Sometimes it's the little things that make all the difference. Here are a few easy ideas to go green today!
Grow a Garden
Starting your own backyard, or even back patio, garden is a great way to reduce the amount of gas used shipping food, pesticides dumped on plants, and electricity used to refrigerate. You also get fresh fruits, veggies, and herbs at your fingertips, which is the best part. There’s nothing like fresh ingredients.
Plant Flowers
Save more bees by planting flowers and using no pesticides. Plant a variety and rotate in new flowers for each season to keep the bees and butterflies lively as they hum about their work.
Walk
Put your feet to good use as you go about your errands. If you can walk somewhere rather than drive, do so. You will be healthier, save money, and help the environment along.
Bike
Going farther? Bike to work or to the store and save even more on gas.
Go Public
Most medium to large cities have public transportation. Some small towns are even getting their own buses. By sharing the environmental load of your travels with all the other passengers, you thin out the exhaust.
Carpool
There are bound to be coworkers or classmates who live close to you. Take turns driving to make a small dent in your combined carbon footprints.
Telecommute
Work from home now and again if your company will let you. It saves gas and lets you get your work done in sweatpants, which is a win for everyone involved.
Take the Stairs
Give the elevator a rest and your heart a workout. This is good for you and the environment.
Merge Errands
Try to combine all your errands into one. Hit the grocery store, the bank, drop off the kids for soccer practice, and get that cup of joe all at the same time. You use less gas and put out less exhaust when you drive around town with a warm engine than back and forth many times with a cold engine.
Shop Online
You actually save the world quite a bit of carbon by shopping online. Just don’t use rushed delivery or make too many returns as this negates those savings. Also, recycle that packaging!
Change the Bulbs
Now is a great time to switch to LEDs. The pricing has come down, there are more options available, they save electricity, and they last much longer. As soon as a light burns out, upgrade. Also be sure to recycle or dispose of your old bulbs properly.
Bundle Up
Rather than cranking the heat up, try adding a layer. Blankets and sweaters cost less on the utilities and are friendlier to the environment.
Strip Down
During the summer, try taking off a layer before blasting the air conditioner. You can also turn on a ceiling fan before adjusting the thermostat. A little air movement helps more than you know.
Reduce
Use less. It’s a simple concept that really makes a big difference for you and the environment. You don’t need a huge house, giant SUV, or a ton of stuff to be happy. It applies to food too. Eating just thirty percent less means you waste less food and you also live longer.
Reuse
Don’t throw out things that can be reused in clever ways. Break out your crafting and DIY skills to make the most of your treasures.
Recycle
Recycle as much of what you can’t reuse as possible. It’s as easy as tossing it in a bin nowadays, so why not?
Go Meatless
Go without meat for one day or extend your meatless lifestyle further into the week if you’ve already adopted Meatless Mondays. Eating less meat reduces your carbon footprint immensely as meat requires so much shipping and refrigeration while also eating up a ton of plant-based food resources and releasing methane along with other greenhouse gasses.
Fill Your Freezer
A full freezer requires less energy to keep cold. Fill that puppy up to the brim. If you have nothing else you need in there, add a couple two liters of water. They will keep your freezer cold even if the power goes out and serve as emergency water if you ever find yourself in need.
Support Local
Local business often place less strain on the environment as they aren’t shipping their products all over the world and back again. Buy local, especially when it comes to food.
Conserve Water
Seal leaks, turn off the water while you brush your teeth, take shorter showers, and don’t overwater your lawn. Those are easy ways to save water. You can also look at replacing your faucets, toilets, and showerheads with lower flow varieties. Every drop counts.
Compost
Start a compost pile in your backyard. This saves food scraps, paper, ashes, and more from ending up in the landfill. It also helps feed that garden that you’re surely starting.
Buy Recycled
Check the packaging and buy recycled and recyclable as often as you can. This continues the cycle of keeping waste out of the landfills and oceans.
Go Electronic
Switch your bills, tax forms, and even junk mail over to paperless. It’s easier and better for the trees that give us oxygen.
Late Night Launder
Electricity puts less of a load on the environment at night when temperatures are down along with usage. Wash your clothes after sunset and wash cool to save even more on your utilities and on your planet’s health.
Cook at Home
You use fewer resources, save cash, and use less fuel by staying home and making a meal. You also avoid the packaging and shipping waste that can come from restaurants. Nothing tastes better than fresh and homemade anyway.
Plant a Tree
Yes, it may be cliché, but you can do wonders by planting a tree in your yard or growing miniature trees in your home or on your patio. They reduce stress, clean the air, and provide a dose of oxygen while beautifying your life.
