We often hear how important it is to reduce our waste, recycle more, lower our carbon footprint, and live a more economically friendly life. However, do you know what it truly means to follow a green path?
Many get confused as to what they should and shouldn’t due to be more economically friendly. Not only that, but many also believe that it means they can’t enjoy a lot of the things they used to. The reality, though, is that even the smallest of changes helps you be part of the eco-friendly movement happening in our world today.
If you want to live a more green life, take a look at the following nine tips to help you be a part of the eco-friendly movement.
The Benefits of Going Green
Going green has so many benefits that they outweigh any downfalls. Realistically, the only downfalls to going green tend to be the initial purchase price and the adjustment to a different lifestyle. Otherwise, in the long run, the benefits are extraordinary.
Many items we use can cause serious risk to our health, especially for those who have underlying health issues like asthma. Spending the extra couple of dollars to get more natural products will benefit your health.
You will find that the greener you go, the more money you begin to save. Reducing your power and water consumption, organizing your shopping trips, riding your bike or walking instead of driving will save you money each month.
The benefits of going green are endless. Now, though, let’s look at ways that you can implement a greener lifestyle.
Work Towards Zero Waste
Zero waste may seem impossible, but for many families, it’s quite doable. Having zero waste means you have barely any garbage that you throw away in a year. Some even generate only a pint-size jar of trash in a year.
Start small and work your way toward a zero waste life. Instead of using plastic bags at the grocery store, invest in a couple of reusable ones. Have a water bottle on hand that you refill rather than throw away. Use items made out of recycled material, and make sure to put it in your recycling container when you’re done.
Plan Before You Buy
Have you ever went to the grocery store on an empty stomach or without a plan in mind, and end up coming home with many things you end up throwing out? To avoid something like this, have a plan before you go shopping.
When you spend some time planning out a shopping trip, it makes you sit and think of whether or not you really need that item. For groceries, have a meal plan for the week, so you buy only what you need per recipe. For larger items, wait a bit before making the purchase. If you still want it after a few weeks, then go and get it.
Work Towards Zero Waste
One-time use items contribute to a lot of waste. Nowadays, you have many alternatives that will replace your disposable items. Instead of using paper towel and napkins, use cloth ones. Buy rechargeable batteries instead of ones you throw away after. You’d be surprised with what you can change out for reusable alternatives.
Focus on Eco-Friendly Lawn Care
Your lawn care plan could be contributing to your carbon footprint. Depending on what you use to fertilize your lawn and how often you water it, those items could cause more harm to the environment.
An eco-friendly lawn care program helps to promote a strong and healthy lawn without having to rely on you. It reduces the amount of water by growing the roots of the grass deeper into the ground. Revitalizing the nutrients in the soil will allow you to fertilize less. If you do need fertilizer, start composting.
Go Paperless
Where possible go paperless. Many bills you get in the mail have the option to be emailed over instead. If you receive lots of flyers, put up a sign or contact the distributor to stop them from coming to you.
Buy Second-Hand
We have it in our mind that we need to buy brand-new. The reality, though, is that many second-hand items are just as good as what brand new, and at half the price. Go to your local flea and farmers market, as well as garage sales or trading websites to see what people are selling.
While you’re at it, go through what you have in your home to see what you could sell instead of throwing out. Not only are you reducing waste, but you can also make a few bucks in the process.
Reduce Your Power Consumption
Are you someone who forgets to turn off the lights? You may want to start remembering. The amount of electricity we use is some of the highest in the world. All of that power consumption has to come from somewhere and to keep up with the demand, the source isn’t economically friendly.
Reduce your power consumption by turning off lights in rooms you’re not in. Turn down the heat a degree in the winter time, and same as the air conditioning in the summertime. Set up solar panels to be more sustainable.
Use Environmentally Friendly Products
Take a look at the different products in your house. Chances are many of your everyday items have chemicals and ingredients that are harmful to our environment. Not only that, many of them are harmful to our skin and bodies.
Switching over to natural and environmentally friendly products will not only benefit the environment, but it will also benefit your health as well.
Recycle and Compost
If you must use items that you cannot reuse, ensure that they are recyclable. Recyclable items mean that they can get broken down and reused for something else, rather than tossing the parts into the garbage pile. Nowadays, almost everything can be recycled.
For organic matter (food), you can create compost. Over time, the organic matter breaks down and turns into an excellent natural fertilizer for your yard. Learning how to compost is an easy way to reduce your waste and save money on fertilizer.
Follow the above tips to help you transition into a green lifestyle. You’ll find that once you get in the habit of the changes, you can make even more.
