in your community. Use our handy Recycling & Disposal Lookup Tool as a guide.

February: Make Your Home Flush-Friendly

To be flush-friendly, you need to know what not to flush. And you might read up on that while you take a potty break during the Superbowl halftime. Some things you should never flush include tissues, paper towels and wipes, even if they say they’re flushable! Are you a Toilet Trooper or a Party Pooper? Take the fun quiz and find out!

March: Keep Your Community Clean

Register for a Great American Cleanup (March 24-25) event near you. Or rally your neighbors and plan your own project. Need help? Through our Team Up 2 Clean Up program, you can “check out” litter grabbers, trash bags and safety equipment for your team’s use. (By the way you can put together a Team Up 2 Clean Up group and check out this equipment any time of the year.)

April: Make Your Yard Stormwater-Smart

April showers bring… Well, you know! Assess your lawn and garden areas to see if stormwater runoff is causing erosion or standing water. Native trees, shrubs and perennials will look great while stabilizing your soil. Take a look at the Native Plants for Southeastern Virginia Guide for inspiration.

May: Safely Dispose of Household Hazardous Waste

Spring cleaning? Set aside any hazardous household waste products (old paint cans, fluorescent bulbs, motor oil, etc.) to take to a safe HHW collection site. Look for local disposal resources and collection events at askhrgreen.org/hhw.

June: Fix Household Water Leaks

Your money may be drip, drip, dripping away and you don’t know it! This month, find out how to run down common household water leaks such as dripping faucets, leaky showerheads and worn-out toilet flaps, and learn how to fix them. It’s easy and will mean more money saved and less water wasted.

July: Choose to Refuse Single-Use Plastics

Millions worldwide will participate in Plastic Free July. Will you accept the challenge? Single-use plastics last for decades, yet they are used for just minutes and thrown away. Going “strawless” will help protect wildlife from ingesting this litter, while keeping our area “beachy” clean!

August: Support Green Learning in Schools

Spread the word to a teacher or youth group leader you know about our askHRgreen.org Environmental Education Mini-grant Program. Grants of up to $500 are available for funding green-based student projects. They will love you for recommending it!

September: Make Back-to-School as Green as Can Be

Make back-to-school easier on the environment by using what you have on hand and making smart buying choices. Make an “educated” decision and check out our tips!

October: Thank a Water Worker

Drink up! Water that is. And give thanks to our hardworking water workers that it flows without fail through your pipes. Imagine a Day without Water, October 19, addresses the importance of maintaining the water and wastewater systems that bring a steady flow of water to keep Hampton Roads humming.

November: Keep the Grease Grinch at Bay

Keep the plumber off your holiday guest list, by knowing how to dispose of Thanksgiving leftovers and food scraps. Avoid kitchen sink backups by pouring standing grease in a can, freezing it, and then tossing it in the trash. And don’t forget to scrape leftovers in the garbage or compost bin. Need more tips? Here you go!

December: Reduce Holiday Waste

Being a conscientious consumer during this peak waste-generating month could be the single greatest gift you give to the environment. Check our Green Holiday Guide for ideas on everything from shopping and entertaining to gift ideas and how to wrap them!

Bay Star Homes Logo
Bay Star Business Logo with the tagline working together for clean healthy waterways

IS YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS A BAY STAR?

We live in a beautiful region surrounded by water. It impacts everything from the food we eat to the fun we have as well as our economic livelihood. Our daily actions have a lasting impact and it's up to us to protect and restore our waterways. It takes a community of individuals making small changes to make a difference. Getting involved in the Bay Star programs is one way you can be part of the effort to protect our region's most defining natural resource, water.

 

Find the leak and fix the leak

How to save money and water

Do you know what’s flushable and what’s not?

YOU MAY BE SURPRISED…

Don’t believe the hype about the flushable wipe…

FIND OUT WHY

Remember paper, plastic bottles, metal cans...

Take our fun quiz!

 

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