Go Green: 12 Ways To Become More Eco-Friendly
Being eco-friendly goes just beyond being resourceful. Creating a sustainable way of living is practical and makes a serious impact.
What better day to talk about reducing your environmental impact than Earth Day!
Being eco-friendly goes just beyond being resourceful. Creating a sustainable way of living is practical and makes a serious impact.
Check out these 12 tips for starting eco-friendly habits that can greatly reduce waste and preserve the health of our planet!
1. Swap Cleaning Products with Essential Oils
Chemical cleaners frequent most homes and these same chemical cleaners are harming our climate. They’re full of common pollutants that concentrate the air inside your home and eventually the air outside, contributing to air and water pollution.
Essential oils are the distilled liquid essence of a plant. These concentrated liquids are naturally antimicrobial and antibacterial and contain compounds that kill microbes like bacteria and viruses. They also contain naturally-occurring scents that are pleasant and therapeutic, unlike harsh chemical cleaners.
Lemon, peppermint, and tea-tree essential oils are recommended. Add a few drops to warm water in a spray bottle and use the mixture for cleaning surfaces such as showers or countertops.
Be sure to buy USDA organic certified essential oils!
2. Decline Receipts
Eliminate waste by declining receipts as often as possible. You can ask your cashier before he/she takes payment to not print your receipt. This is a small, but impactful way to eliminate waste. If you do receive a receipt that you don’t plan to keep, be sure to recycle it instead of throwing it in the garbage.
3. Reduce Food Waste
Before you fo grocery shopping, take inventory of what you have in your fridge and pantry. We tend to over-buy food, so this will help you stock up on things you actually need instead of buying things you already have.
When preparing vegetables for meals, save the peels, ends, and stems! You can store in a freezer-friendly reusable bag and take out at a later time to infuse into rice or quinoa, or create a delicious soup stock.
4. Bring Your Own Bags to The Grocery Store
Using your own tote bags is one of the easiest ways to reduce waste of plastic bags. A lot of grocery stores are now offering credit toward food items for using your own bags.
You want to consider all the plastic bags you use at the grocery store, including the ones used when bagging produce. Many brands now offer reusable produce bags that not only keep you from using plastic produce bags but also double in keeping your produce fresh longer.
Check out these 100% organic cotton mesh produce bags!
5. Reusable Water Bottles
Did you know that water bottles take over 1,000 years to bio-degrade? There are also currently 2 million tons of discarded water bottles sitting in U.S. landfills. You can make a difference by investing in a reusable water bottle so you no longer have to buy plastic water bottles. Plus, it’s cheaper in the long run!
6. Glass Jars & Containers
Use glass jars instead of plastic containers to store any dry foods like rice, beans, pasta, or even coffee. Glass jars also make excellent organizers for things like nails and screws. Swap out any plastic food containers with glass container sets for easy meal prep and meal storage.
7. Buy Secondhand
With the availability of Facebook Marketplace, buying second hand is not only easy but it’s also sustainable. There are many household items that are just as durable and functional as they are brand new. Plus, you’ll save money!
8. Buy Locally Grown
Reduce your carbon footprint by buying local! Buying from local farms reduces food miles and the use of fossil fuels. On average, U.S. produce travels roughly 1,500 miles.
The concept of ‘field to plate’ has more people looking into the benefits of eating local and avoiding foods that travel long distances. Foods that travel long distances use a tremendous amount of energy, while local food reduces CO2 emissions.
9. Repurpose Items
Repairing and repurposing items is much more ecologically friendly than buying brand new! There are plenty of online tutorials as well as Pinterest DIY projects, that will guide you through the process. Plus, it makes for fun family projects!
10. Unplug Devices Not In Use
Any devices that are plugged in and not in use are just consuming energy! This goes for appliances as well. All it takes is developing some new habits.
You can start with your most widely used electronic device: Your cellphone. Most people leave their cellphones plugged in even when they’re fully charged. Avoid charging your phone at night and instead, try charging your phone in the kitchen while cooking dinner. You can also keep note of how long it takes your phone to charge and set a timer on your phone while it’s plugged in.
11. Wash Your Laundry With Cold Water
It’s estimated that as much as 90% of the energy used by your washer is just from heating up the water. Cold water won’t affect the cleanliness of your clothing, and it will cut your gas and electric bill! Consumer Report estimates that you can save about $60 annually on your bill if you switch to cold water exclusively.
Bonus: Washing with cold water prolongs the life of your clothing! Heat breaks down the dyes and causes shrinking over time so by using cold water, your clothes will retain their color and size.
12. Avoid Disposable Products
Cheap plasticware, paper plates, paper towels—all things that are convenient but make up for about 20% of the waste stream. When possible, use washable hand towels instead of napkins and paper towels and use silverware when possible.
You can also use these eco-friendly alternatives to plastic utensils!
