There are so many reasons that I would like to go green. There are so many things that are hard to give up preventing us from going totally green. I'm learning though. I see the benefits of a lot of the things we can change. One thing, lessen the amount of trash compounding daily on the earth. Two, a lot of harsh chemicals can be eliminated from my house by using different household products. (I've already done this one.) Also, teaching my children the value of things. We recycle a lot of things and re-use a lot of things. My children will give away their old or no longer fitting clothing rather than throw it in the trash. There is a lot more of this in my head, I'm just not getting it down here right now. I'm off to find some info to help you and me decide how to go green and if you should go green.

Here's the website for the full article on How To Go Green

This article was written by Disney Family Parenting.

What can you and your family do to be kind to the environment TODAY? Here are 50 simple, earth-friendly actions.

1. Buy eco! Super cool and environmentally friendly shoes, purses, skateboard earrings, platters, picture frames, batteries, cars, and more are readily available these days
2. Recycle electronics, including computers, printers, cd players, and toys
3. Build a garden using native plants
4. Incorporate Integrated Pest Management practices into your garden
5. Buy groceries in bulk
6. Take a reusable bag to the grocery store
7. Ride a bicycle to work or to take care of errands around town
8. Watch environmentally themed movies such as Sacred Planet
9. Carry a reusable mug, everywhere
10. Use recycled-content copy paper
11. Purchase remanufactured toner cartridges
12. Research ways you can help the environment
13. Practice Environmentality with your family
14. Buy recycled office products
15. Unplug electronics when they are not in use
16. Use a dry erase board instead of paper
17. Reuse the backside of discarded paper for scratch pads
18. Recycle as much as possible
19. Purchase clothes made from recycled materials, such as plastic bottles
20. Buy products that contain natural or organic ingredients
21. Use energy conserving light bulbs
22. Buy in bulk
23. Use a reusable lunch tote
24. Limit your use of polystyrene (Styrofoam)
25. Rideshare
26. Celebrate Earth Day
27. Build a backyard habitat
28. Learn more about the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund
29. Recycle Tyvek envelopes
30. Recycle your soda can tabs
31. Recycle batteries
32. Check your tire pressure
33. Reward people who practice Environmentality
34. Donate or recycle cell phones
35. Visit Environmentality.com
36. Read Disney's Enviroport
37. Recycle six-pack rings
38. Recycle old greeting cards
39. Host your own recycled art contest
40. Use recycled construction materials, such as plastic lumber
41. Reduce your junk mail
42. Compost
43. Recycle old eye glasses
44. Participate in an environmental volunteers event
45. Purchase or rent an alternative fuel vehicle
46. Use a low-flow shower head
47. Recycle videotapes
48. Use a dry erase board instead of paper to share notes with your family
49. Check out an environmental blog online
50. Buy water in bulk so you don't have to use individual water bottles

Crafting from recycled items is fun. I've done it with my class, with my own children and for myself. Here's a site that shows you some awesome recycled crafts.

1. White Vinegar. Such a simple substance is remarkably versatile for cleaning throughout the house. Vinegar's mildly acidic nature helps it break down dirt and grime, and kills bacteria, mold, and germs. Its pungent odor, which disappears as soon as it dries, is nontoxic, unlike most commercial cleaning solutions. Be careful when using it on tile grout (too concentrated can be damaging), and never use it on marble or other porous stone surfaces.

   • Laundry. Use 1/2 to 1 cup of vinegar during the laundry rinse cycle instead of a commercial fabric softener. It'll cut down on lint and also break down the harsh chemicals of the detergent, which is great news for those with sensitive skin. For added greenness and savings, invest in reusable dryer balls (found at Target and many supermarkets and pharmacies). They may look like doggie chew toys, but they're phenomenal at fluffing up your clothes.Cost Comparison (per load):

     Fabric softener (washer and dryer): $.08

     Dryer balls and vinegar: $.02

   • Kitchen. Use a solution of one-part vinegar to one-part water (1:1) to clean kitchen surfaces. (Again, due to vinegar's acidic nature, test on grout and tile before using, and shy away from marble.) Instead of expensive dishwasher detergent, toss half a cup of vinegar in the bottom of your dishwasher. Cost Comparison (per dishwasher load):

     Dishwasher cleaner: $.15

     Vinegar: $.10

   • Bathroom. Pour three cups of vinegar in the toilet to get rid of rings. For continuous cleaning, pour three cups into the back tank once a week to keep the bowl fresh. Vinegar works great against soap scum and hard-water stains, even ones that have been around for years.

2. Lemon. Commercial cleansers have long sung the praises of citrus, hyping the presence of lemon prominently on their labels. It's no wonder: Lemon's cleaning powers extend beyond a fresh scent. Its acidic properties can cut through grease and grime better than most manmade products.

   • Living Room. Use a ratio of one-part lemon juice to two-parts olive oil (1:2) for an all-natural furniture polish; finish off with a soft, dry cloth (recycled, of course). If you have cats, lemon peels in your potted plants can deter them from digging -- or worse. Cost Comparison (per ounce):

     Furniture polish: $.42

     Olive oil and lemon: $.35

   • Kitchen. Halve lemon and sprinkle with baking soda to scrub dishes. Dump leftover lemon (or orange) peel into your garbage disposal to eradicate nasty odors. Cost Comparison (per cleaning of garbage disposal):

     Commercial cleaner: $.43

     Leftover lemon peel: $.25 (or free, if you've already used the rest of the lemon)

3. Baking Soda. This seemingly benign white powder serves dual purposes: as an abrasive cleaner and a frontline odor fighter.

