Simple Green: The Half-It Principle

These little green tips we come across in day-to-day life seem so simple, but at the same time if each person followed them, the world would notice a big difference. While washing my hair this morning, I took a look at the amount of shampoo I used and realized--I could cut it in half.

And then I remembered what a colleague of mine has been saying: If we cut everything in half, we save resources.

The principle, which is rooted in the reduce part of the beloved triple-R mantra, is an easy mnemonic device to remember to just use less. It works for anything from using less soap to deciding only to use one paper towel in a public bathroom. You can probably get by with less TP, fewer plastic baggies, detergent, and the like. I'm not talking about dieting here--just simply cutting back in areas where consumption can obviously be reduced.

The bigger picture is goes as far as to say we could even cut the number of children we decide to have from the average of two down to one, or to live in a house that's half the size of the average home. I'm personally not ready to make those big decisions, but the half-it idea surely makes sense on a daily basis for the little things.

What do you think?

Photo by deziner02 via sxc.hu

Comments (10)

I agree that using half of everything on a daily basis makes perfect sense, and is a pretty painless way to save on resources. But recommending that people cut their ideal family in half? Way too personal and trite. Who would wish that they never had a sibling? I think one of the best things we can give our children is a sibling-- a life long friend and someone to share the burden of inevitable difficulties in life and even within the family. I recommend keeping suggestions like these in the more general arenas.

Except for toilet paper, I agree with you.

you should see how much shampoo my husband uses. He gets a kick out of filling his whole hand with it before sudsing up. Can I get him to "halve it"? still working. no luck so far.

I re-use the foaming hand wash containers and fill it up with my own soap. The great thing about these foaming washes is the soap must be diluted with water by ~ 60-70% (ie the soap to water ratio is 1:6ish) in order for the foaming action of the pump to work. Stretches soap use!

I also like to use a normal pump for my shampoo. I find that when I use the pour method, I usually end up with way too much.

Yeah, putting stuff like dish soap, shampoo and conditioner into a pump container is a very easy way to cut down on the amount you use each time.

I regularly cut my scouring pads and dryer sheets in half.

(You knew someone was going to get all hot and bothered over the children comment, right?)

a good one to watch out for: toothpaste. you only need a pea-sized amount, not the big, fat stripe across your whole toothbrush like in the commercials. the openings to the tubes are even much larger than they used to be to get you to use more...

re: Ariana: yep, i understand that--which is why i included my own little disclaimer for the "reducing your family" part. that's a whole other can of worms. i think it's an interesting theory that some may choose to follow, but that's a personal decision. maybe a gentler piece of advice would be to encourage each of your family members to reduce the things they use to one-half.

re: jyw: yep! which is why i just couldn't NOT say it. ;)

re: foodefafa: yes, you're right! pretty crazy how they try and upsell. what about "repeat if desired" on the back of the shampoo or bodywash bottles?

An easy way to cut down how much shampoo, bodywash etc you use is to use solid products instead of liquid - use a solid shampoo, use a bar of soap instead of bodywash.

I agree with Rebekkap. Use bar soap. To make bar soap last longer, unwrap it completely and store it for a month or more before using. Use a soap dish that drains water away from the bar. Assemble the little end-of-the-bar slivers you accumulate in a mesh bag. Swish the bag in a sinkful of warm water to wash your delicates. These tips came from my mom who lived through the Depression. I find her remembered advice particularly helpful these days.

ariana- as an only child my parents intentions weren't for me to be without a sibling it just so happened that it ended up that way... which is the case for many other only children I know... and most of us are pretty happy being raised that way and having undivided attention, support, and love from our parents.