There’s a saying that’s become commonplace to use to describe companies or governments that preach green development, make some surface changes, but don’t really do anything significant to go green.  It’s called “greenwashing” .
It would be the ultimate insult to a company sincere in going green to be accused of “greenwashing”, however, I suspect most companies couldn’t care less.
You, on the other hand, must care more since you’re reading this guide on how to live green for life. It’s time to make a real difference, not just “greenwash”.  Going green can be simple, but it’s sometimes difficult.  The easiest way to go green is to think long-term, to live green for life.

Here are 7 Ways on the Path to Live Green for Life:

1) The first and most difficult way to live green for life is to develop a green ethic.  What’s it mean to develop a green ethic?  Well, we have ethics, or values, for many things in life- honesty, justice, kindness, and others.  We need a green ethic- an ethic that says the earth and all life on it is valuable and worth-preserving.  This can be difficult, but it will make the next 7 ways to live green for life easy to do.  With a green ethic, it will be easy to make decisions and change our habits.  Without a green ethic, we’ll never really be able to attain that great goal of sustainable environmental balance.

2) Next, start in your home.  Green your house.  Make yours an eco-friendly home.  Start where you sleep and wake up.  Start in your most precious place of ownership.  Your home is your most important part of our planet that you are responsible for.  Green your home by thinking clearly about energy use and waste.  You can’t live green for life if you don’t turn your home into a green home.

3) Spend green.  Use the power of your money to help the world go green.  Look for eco-friendly products, buy from green companies, and plan your purchases to live green for life.  Buy eco-friendly products with low energy consumption or that use green energy (i.e. solar chargers).  Buy organic or from companies that have gone carbon neutral.  Live green for life by spending green.

4) Something we don’t always think about is how our job choices can help the earth.  Decide to go green by working green.  We can do this in 2 ways: Encouraging our workplace to go green or choosing workplaces that are going green.  You work hard on finding a good job.  Don’t let the opportunity to effect companies go to waste by making it clear you are looking to work for a company that is serious about going green.  Even in your interviews, making this clear can help change plant the seeds of environmental change in that business.  Don’t underestimate your power to influence even the largest of corporations.  (A bonus to this is that when you have your own clear standards (like green living) going into a job interview, it boosts your confidence and makes you look like a better person to hire).

5) Share with others about your green lifestyle.  Spread the word about the importance of going green and how you’re trying to live green for life.  Do so with humility and care so you don’t turn your friends off, of course.  Enlist these friends to the cause and they’ll help you stay consistent in green living.  Also, consider making some new friends that you know care about the environment and will help you in your quest to go green.  Live green for life by making your friends “green” friends.

6) Invest green.  If you invest money directly or through an investment firm, consider investing your money in green technology or companies that are going green.  Here are 3 good reasons why investing green is not only good for the environment but also good for your investment portfolio:  1- It’s only a matter of time before governments or markets mandate a massive switch to green energy and the companies prepared for that will be the winners; 2- Companies going green now are improving their reputations and increasing sales; 3- Warren Buffet is investing in green technology.

7) If developing a green ethic is the foundation to living green for life, then learning green is the building structure.  Learn green.  Always keep yourself educated.  Things change, different ways to go green immerge, and continuous learning is the only way to keep up a truly green lifestyle.  Read blogs, sign up for newsletters or RSS feeds, subscribe to green magazines.  Learn and do, the best way to live green for life.

Don’t just “greenwash” your life.  Take action today to live green for life.

Thanks for reading these 7 great ways of how to live green for life!