   • Kitchen. Make a paste with water for tough stains on your counter, or store an open box in the fridge to keep it smell-free. To more easily clean the stalactites that have formed in the microwave, boil two tablespoons of baking soda in a mug of water, then simply wipe out the gunk.

   • Laundry. Use a water-and-baking-soda paste on most fabrics to remove stains. Or put pure baking soda into sachets (stuff old socks or pantyhose) to remove odors from olfactory offenders like stinky sneakers.

   • Bathroom. Sodium bicarbonate can even help clear drain clogs. Just dump a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by a cup of that other clean-all, vinegar. This may take a few tries, but it should clear even the nastiest of clogs -- with a lot less fumes than chemical methods. Cost Comparison:

     Commercial drain cleaner: $3.00 (per suggested use -- I usually used the whole container, at $6 a pop)

     Baking soda and vinegar: $1.50

1. Rubbing Alcohol. If you're looking for one-stop household cleaning, the vinegar-water solution previously mentioned can solve all your glass and mirror issues. To go a step further, for added shine, add one-part rubbing alcohol to a spray bottle with the solution. For added greenness, use newspaper instead of paper towels. Newsprint doesn't streak or smear as might be expected, and it actually makes the surface a lot cleaner. Note: Since this liquid is mostly alcohol, it is flammable, so store in a cool, dry place away from heat and sparks. Also, be sure to spot-test surfaces as rubbing alcohol may react with certain plastics and other substances.

   • Bathroom. Using the formula described above, polish mirrors and glass surfaces. Slightly diluted rubbing alcohol also works great as a germ killer, which comes in handy when someone in the household is sick.

     Cost Comparison (per ounce):

     Commercial disinfectant: $.32

     Rubbing alcohol: $.11

   • Home Office. A dab of rubbing alcohol on a lint-free cloth can clean your printer head. It is also safe for LCD screens (only when diluted) and dry-erase boards, and works to remove ink (even permanent marker) from most surfaces. Be sure to spot-test first as some materials may not react.

   • Kitchen. Use to disinfect and cut grease off switch plates, phones, and other frequently handled items. If vinegar and baking soda have failed to remove a stain, try rubbing alcohol, but spot-test to avoid potential damage to the surface. Remove dust from candles by rubbing with a cloth dampened with rubbing alcohol. (Be sure candle dries before lighting.) You can also use it to tackle soot in jar candles.

   • Outside the Home. Carry in a small spray bottle and use it to disinfect shopping carts or other items in public places. A cotton swab and rubbing alcohol go far in giving your car's interior that professional, detailed look.

2. Salt. The Salt Institute purports that there are more than 14,000 uses for salt, beyond its common seasoning duties. Just the plain ol' variety will do -- no need to get fancy with kosher or sea salt.

   • Kitchen. Sprinkle on lemon to scrub pots and pans; rinse to avoid stickiness. Pour a strong concentration of warm salt water down sink drains to avoid grease buildup. Rub pure salt on cups and mugs to remove stubborn tea and coffee stains. A salt-and-soda-water solution will freshen your refrigerator and won't scratch enamel. Rub tarnished silverware with salt before washing. Stains on copper pans come off more easily if you rub salt into them with a vinegar-soaked cloth. Get rid of old odors by running your coffee maker with a mixture of water and four tablespoons of salt; be sure water goes all the way through. You may also want to run the coffee maker again with fresh water to make sure your next cup of joe has no salty residue.

   • Living Room. A paste of salt and vinegar can be used on brass and copper to restore shine. If wine is spilled on a rug, dab up as much as possible, then immediately sprinkle the stain with salt, which should absorb most of the remainder. Rinse with cold water.

   • Laundry. Sprinkle salt in laundry starch to keep iron from sticking to fabric. Linens and cottons shine after a good salt-ironing. Salt in the color cycle will brighten colors.

Skeptical? So was I, so I decided to experiment before putting my name on this article. By the end of my cleaning foray, I'd decided to permanently ditch several of my steadfast commercial cleansers, including the glass cleaner and spray disinfectant. Here's a quick rundown of some of the more significant results:

• My favorite tip by far was the baking-soda-in-the-microwave trick. Holy timesaver, Batman! It took me less than a minute to clean out the crud.
• My mom turned me on to using vinegar in the dishwasher, and I haven't bought a commercial glass brightener since. For some reason, I failed to make the connection with other glass surfaces until I began my research -- and, once again, I was pleasantly surprised. When I cleaned one side of my mirrored closet doors with a name-brand glass cleaner and the other with my homemade vinegar solution, I couldn't tell the difference.
• The experiment I was most wary of trying was the lemon/olive oil furniture polish, so I offered up the back of my Ikea bookcase as sacrifice. I was so pleased with the result that I quickly went to work polishing my brand-new entertainment armoire. My furniture is shiny and my living room now smells like a lemon grove.
• I had to call in my scouring pad for backup with some of the tougher baked-on foods, but scrubbing dishes with lemon otherwise went as smooth as can be.
• A bonus tip for having read this far: For added greenness -- and cost savings -- throw sponges in the dishwasher to extend their life. From disneyfamilyparenting.