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People often feel like they are too small to make a difference and their efforts won't help the planet. But, it’s not all grim – there are ways to change that and turn your household into a more environmentally friendly place.
Here are some of our top tips!
How Do You Shop Environmentally Friendly?
One of the keys of being more environmentally friendly is to shop more environmentally friendly. This will reduce your negative effect on the planet. Here’s how to do that:
Buy Local
Instead of buying packaged products shipped in from across the world, buy local products from nearby farms. There are several ways you are improving the environment that way. For one, the amount of gas that would take to bring all of the products to your supermarkets is reduced. Local organic farmers use far less pesticides which harm the air, soil and water than the big farms. Big companies also waste a ton of natural resources. Plus, it’s much healthier for your family.
Shop In Season
By buying stuff that’s not in season, you are encouraging shipping from far destination or extreme use of preservatives which pollutes the environment. Instead, buy what’s in season or buy frozen.
Buy Used
Instead of buying new clothes, furniture and similar, long-lasting items, you should visit your local thrift or second hand store. This is great for the environment because the old items aren’t going to end up in nature and there will be a reduced need to make and deliver new items which will save many natural resources, from materials that are used to make those items to resources it would take to deliver them.
Use Reusable Bags
You probably already know how bad plastic bags are, so get a few heavy-duty cloth bags and use them instead.
Look for Products Made with Recycled Packaging
You can get many products which have used recycled packaging, just check the label.
Use Containers Instead of Packaging
When you have to buy a product in a plastic packaging, buy in bulk to make the damage smaller and then put the products in appropriate glass or metal containers.
Avoid Pre-Washed, Prepared Veggies
While it is convenient, it produces a ton of waste that’s not really necessary when you can buy the ingredients salad and chop it at home. You'll also save money!
Avoid Impulse Buying
Those candy bars and small things that seem inexpensive but are conveniently placed by the cash register aren’t really going to satisfy your hunger or anything similar. So, avoid buying them. Also, avoid buying anything when if it's not already on your list.
Shop Less
Plan to have a monthly or weekly shopping trips. You will produce less waste and save more money. You will also drive less and spend less fuel, saving the air from harmful gasses.
Try Using Cloth Diapers
Plastic diapers are more convenient but cloth ones are more environmentally friendly.
Top 7 Ways to Be Environmentally Aware
Whether you want to go green because of the environment or your own wallet, it’s a good idea. Every step you take, saves the world a little bit more. So, in that spirit, here are some tips on how to be more eco-friendly.
1. Turn off your appliances – Energy conservation is one of the best things you can do and the easiest step, really. Don’t leave anything electric on standby if you don’t need it. Your energy bills will thank you!
2. Invest in more eco-friendly tech – A step further would be to get energy-efficient appliances and tech which will make you spend less energy and reducing energy output, making your impact on the environment and your bills smaller.
3. Go to renewables – Change your energy supplier to a renewable one and your bills will be lower as well as your impact on the environment.
4. Eat less meat – Being more eco-friendly also means eating less meat because it can have a significant impact on your carbon footprint.
5. Don’t throw away food – Wasting food is a bad idea because it creates a lot of trash and it’s not necessary. Proper meal management could prevent that and anything that’s not eaten should be composted.
6. Compost – Instead of just throwing things away, compost them. You’d be surprised by how many things can be composted, from food to paper. You can use it in your own garden, reduce waste in general and waste less money.
7. Recycle everything you can – Recycling is one of the best ways to reduce your carbon footprint. You can recycle almost anything and it’s a very good idea.
What Products are Environmentally Friendly?
We produce more trash than we can efficiently manage and our planet is getting more polluted by the day.
But is there a way to prevent that?
Yes, there is. Every person investing a bit of effort in being more green means that the environment will be cleaner and we will keep it conserved for the future.
Here are some products that you can buy that are eco-friendly and can replace your pollutant products.
Buy clothes made from recycled materials
You can either look for some specific brands that make clothes from recycled materials or go for second-hand stores or thrift stores
Try wool footwear
Instead of buying regular shoes, go for wool footwear. It’s an innovative material and it’s very comfortable, much healthier for the foot too.
Use reusable coffee cups
You can buy these basically anywhere and you should get one that’s sturdy and that can last you for a very long time. Bonus points if you leave a couple extra ones in the work kitchen!
Get a reusable water bottle
Instead of drinking from a plastic water bottle that you will just throw away, get a reusable water bottle. There are options for every pocket, from expensive, fancy ones with accessories to cheap and simple ones.
Use recycled toilet paper
Buy toilet paper which is made from recycled materials.
Get a biodegradable waste bag
There will always be some trash produced, but at least the bag can be biodegradable.
Use organic towels
Organic towels are a great thing and they are made from sustainable farming efforts which can make it a lot easier for you to be eco-friendly. You can also do this for your bedding and table linen, just look for organic brands.
Use recycled aluminium foil
This item is used a lot but it’s not biodegradable. So, go for the recycled brands instead of the regular ones. Or, opt out of using it altogether. More on the health concerns here.
Get recycled laptops, computers and other accessories
This might prove a bit more expensive or inaccessible but many companies produce these.
Get recycled toys
There are many companies selling and making recycled toys, and this is a good idea for your kids too.
Use LED bulbs
This is a simple choice that many have embraced already. So, you can do it because it saves a lot of money and the environment at the same time.
Low-flow shower head
This is a good idea because you will save a lot of water this way. It will also save you a lot of money on utilities.
Ditch One-Use Plastic Cutlery
Instead of using plastic cutlery, use regular, stainless steel cutlery. It can actually save you money and help keep our environment safe. Avoid paper plates and other one-time use things and just use normal, regular plates and part accessories.
Basically anything you can think of has an environmentally friendly replacement and it’s easy to get. So, keep that in mind. For example, instead of buying items that require batteries, you can get those that only need to be charged. It’s much better for the environment because you are not producing battery waste. Also, don’t throw away your non-eco-friendly stuff because you want to replace them with eco-friendly stuff. That just creates more waste. Replace things as they break and always recycle whatever you throw out.
Is Stainless Steel Eco-Friendly?
Stainless steel is, in fact, a green, eco friendly product. It’s recyclable and it doesn’t contain any toxic materials or run off. It has minimal effect on the environment, especially when compared to other materials.
How Can You Help the Environment?
Everything you do makes a big difference in the world, no matter how small it may seem to you. So, you, as an individual, can help this planet a lot. Just follow a few simple rules like:
Always use reusable bags instead of plastic ones. This way, you are already doing a lot for the ocean animals and the plastic waste reduction
Don’t use plastic water bottles but rather use reusable water bottles which are a lot more eco-friendly.
Don’t print stuff unless it’s necessary whether at school, work or home.
Recycle whatever you possibly can. It’s very simple and easy so you should give it a try.
Use energy efficient bulbs and turn off your appliances whenever you can so that you can save more electricity and money while saving the environment at the same time.
Turn off the water whenever you are not using it when brushing teeth, showering and so on. Saving water is important for both the environment and your wallet!
Do you have any tips to share? Let us know down below!
Sources:
https://www.goodenergy.co.uk/blog/2017/08/22/ultimate-guide-eco-friendly-living/
https://greenerideal.com/guides/0327-10-eco-friendly-shopping-tips/
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