We all care about our planet and are willing
to make the changes needed to preserve the globe for future generations. But
let’s be honest, sometimes it can seem overwhelming and even impossible to make
a dent in the problem. The good news is; if we all work together to make a
change, it adds up to big benefits for planet Earth. To get you started, here
are 8 ways you can begin living a green lifestyle today.
Flip
Those Switches
This one seems basic, but it’s sad how many of
us neglect to turn off lights and appliances when we’re not using them. Experts
estimate that Americans could slash their energy use by at least 30% by
switching off what they don’t need. Additionally, you might want to consider
air drying your laundry or investing in solar energy for your home.
Switch
to Green Cleaning Products
Although companies like Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day and Method
make fantastic natural cleaning products, you can easily keep your household
clean and fresh using inexpensive items like baking soda and vinegar. Vinegar
is extremely versatile throughout the home, cleaning glass and disinfecting
toilets for pennies per use.
Start a
Backyard Garden
One way to reduce the global impact of your
household is by growing produce in your backyard and preserving it for the
colder, winter months. The average grocery item consumed by Americans has
travelled more than 1,000 miles to reach their tables. By growing your own
food, you can reduce that distance to 0.
Stop
Buying Bottled Water
One easy way to live a green lifestyle is to
bring your own, reusable bottle of water. Last year Americans used more than 50
billion plastic bottles, many of which
wound up in landfills never to decompose. You can help stop both the production
and pollution of plastic bottles by always bringing your own, refillable water
both with you to work or wherever you may go.
Bring
Your Own Bag
Through simply remembering to bring your
reusable bags to the grocery story, you could play a part in it reducing
massive amounts of plastic waste annually. Need a case in point? When the city
of San Jose, California, outlawed plastic bags, the water systems and sewer
systems saw an 89% reduction in plastic bag pollution.
Start
Composting
Did you know that you can live a green
lifestyle and cut the waste in your bin by 30% through composting at home? Not only does
composting lessen what you’re sending to the landfills, it gives you rich
fertilizer to encourage your garden and landscaping to grow and flourish.
Take A
Walk
If you can walk or bike to your destination,
do it! Not only will you be doing something good for your planet but your body
will thank you for it as well. If you can’t walk, consider carpooling, anything
to get less cars on the road emitting fossil fuel pollution.
Use
Less Water
If you leave the water running while you brush
your teeth or if you take long showers, then you have an easy way to live a
greener lifestyle – use less water! By using less water throughout your home
and choosing water efficient shower heads and toilets, you can conserve water
and do your part to save the planet.
How you do live a green lifestyle? Tell us
about it in the comments section below!
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Photo by Ashes Sitoula on Unsplash
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