As the leaves begin to change colors and the weather cools, there are still lots of great things to do to stay green! If you enjoy sweater-weather and your pumpkin-spiced latte, then consider some of these ideas to complete your fun, fall days!

Get Outside…
A regular for many families, consider visiting a local orchard to get some fresh apples, pears, and pumpkins! Eckert’s Boyd Orchard is in Woodford County, Evan’s Orchard can be found in Scott County, and Reed Valley Orchard can be found in Bourbon County. Check out events happening at their locations to maximize your visit!

If you are a spiritual person and looking to spend some time outside, consider a day of silent hiking at the Abbey of Gethsemane in Trappist, KY (bring me back some fudge!) or peaceful meditation at Furnace Mountain in Stanton, KY. Being outside in the woods or mountains can be very recharging for the soul and spending some time with nature is always a great way to remind ourselves of the environment we love to protect.

This is my favorite time of year to go hiking. You can work up a sweat without feeling too overwhelmed by the heat AND your risk of dealing with ticks is significantly lower! Consider finding a local hiking trail you can visit to better explore your own community. From the Red River Gorge to Raven Run in Lexington, check out this list from Kentucky Tourism to find a great trail close to you!

Or Stay Inside!
For our readers that may not be able to get around so much or just prefer to stay indoors, there are great ways to stay green indoors as well. This is a great time of year to crack open windows to cool your house and cozy up with a blanket and a good book. Remember that hot air rises and cold air sinks, so open upstairs windows to let warm air escape and let the cool air settle on the lower floors. If you live in a single story home and your windows were made to open up or down, leave a crack at the top of your window to let hot air escape, much like you might crack a window in your car.

This is the time of year where it is good to switch the direction of your ceiling fan! Look for a little switch around the neck of your fan and give it a switch: you want counter-clockwise in the spring/summer and clockwise in the fall/winter! A ceiling fan and a cracked window can save you a lot of money on your heating/cooling without a lot of effort.

I also recommend watching the big game with some friends. Melt the queso and ready the guacamole and get your friends to share your TV with you! Having many people together sharing a TV as opposed to having people in their own homes with their own televisions and lights on is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint!

Enjoy!
Whether you’re outside or inside, consider the environment in all that you do. It’s easy to do and can still be lots of fun. This October, I hope you FALL into some new GREEN habits and share them with me!