He utilized green paint. He used green paint. Omit needless words. Follow the earlier rules. Remember the adage attributed to Mark Twain that if he had had more time, he would have written shorter.
Many phrases add nothing but clutter.
Show, don't tell. This means using specific, detailed language. When you mean cold, don't just say cold, but describe for readers the frost curling on a mustache or the visible breath of an antelope. Make it so a reader can feel cold without you ever using the word cold itself. Say what you mean.