Environmentally-Friendly Options
When you think of environmentally friendly homes, you might think of fanatics living in cabins without electricity or plumbing, but there are many ways to make your home more environmentally-friendly without resorting to complete minimalism or Amish living. It’s a common misconception that so-called “zero waste” has to be expensive and time-consuming. By taking the time to notice actions that impact nature in everyday life, you can make one or two small changes to contribute to solving environmental problems.
Perhaps you want to eventually want to make some drastic changes, but no matter how passionate you are about the environment, these small things can be done by anyone who wants to make a contribution to making the earth a little bit better place for the future.
Alternate Energy
One of the largest contributors to environmental instability is power generation and big businesses. Unless you’re the CEO of a large company, you might not be able to effect much change to these areas, but by reducing your own use of natural resources and switching to more environmentally friendly power sources, you can still make a difference. Commit to living in an energy efficient house.
Read on: Tips to Start Living More Environmentally Friendly Every Day
Try waking up at sunrise to take advantage of natural lighting. Spend more time with physical books and real-life games instead of constantly using electrical devices. Reduce your water usage by turning off the water while shampooing. Of course you still need electricity in your home, but switching to a solar power battery or a home generator for even part of your electricity needs can still help. This is a great way to be a green advocate and be environmentally-friendly.
Reduce Waste
A noticeable environmental concern today is the amount of trash that builds up in oceans and landfills, as well as the litter that is scattered over pretty much everywhere people go. Some people manage to reduce their waste to the extent that all their trash fits into a mason jar. This is not feasible for most people, but there are still ways to reduce waste to help prevent unnecessary garbage. Take a peek into your trash can and look for one or two things that you could stop throwing away.
Maybe it’s time to buy granola in bulk instead of dozens of individual packets. Perhaps instead of throwing away all that cardboard, you could compost it or re-purpose the boxes for storage. Instead of disposing of outdated clothes and dishes, try donating them to local charities. Unless you’re seriously dedicated, you will probably have to keep putting trash on the curb every week, but every item that you avoid throwing away might make the difference for future generations.
Reuse
One way anyone can help reduce environmental troubles associated with manufacturing, shipping and retail is to resist buying new things and instead just use what’s already in your home. Although there is a psychological pleasure involved in purchasing new things, there’s a good chance that with a little creativity, you could save global manufacturing costs by repurposing something you already own. Instead of buying a new outfit, now might be a good time to learn to sew to restyle your wardrobe.
Try renting DVDs or borrowing them from the library instead of purchasing new ones. Why not rotate your child’s toys regularly to keep clutter down and be able to introduce “new” toys every month? In fact, why not rotate your own hobby items to help maintain interest without as much clutter? If you really can’t help purchasing items, with a little disinfectant, many garage sale or thrift store purchases require less packaging and are just as good as retail purchases. Second-hand purchases offer the added benefits of saving money and supporting the local economy.
The Bottom Line
There are many inexpensive and time-efficient ways for anyone to reduce, reuse and recycle and be environmentally-friendly. Saving the earth from one plastic bag or one hour’s worth of coal energy doesn’t seem like it will make a huge difference. If everyone commits to just one or two simple changes, though, untold numbers of natural resources can be saved, allowing for a brighter future for the planet and future generations.
