Green living entails reducing environmental toxins to keep our earth healthy and support life.
Sustainable living encompasses several key areas, including reducing physical waste, cutting energy consumption and finding eco-friendly transportation alternatives. Even small changes such as using cloth instead of paper can have an impactful impact.
1. Reduce Your Energy Consumption
Green living refers to activities and practices which aim to maintain an eco-friendly and sustainable environment, in particular by limiting exposure to toxins and using natural resources more efficiently.
Reducing energy consumption is also crucial, and replacing outdated appliances with more energy-efficient models will help cut back costs and decrease environmental impact.
Additionally, it’s advisable to turn off lights in any rooms that are no longer being utilized, especially those where electronic chargers or devices remain plugged in – they use “vampire energy”, adding hundreds of dollars annually to your electricity bill. A smart plug can help monitor appliances remotely and save even more energy than this alone!
2. Go Screen-Free
Dining without television can be an eco-friendly activity that builds community. Not only will you reduce electricity usage and promote greater togetherness among family members, but dining without television may even contribute to leading a healthier lifestyle!
Grown your own herbs and veggies can also help you go meatless on Mondays or only purchase plant-based products such as cage-free eggs and kosher meat, decreasing animal deaths while decreasing waste entering oceans and waterways.
Screen-Free Week, previously TV Turnoff Week and Digital Detox Week, is an annual event designed to encourage people to unplug from electronics, reconnect with nature and just spend quality time with loved ones – sans distraction from screens! For more information click here.
3. Recycle Everything
As soon as you throw anything away, take the time to determine whether or not it can be recycled. You might be amazed to find that even items which seem useless may still have uses, particularly if eco-friendly alternatives are considered – for instance using cloth towels instead of paper ones will save both money and the environment; and using an old T-shirt as cleaning rags is 48 percent more eco-friendly than purchasing paper ones!
Be careful to avoid “wishcycling,” or placing everything you consider recyclable into the recycling bin with hopes it will actually get recycled, which can only increase waste. Instead, contact your local recycling agency to learn what items can and cannot be recycled.
4. Go Green at Work
If possible, work from home at least one day each week; doing so will reduce commute-related emissions by an estimated 20% and lower your carbon footprint considerably each week.
If your workplace doesn’t allow for telecommuting, ask if there’s any way you could switch offices for more eco-friendly offices or work locations. Many organizations are embracing sustainability initiatives so it may be worth asking!
Instead of opting for paper towels, opt for cotton ones instead. Use a re-usable rag or cut up an old T-shirt to dry your hands off! Landscaping irrigation uses millions of gallons daily, which may pollute aquifers and pollute soil. Consider investing in an energy efficient drip system such as those identified with the ENERGY STAR label to save water consumption.
5. Make Simple Changes
Green living tips can be implemented easily without drastic lifestyle changes. Switching out old appliances for energy-saving ENERGY STAR ones saves energy costs without disrupting daily routines or utility bills; similarly installing programmable thermostats and using energy efficient light bulbs are another easy way to make changes that don’t impact daily lives as dramatically.
Reducing your carbon footprint is simple by recycling paper instead of discarding it, packing reusable napkins and tissues at home, or creating cloths from old fabric scraps to reduce wasteful single use items.
Travel with care when selecting destinations. Choose eco-friendly airlines when flying and carpool or use public transit whenever possible to reduce carbon emissions.
