All of us need to take responsibility for protecting our planet. One of the biggest things causing damage to the environment is waste. All of us need to make changes to our consumption habits to reduce the number of resources that we use, and the amount of waste that we produce. There are lots of small and easy ways to reduce your harmful impact on the environment and save yourself money.
- Use reusable bags at the grocery store. Plastic bags take a long-time to break down in landfill. Instead of generating more plastic waste, buy some reusable bags and take them with you. Keep them in the car or by the door to remind you to take them. If you must use a plastic bag, reuse it, such as a liner for a small trash can at home.
- Switch to a bamboo toothbrush. The traditional toothbrush is made of plastic, which means that whenever you need to replace it, you’re generating plastic waste. Instead, buy a bamboo toothbrush. Bamboo is much more sustainable than plastic but is just as effective as plastic at getting your teeth clean.
- Use naturally-based products around the home. Instead of using chemicals around the home, use more natural products. For example, instead of using a chemical-based cleaning product, make a mix of white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. This can be used all over the home and is safer for the environment, and for small children and pets in the home.
- Donate to environmental charities. Choose a few charities that line up with your values when it comes to the environment. For example, you could look for charities that work to protect forests, or work to prevent pollution. Donate to these charities, if you can, in order to make a contribution to a more eco-friendly way.
- Take the bus or ride a bike. Leave the car at home, and use public transport more often, or ride a bike. Both of these produce a lot less pollution than private cars. Cycling is one of the best ways to reduce your environmental impact, as it is a completely green way to travel. Of course, not everywhere is close enough to reach on a bike. If you can’t cycle, take the bus, lift-share, or take the train, so you’re not producing pollution on a journey for just one person.
- Reduce, reuse, recycle, compost. Use less packaging, reuse anything you can, recycle what you can’t reuse, and compost things like food waste to cut back on the amount of waste that you produce. Thinking about what you do with things when you’re done with them is an important part of being eco-friendly. Don’t just throw things out. Get in the habit of sorting your waste, so you know what can be reused, recycled, or composted instead of thoughtlessly dumped into the trash to end up in a landfill site.
- Find ways to reuse plastic products. When you do have to use plastic packaging, see if you can find a way to reuse it, so it doesn’t end up in a landfill. For example, if your takeaway comes in plastic tubs, reuse them to store and reheat leftovers.
- Research the ingredients in the products you buy and how they impact the environment. Get used to reading ingredients labels. See what is in what you buy, and learn how things impact the environment so you can make more informed choices about what you buy.
- Cut back on the coffee. A coffee habit can produce a lot of waste, from takeaway cups to coffee pods in your home machine. Cut back, and look at more sustainable ways to get your caffeine. Take a reusable travel mug instead of buying coffee in takeout cups. Ditch coffee pods, paper filters, and other coffee kit that can’t be recycled. Drink less coffee, or at least make it in a french press machine to reduce waste.
- Have your hot water heater and other appliances regularly maintained. It is important to keep your hot water heater in good repair. If you don’t, it is much more likely to break down and cost you money in repairs and will run a lot less efficiently. By having it regularly serviced and maintained by a company like The Water Heater Company in Montrose, your water heater will use less power, saving you money and helping you keep a greener home. The same goes for your other appliances too. Keep them in good repair in order to minimize the amount of power needed to run them.