8 Easy Ways to Be Green This Fall

1. Fall decorations – Don’t buy new

Find your inner Martha Stewart and decorate with gourds, pumpkins, dried corn, leaves and grasses.
Rather than discarding unwanted decorations, make a trip to a second-hand store to make a donation and perhaps find a few new treasures for the fall.

2. Halloween costumes – Don’t buy new

Have you seen the cost of a new costume? Are you kidding me? Borrow and exchange with neighbors, friends and relatives.
Second-hand stores make for great costume finds. Visit your local thrift store for some Halloween costume inspiration.
Check out these homemade costumes and do-it-yourself.

3. Leaves and yard waste – No need to bag

Till fall leaves into the soil of your gardens. Decomposed leaves provide useful organic material for your soil, and will make the soil easier to work with come springtime.
Mulch the leaves on your lawn with a mulching mower and leave them on top. Pulverized leaves add rich nutrients to your lawn.
Dry leaves make for great composting material. If you don’t compost already, fall is a great time to start. Leaves, pumpkins, gourds etc. can by-pass the landfill and go right into your bin. Here is a great video of how to get started.
Turn your leaves into mulch over the winter and spread on your gardens in the springtime. Just like wood mulch, they prevent weeds and add nutrients to your soil as they decompose.

4. Local Farms

Visit a local farm to pick your own pumpkins and apples. You’re also likely to find homemade cider and kettle corn too!
Visit your local farmer’s market and bring home a taste of fall’s bounty – squash, beets and other root vegetables make for delicious fall fare.

5. Plant bulbs

Planting perennials now will ensure beautiful flowers in spring. Flowers not only add to landscape beauty, they help to reduce storm water runoff. Pesticides, petroleum, phosphorous, and asphalt increase pollutants and temperature of water run-off, resulting in damaged water bodies. But gardens with native plants help to reduce the constant water run-off into area lakes, rivers, and streams.

6. Buy recycled clothing/Give away what you don't need

Instead of buying a brand-new wardrobe every time the temperatures drop, rejuvenate your wardrobe with a few vintage or recycled finds instead. Clothing takes a serious toll on the environment--in production, shipping, and some of it later taking over the landfill.

7. Caulk the windows - Close the gaps

Cooler days are just around the corner, so ensure that your home is more energy-efficient by caulking around cracks in windows and doorways. All of the little cracks and tiny holes can equal the equivalent of about a two-foot hole in the average home. By caulking those spaces now, you'll cut down on energy use and save money this winter.

8. Do annual furnace maintenance and filter replacement

Cleaning and adjusting your furnace annually will ensure its operating efficiently, cut back on fuel use, and save you money this winter. It's inexpensive to do and will end up saving you hundreds of dollars in the long run.