Most of us want to do our part to help the environment. But with such a lofty goal in front of us, we’re often at a loss for practical ways to achieve it. So here are three simple ways to live an eco-friendly lifestyle without going Grizzly Adams, or breaking the bank.
Reduce
Looking for an easy, no-fuss way to start living a greener lifestyle?
Start by making simple lifestyle adjustments. Here are a few ways to reduce energy usage that pose minimal inconvenience, but can have a cumulative impact on the environment–and your energy bills:
- Turn off the lights when you leave a room. Do this even when you think you’ll be returning immediately. A quick trip to the kitchen for another cup of coffee can easily turn into doing laundry, straightening the kids’ rooms, or going to get the mail. Suddenly an hour has passed and your energy meter has been ticking the whole time.
- Unplug phone chargers and other small appliances when not in use. Beware of energy vampires in your home. This refers to plugged in appliances–like toasters and coffee makers–that aren’t in use. Even though they’re not on they’re still sucking energy. To make things easier, try putting your phone, tablet, and other chargers on a power strip. After you’ve charged them overnight, simply turn off the entire strip. Cutting off energy vampires can save as much as $100 per year.
- Don’t run the water while you brush your teeth. Okay, so maybe this one seems a little inconvenient at first; but you quickly become used to it and the amount of water you’ll conserve is well worth it. Don’t think this is a big deal? Try a little experiment. Plug the sink while you brush your teeth, with the water running as you normally would. Turn it off once you’re done. Surprised by how much water is in the sink? Well, that’s just the beginning. Now multiply that amount times the two or three times you brush each day. Now multiply it by the number of people living in your house. Yep. Totally worth it.
Reuse
- Switch to reusable grocery bags. Invest in a few pretty, but inexpensive reusable bags. Keep them in your car and they’ll be ready whenever you go shopping.
- Buy reusable rather than disposable goods. Paper cups and dishware certainly have their place, but whenever possible substitute throwaways for reusables. Treat yourself to a special mug and use that for coffee at work, rather than paper or Styrofoam cups. Encourage your workmates to do the same.
- Repurpose. Before discarding an item, consider whether it could be used in some other way. If it can’t be used in your home, consider donating it and providing the item with a good home elsewhere. Want to save even more? Discover how far your budget will stretch with resale shopping.
Recycle
- Participate in your local recycling program. Hopefully your city offers curbside recycling. If not, it takes a little more effort, but the environment will love you for it.
- Donate or recycle phones and other gadgets. Best Buy has a cell phone donation program. But if you’d prefer to get back at least some of the cash you invested in that fancy gadget, try selling it instead.
- Buy recycled goods. A growing number of products include recycled materials. Purchasing new products which include recycled goods closes the recycling loop. For the most impact, look for goods with the highest percentage of post-consumer recycled content.
A commitment to helping the environment doesn’t necessarily require drastic changes. Instead, take small steps. Buy a few reusable shopping bags and take them each time you go to the grocery store. Even a small change like that can have a positive impact on the planet while giving us a sense of pride and accomplishment. Plus, stores like Target and Trader Joe offer a savings for each bag you bring. Win. Win. Win.
What do you find most challenging about trying to live a greener lifestyle? What steps have you taken already? Which of the options listed above have you used in the past? Which ones do you plan to use in the future?
Photos courtesy of Joe Shlabotnik and Canton Public Library, respectively. Some rights reserved.