Go from barely green to wicked green with help from Practically Green

If you’re anything like me, you like the idea of being green more than you actually practice being green. I try to recycle as much as I can, I use power strips, and I wash my laundry in cold water, but that’s about it. I’m a little embarrassed to say that I love my 20-minute showers and often forget to turn the lights off when I leave a room. I love the idea of being greener, but since I have no idea what is green and why, I could use some help.

Practically Green was created precisely for this reason: to help those people who are a little less knowledgeable about being environmentally friendly take small steps to a greener life. On their website PracticallyGreen.com, green hopefuls can take a quick five-minute quiz to evaluate how green they are. This varies from barely green to sorta-kinda green to solidly green to wicked green. Once you get your results, you can create an account and the site will give you recommendations and a free personal plan tailored to how green you already are. Then, you can further customize your plan by indicating which actions you have already done and which do not apply to you. When you add an action to your plan and indicate that you have done it, points will be added to one of four sections: water, energy, health, and stuff. The system is so user-friendly and simple because when you add new actions, you instantly see your points rise, as well as your green status.

Get a personalized green plan

Another great and useful aspect of the Practically Green website is that apart from your personalized plan, you can also browse the 400+ green actions in their database. Each action comes with a description of what it is and why it is green, as well as how many points it is worth. These descriptions are immensely helpful because if you didn’t know why taking your shoes off before entering your house was green, now you do, and you are more likely to stick to a green action once you know its direct impact.

Practically Green is the perfect tool for anyone who wants to be more environmentally friendly, from those who are just starting out to those who are already well established. Not only does it help you figure out how green you already are, but it also guides you step-by-step to a healthier, greener life. Who said going green had to be difficult? Go check it out for yourself!

Evann McGrory is an intern at Mom Central.