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Go Green: 12 Ways To Become More Eco-Friendly
Being eco-friendly goes just beyond being resourceful. Creating a sustainable way of living is practical and makes a serious impact.
What better day to talk about reducing your environmental impact than Earth Day!
Being eco-friendly goes just beyond being resourceful. Creating a sustainable way of living is practical and makes a serious impact.
Check out these 12 tips for starting eco-friendly habits that can greatly reduce waste and preserve the health of our planet!
1. Swap Cleaning Products with Essential Oils
Chemical cleaners frequent most homes and these same chemical cleaners are harming our climate. They’re full of common pollutants that concentrate the air inside your home and eventually the air outside, contributing to air and water pollution.
Essential oils are the distilled liquid essence of a plant. These concentrated liquids are naturally antimicrobial and antibacterial and contain compounds that kill microbes like bacteria and viruses. They also contain naturally-occurring scents that are pleasant and therapeutic, unlike harsh chemical cleaners.
Lemon, peppermint, and tea-tree essential oils are recommended. Add a few drops to warm water in a spray bottle and use the mixture for cleaning surfaces such as showers or countertops.
Be sure to buy USDA organic certified essential oils!
2. Decline Receipts
Eliminate waste by declining receipts as often as possible. You can ask your cashier before he/she takes payment to not print your receipt. This is a small, but impactful way to eliminate waste. If you do receive a receipt that you don’t plan to keep, be sure to recycle it instead of throwing it in the garbage.
3. Reduce Food Waste
Before you fo grocery shopping, take inventory of what you have in your fridge and pantry. We tend to over-buy food, so this will help you stock up on things you actually need instead of buying things you already have.
When preparing vegetables for meals, save the peels, ends, and stems! You can store in a freezer-friendly reusable bag and take out at a later time to infuse into rice or quinoa, or create a delicious soup stock.
4. Bring Your Own Bags to The Grocery Store
Using your own tote bags is one of the easiest ways to reduce waste of plastic bags. A lot of grocery stores are now offering credit toward food items for using your own bags.
You want to consider all the plastic bags you use at the grocery store, including the ones used when bagging produce. Many brands now offer reusable produce bags that not only keep you from using plastic produce bags but also double in keeping your produce fresh longer.
Check out these 100% organic cotton mesh produce bags!
5. Reusable Water Bottles
Did you know that water bottles take over 1,000 years to bio-degrade? There are also currently 2 million tons of discarded water bottles sitting in U.S. landfills. You can make a difference by investing in a reusable water bottle so you no longer have to buy plastic water bottles. Plus, it’s cheaper in the long run!
6. Glass Jars & Containers
Use glass jars instead of plastic containers to store any dry foods like rice, beans, pasta, or even coffee. Glass jars also make excellent organizers for things like nails and screws. Swap out any plastic food containers with glass container sets for easy meal prep and meal storage.
7. Buy Secondhand
With the availability of Facebook Marketplace, buying second hand is not only easy but it’s also sustainable. There are many household items that are just as durable and functional as they are brand new. Plus, you’ll save money!
8. Buy Locally Grown
Reduce your carbon footprint by buying local! Buying from local farms reduces food miles and the use of fossil fuels. On average, U.S. produce travels roughly 1,500 miles.
The concept of ‘field to plate’ has more people looking into the benefits of eating local and avoiding foods that travel long distances. Foods that travel long distances use a tremendous amount of energy, while local food reduces CO2 emissions.
9. Repurpose Items
Repairing and repurposing items is much more ecologically friendly than buying brand new! There are plenty of online tutorials as well as Pinterest DIY projects, that will guide you through the process. Plus, it makes for fun family projects!
10. Unplug Devices Not In Use
Any devices that are plugged in and not in use are just consuming energy! This goes for appliances as well. All it takes is developing some new habits.
You can start with your most widely used electronic device: Your cellphone. Most people leave their cellphones plugged in even when they’re fully charged. Avoid charging your phone at night and instead, try charging your phone in the kitchen while cooking dinner. You can also keep note of how long it takes your phone to charge and set a timer on your phone while it’s plugged in.
11. Wash Your Laundry With Cold Water
It’s estimated that as much as 90% of the energy used by your washer is just from heating up the water. Cold water won’t affect the cleanliness of your clothing, and it will cut your gas and electric bill! Consumer Report estimates that you can save about $60 annually on your bill if you switch to cold water exclusively.
Bonus: Washing with cold water prolongs the life of your clothing! Heat breaks down the dyes and causes shrinking over time so by using cold water, your clothes will retain their color and size.
12. Avoid Disposable Products
Cheap plasticware, paper plates, paper towels—all things that are convenient but make up for about 20% of the waste stream. When possible, use washable hand towels instead of napkins and paper towels and use silverware when possible.
You can also use these eco-friendly alternatives to plastic utensils!