The environment is something that we can’t ignore. We depend on it for our survival, and the future of our planet depends on how well we take care of it. It’s not just about recycling or planting a tree, but also about living in a way that doesn’t contribute to environmental damage. In this blog post, you’ll learn seven different ways to live more environmentally friendly without sacrificing comfort or convenience!
1) Use Reusable Shopping Bags
Plastic bags are something that we all use frequently. They can be found in stores, offices, and homes for everything from groceries to garbage disposal. Because they’re so convenient, most people just toss them instead of recycling or reusing them after each use. However, this is terrible news for the environment! On average, Americans alone go through more than 380 plastic bags every year. This adds up to about 100 billion plastic bags used each year worldwide, which can take centuries to degrade completely!
To avoid adding this burden on the environment, make sure you always carry reusable shopping bags with you when leaving the house. You’ll be surprised at how quickly it becomes second nature, and soon enough, you won’t even need to think about it.
2) Use a Reusable Water Bottle
Buying water bottles is something that most people do daily. It’s quick and easy, but it also adds up over time. On average, Americans spend $11 billion every year on bottled water! This not only puts more plastic in the landfill or at the bottom of our oceans, but it also wastes valuable resources like oil. If you want to make a change, start carrying around your reusable water bottle instead of buying disposable plastic ones every day!
It might seem difficult at first if you’ve never done it before, but soon enough, it’ll become second nature and something well worth the effort in terms of saving money and protecting the environment. It’s important to note that you should never reuse disposable plastic bottles since this can lead to bacterial contamination. Use stainless steel or BPA-free reusable water bottle instead!
3) Compost Organic Waste
Organic waste is something that we all produce every day, from leftover food to hair and nail clippings. Instead of throwing these things out with the garbage, you should compost them! This not only helps reduce your carbon footprint but also adds nutrients back into your soil for a healthier ecosystem overall.
The best thing about this is that it’s pretty easy to do. All you need is a small corner of your backyard and some basic gardening tools, as well as composting worms if possible (they work great!). This can be challenging in an urban environment where space comes at a premium, but there are still ways to make it happen – even on the smallest balconies. If you don’t have any space in your yard, look into community composting programs that might be available in your area to give this a try!
4) Use Energy-Saving Lightbulbs
Light is something that most of us need to function throughout the day. We use it at home, work or school, and even on our commutes. Unfortunately, all this light comes with a cost – electricity!
Lighting accounts for about 20% of total household power consumption in America alone, which means that every household is responsible for around 500 pounds of CO² every single year!
Luckily, there are a few things that we can do to reduce this impact. For example, you can use energy-efficient lightbulbs instead of your current incandescent or halogen options at home and work. These may cost a little more than regular bulbs, but they last much longer, which essentially makes up the difference in costs.
5) Use Green Pest Control
Pests can be a big problem for homeowners, and they carry diseases and damage property. But using an environmentally friendly pest control service is the smart thing to do: you get rid of pests without harming your health or adding more waste into our environment. By the way – did you know that most pesticides are derived from chemicals found in nerve gas? Yikes! Make sure to use a green pest company if at all possible (and even if not).
6) Reduce Food Waste
We all need food every day to survive, but most of us don’t realize how much waste it can create. On average, Americans throw away around 26% of the food they buy!
7) Use Rechargeable Batteries
Rechargeable batteries are something that most of us use every day, whether it’s for our smartphones or toys.
Each one may only account for a tiny amount when you look at them individually, but they all add up over time and end up in landfills! Make sure to always carry around reusable ones instead so this doesn’t happen to you.
