It takes many hands to alter the trajectory of the world’s health, and our contributions can be for better or worse. Earth’s resources are limited, and many realize action needs to happen for us preserve the environment. Everyone starting a large campaign isn’t necessary, but there are simple ways to be eco-friendly with just a few minor adjustments. Listed are six ways you can go green from the comfort of your own home.
1. Make Your Own Household Cleaners
Cleaners from the store are packed with harmful chemicals and artificial scents. You can make your own household cleaners to avoid this. These recipes provide effective solutions to your-home cleaning needs and are environmentally friendly. You can also reuse the containers.
2. Keep Indoor Plants
Plants are not only friendly to your home’s décor, but to your air as well. Considering the amount of time we spend indoors, we should trust the air we breathe. A NASA study from 1989 presented evidence that indoor plants help filter the air that we breath. Although the study is a few decades old, the benefits of house plants is still attested to by many today.
3. Send Your Recyclables to Companies
Did you know that empty skincare containers can be recycled for cancer research? Dragon Master Foundation offers a Recycle for Research program where used containers go toward medical research. Recycling can also benefit you! Planet Protein has a program where you can send in your used Planet Protein wrappers in exchange for points, which you can use for your next online purchase.
4. Use a Small Burner
It may be a small thing, but if your cooking pot is the same size as your burner, you can save energy. A properly sized, heavy pot absorbs and conducts heat more efficiently, which allows your food to heat up faster. As you can guess, the shorter time it takes to cook your food, the more energy you save.
5. Avoid Paper Products
Napkins, paper towels, post-it notes—think of all the waste we generate with these items daily. Avoid adding to paper waste with reusable items; replace napkins and paper towels with cloth alternatives, and switch sticky notes with an app on your phone. While it may be a slight adjustment, cutting paper out of your life as much as possible will make a huge difference to the environment.
6. Buy Secondhand
Edge says that “nearly 20% of global waste water is produced by the fashion industry.” There’s no reason for us to contribute to waste when thousands of barely-used clothes are available secondhand. Not only are you helping save the environment, but you’ll save money as well.
