- Recycle – Yep. You know how to do it, but do you actually do it? The easiest way to recycle is to make sure you have a designated area to do so. Need ideas? Check out these nifty ideas:
How to Set Up a Home Recycling Station that Works
Martha Stewart Recycling Center
- Upcycle – I love doing this. Seriously. And I don’t mean doing the crazy stuff, like turning a car into a refrigerator or something. I mean simple things, like reusing binder clips, or embroidery hoops, or even litter boxes. For more Upcycle ideas check out my Upcycle Pinterest page.
- Lose/Recycle the plastic Bags – Ok, I will admit, that I have some fabulous reusable grocery bags, that often stay inside of my house, or in the glove compartment of my car. But what’s great is that many local stores like Target are now accepting plastic grocery bags and recycling them.
- Ban Junk Mail – In the US we receive approximately 100,000,000,000 pieces of junk mail every year. Tired of getting all those random catalogs? Don’t have time to sit down and call all those companies yourself? Use a service to do it for you! Try out Catalog Choice also check out the National Do Not Mail List. Make sure that when you get your credit report, you opt out of receiving mailers or becoming part of any surveys.
- Reduce Your Use of Plastic Bottles – A simple solution is to buy your water in a glass bottle, like Voss because glass is recylable. (I use these bottles as vases too!) If you need to carry water with you then try the Bobble Plastic Water Bottle. It’s BPA-free, and has it’s own filter! Which is perfect for when you’re parched and can’t identify how pure your water source is. (Like at the park.)
- Stop Using Regular Laundry Detergent – Not only are the surfactants in most detergents unsafe for the environment, they’re harmful to humans as well. If you suffer from asthma or eczema, you may be able to reduce or even eliminate most if not all of your symptoms by using a more natural detergent. You can make your own detergent like I do, or you can use things like soap nuts, or castille soap (although if you have excema you may need something a bit milder). Don’t want to DIY? Then check out the following natural detergents. Need fabric softener? Try this instead.
Ecos Liquid Laundry Detergent – $6.80
- Save Water In Your Bathroom- Check for leaks under your sink and toilet every season. Convert your toilet to a Dual-flush. Basically, it uses a little water when you “do a#1” and more water when you “do a #2”. There’s a switch or button to differentiate between the two. You can buy simple DIY Dual flush Kits here. In an apartment? Keep a bucket in the bathroom and fill it when your letting the water run to get warm. Then save it to feed your pets, water your plants, or even clean with it!
- Give Up Paper Napkins and Paper Towels – It’s really not as hard as you’d think. And yes, it still can me sanitary. I use a mixture of cloth napkins, microfiber towels, cotton rags and Skoy Cloths around my house. I have a little bucket I keep on the counter in the kitchen and in some of the other rooms where the dirty ones go. Then I just toss them in the laundry and repeat the next week. To learn how I did it, check out this post.
- Switch to Recycled Toilet Paper - Nope, I’m not ready to give up toilet paper either, BUT there are new brands out made from recycled paper that don’t feel like your wiping your bum with tree bark. Seriously. Also check out “camping toilet tissue”. That stuff was created for portable toilets and is easier on septic systems too. Check out some of these brands:
- Use a Rain Barrel In Your Garden – Buy a Rain Barrel for your home so that you can catch water naturally and use it to water you plants without touching the tap from your house. Almost all of them have a spigot on the front so that you can attach a standard hose.
- What are some your green tricks and tips?