In a society with so much, it’s important to remember our overall impact on the only planet we can and do call home. These 7 easy eco-friendly tips are perfect if you’re an eco-warrior or just starting to do your share.
1. USE A REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE
Find a water bottle that you love, preferably BPA free and recyclable for when it does kick the dust. Everyone has a different preference, I like glass but that’s not practical for everyone and not all places, aka pools don’t allow glass bottles. There are a lot of options out there, find one that fits your preferences and that you’ll reach for!
We also opt for reusable left over containers, and I pack Travis’ lunch during the week. The only waste we have from his lunch is the plastic from the cheese stick and the apple core.
2. CARRY REUSABLE SHOPPING BAGS
When I’m carrying my large tote bag and shopping I can usually fit my purchases in there with no problem. But on the off chance I’m wearing a cross body or smaller bag, I keep extra shopping bags in my car and take them in with me. Travis has some in his car too. Here in CA if you don’t have bags at the grocery store it cost 10 cents to buy a plastic bag, you can opt out and carry your purchases out. Shopping at Barnes & Noble or Petco don’t require bags although I tend to take mine in anyways.
3. DRIVE LESS
Opt for walking, riding a bike or taking the bus instead of driving. It’s a great way to get out and get some exercise and fresh air! Live near a few co-workers? Begin carpooling to reduce emissions!
4. RECYCLE ON THE REGULAR
Get a recycling container and read labels. Know which types of plastics you can recycle locally and look online for drop offs of other materials you may need to recycle like paint and oils.
5. USE LESS WATER
When I was in girl scouts about 20 years ago, we talked about using less water. Taking shorter showers, turning the water off while brushing your teeth, all of this still matters. And even though California pulled its self out of a drought this winter, we can’t run our sprinkler systems 24/7 just because the drought status is gone. We still need to be responsible.
6. REDUCE YOUR ELECTRICITY USAGE
Sign up for OHM hours, and power down during high usage times. Pull out a board game or read a book! More ideas for OHM hours.
Turn out lights when you leave the room and leave your thermostat at a reasonable temperature.
7. REDUCE FOOD WASTE
Begin meal planning and list ingredients needed for each meal, buy only what you need to use and will use. Saving you time when deciding what to eat, $$ from not throwing things out because it’s gone bad and keeping you from spontaneously going out to lunch/dinner. Use reusable containers for taking left overs to work for lunch the next day!
What are some of your easy Eco-Friendly tips?
Which of these are you going to start or be more faithful in doing?
Stylishly Shelby 