Lately there’s been a lot of talk about “going green.” It’s the latest buzz word that is being touted by everyone from politicians to educators. But what does it really mean to go green?

Going green means adapting your lifestyle and changing your mindset to one that is more focused on reducing your global footprint. It means being conscious of how your everyday decisions impact the environment. Someone who is “green” might combine errands, thereby making less trips by car and essentially reducing their carbon emissions. Going green also means making simple changes around the household such as running the dishwasher only when there is a full load or switching to energy-efficient light bulbs and appliances. Solar panels, hybrid vehicles and windmills are a few of the more expensive eco-friendly measures.

The concept’s popularity has even spread to higher education. From recycling to biodegradable utensils, to “green” dormitories and classroom buildings, colleges and universities are taking a closer look at their practices to see how they, too, can make an impact. ClimateCulture.com recently ran a contest, offering $5000 to the campus with the most participants in their environmental movement. The organization also offered $5000 to the school with the most carbon reductions.

“Going green” may be a fairly recent mantra but it’s quickly caught on and will more than likely become a permanent part of our society, penetrating every aspect of our lives. So tell us — what steps are you taking to go green?

Don’t know how to get started? Check out the following links for tips and ideas.

Mashable’s Green Guide for Social Networking

TerraPass carbon footprint calculator

MacLife article: Green(er) Apples

Tags: carbon footprint, emissions, going green, higher education, recycle, reduce waste

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 at 2:05 pm and is filed under About "Going Green". You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.