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1. Buy local (whenever possible). The food is fresher, cleaner, tastier. (And you might make a farmer friend in the process.) Farmers' markets and CSAs are a great way to connect with local agriculture. Visit localharvest.org to find a CSA farm near you. Eatwild.com has a great index for grass-fed meat farms nationwide. 2. Compost is cool. Collect produce scraps, coffee grinds, even some paper products in a small kitchen bin with a lid. (Under the sink works well.) Then, when it's full, dump it in a backyard bin. Complete the circle by using the "black gold" on plants. Order a composting bin for less than $100 at cleanairgardening.com. 3. Cloth is cool, too. Use cloth bags at the grocery store or farmers' market. They're sturdier and way cooler than the flimsy plastic bags at most stores. 4. Bulk up. Consider reducing the packaging you bring home by buying more of what you love. Some grocery stores have bulk bins where you can get the exact amount you want, minus the boxes, wrappers, and logos. 5. Dishwasher or hand wash? The eternal question. Dishwashers actually use less water than most sink washings. Upgrade your machine to an energy-efficient model, or let your current one air-dry. And always fill 'er up. 6. Clean green. Look for eco-friendly cleaning products. (Nontoxic means they're also human-friendly.) Method makes a huge line, and its entire operation is low-impact, from bio-degradable packaging to no-animal-testing; methodhome.com.
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