HispanicBusiness

While environmentalists have often been caricatured as shoeless hippies with volumes of unkempt hair, unabated scents of patchouli oil, and hemp skirts, this is not the modern face of environmentalism. Sustainability doesn't mean dressing babies in banana leaves -- it means being conscious of one's actions on a daily basis. The philosophy basically notes that every tiny thing and event in your life has a carbon footprint. Intense? Sure. But don't run away from this green monster just yet. Do your part by putting yourself on a "carbon budget." In honor of Earth Day, here are tips on becoming a green ninja in the war against environmental degradation . . . without sacrificing your suave style.

Ways To Be Green On Earth Day (and Every Day)

1. Transportation:
This one is an easy one. If you have an eco-friend you have probably been badgered about taking some sort of alternative form of transportation to work, including carpooling. If you live close enough, biking is a great method because you'll get in your daily exercise just by waking up a little earlier. Plus it's far more efficient than using your daughter's Dora the Explorer scooter. If you loathe public transportation, or you live an hour's drive or more away, or if you detest your coworker's less-than-sunny sunny, pre-work disposition, perhaps there are better ways for you to contribute to green house gas reduction. Such as . . .

2. Reusable Cups:
Talk about wasteful! The Clean Air Council reported that: "the average American office worker goes through around 500 disposable cups every year." Bringing your own cup to your coffee shop of choice isn't even a hassle, plus cafes will usually give you a welcome (if meager) discount for your planet-saving efforts. And once you're at work, just keeping a mug or glass at your desk could alleviate the habit or using countless one-use cups per day.

3. Exercise!:
Run or bike outside. The fresh air could do you good -- and going to the gym could mean driving there, running on an electricity-powered treadmill, and watching TV to focus your mind away from your burning calves. Run outside, observe the world around you, and even use it as a type of meditation to organize your thoughts or release stress at work. It cuts down on unnecessary energy use and RunningPlanet.com reported that it actually burns more calories and strengthens your stride better than indoor running.

4. Breakfast, Lunch, And Dinner:
Eat in, buy organic, and buy local. When you bring your lunch to work or school you minimize packing materials like Styrofoam (which never decomposes), one-use plastic forks, and a gargantuan pile of napkins that always get thrown away (and you know you rarely need more than one). Buying local is possibly more important than buying organic foods. Every piece of produce or cut of meat has a certain amount of food miles--the distance food travels from the farm to your plate--associated with it. On average, U.S. food travels 1,500 miles. Eating locally decreases the amount of fossil fuels used in its transportation, and thus shrinks its carbon footprint.

5. Clean Green:
Okay, so if you've been listening, you're tired from biking to work and lugging around your reusable cup. The last thing you want to do is the dishes. But it's Earth Day, so ride out this moral responsibility thing for the final hours of the day. But wait -- don't reach for those paper towels. Three-thousand tons of paper towels get put into U.S. landfills every day. The green method? Try using a designated towel to wipe up spills and dry dishes.

There is currently an ardent debate in the environmental world about dishes by hand versus dishes by dishwasher. There is no conclusive evidence that either is environmentally superior to the other. The crux of the issue: it's wasteful to pre-wash or pre-rinse the dishes before they go into your sink or machine, so plan accordingly. Final step: use biodegradable soaps, which readily decompose and keep our oceans clean.

Pursuing one or more of these five changes in your daily life may not be easy, but the results are significant, even if it's sometimes hard to see the evidence. Remember, every little action counts. Use this Earth Day as an excuse to start putting on a greener face.