One of the benefits of living green is it can extend your lifespan. This may be surprising, but it is very true. There are many things that not only help the earth, but they help you, too! Eating fresh organic foods, cutting down on driving, and many other things will help you live greener, longer!

When you eat the naturally grown food you are giving your body fresh food, you are also keeping pesticides and chemical fertilizers from contaminating the earth. Antibiotics and growth hormones will be eliminated from the environment by eating meat from animals grown without using them. You are also keeping a lot of dangerous things out of your body. Processed foods are stripped of nutrition and are likely to clog your arteries causing heart problem.

Driving can be very stressful and contributes to emissions which are said to aid in the destruction of the ozone. If you drive less you save money and risk being in an accident that could disable you or even end your life. Riding with someone else when possible will save money and pollution as there is one car on the road instead of two. This will also help keep traffic down. Walking or riding a bike is good exercise and ideal for shorter trips, it is also great for the environment.

Composting your food scraps can save you money in garbage waste and provide you with great soil next season for your own garden. It also keeps a lot of good stuff out of the landfills. Just keep adding your fruit and vegetable wastes, egg shells, coffee grounds, and grains to the compost pile. You can add your raked leaves and lawn clippings as well. Don't add meat or bones... they will attract insects like flies and will take longer to compost. Water the compost down once in awhile to get the enzymes activated. Come spring, you'll have some nice compost soil to add to your own vegetable garden for more healthy eating.

Other things you can do will just make your home more comfortable. Larger windows can help let in more natural light so you don't need to turn your lights on early. Using compact fluorescent bulbs can save you money and will save energy. Use energy-efficient appliances and don't leave your air conditioner on when you're not at home. You'll be amazed at how much this impacts your energy usage.

Small things like recycling cans, bottles and plastic packaging helps lower your garbage bills and helps reduce your carbon footprint. Use cloth bags when you shop instead of taking their paper or plastic bags. Some stores even knock off a few cents when you use your own bags. All of this will help reduce pollution, which is healthier for you because you'll be breathing cleaner air.

Once you get started, you'll be amazed at how easy it is to live greener. You'll be amazed at how much better you feel... both physically and mentally. Plus, you'll feel better knowing you're doing your part to have a healthier planet to live on. So go ahead... live greener and live longer. You'll be happy you gave it a try.