Living a sustainable lifestyle can seem daunting at first however, going green not only helps to save the planet but can also save you money. There are many advantages of going green!
1. Grow a Garden
Photo by Markus Spiske on UnsplashNothing tastes better than vegetables from your own garden. Gardening can be very therapeutic. No time or space to create a garden? Try container gardening. You can start by growing vegetables from scraps. This is a great way to reduce food waste and your budget.
Vegetables you can regrow from scraps:
- Onions, Garlic, Shallots, Leeks
- Lettuce and other leafy greens
- Cabbage
- Fennel
- Potatoes, all varieties
- Carrots, Turnips, and Other Root Vegetables
- Celery
- Herbs, such as Parsley, Basil, Oregano, Cilantro, and many others
How to grow vegetables from scratch
2. Make homemade meals
Cooking from scratch saves money especially if you have a garden, reduces your carbon footprint and it is also a great way to get the kids involved.
Photo by Sam Moqadam on Unsplash3. Compost
Turn your kitchen waste, primarily food scraps into rich fertilizer. (Fruit and vegetable trimmings, cores, peels, coffee grounds, tea bags, grass clippings, and dead leaves name a few)
Photo by Lenka Dzurendova on Unsplash4. Make your own cleaning products
Photo by Sam Moqadam on UnsplashWhite Vinegar, Baking Soda, Peroxide and Borax will clean just about anything without the toxic chemicals. I add essential oils to cut down on the vinegar smell. Very inexpensive and easy to make.
All-Natural Cleaning Recipes
5. Reusable Bags
Ditch the plastic bags and use reusable grocery bags.
6. Stop buying plastic
Photo by Jasmin Sessler on UnsplashChoose sustainable products such as bamboo, glass, and stainless steel. The lifecycle of these types of products reduces a tremendous amount of waste and is BPA-free!
7. Conserve Water
Reducing water consumption can be easily achieved by being cognizant of your usage. Here are few simple ways to save water.
Photo by Inge Maria on Unsplash- Shower rather than bathing
- Turn the faucet off when brushing your teeth or shaving
- Invest in low-flow toilets or convert your existing toilets to low-flow by putting bricks or plastic bottles filled with sand into the tank thereby reducing the water used per flush
- Invest in water-efficient showerheads and faucets
- Use a bowl of water to clean fruits and vegetables rather than letting the faucet continuously running
- Use the water you have boiled vegetables into water your plants.
- Run full loads of laundry
- Water your yard and garden plants in the evening or early morning to reduce evaporation
- Catch rainwater in a rain barrel to use to water our garden, plants, and yard
8. Use Energy Efficient Light Bulbs
Photo by aliet kitchen on UnsplashSwitch to LED light bulbs. LED bulbs use 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs. While LED bulbs are significantly more expensive, they last substantially longer.
9. Recycle and Reuse
Recycle anything that you cannot reuse such as paper, plastic, boxes, aluminum, etc. Check with your local municipality for recycling guidelines.
10. Go Paperless
Image by szmiki95 from PixabayEasy ways to go paperless: Use electronic versions of your utility bills, receipts, etc. Only print documents when necessary.
Living more sustainably and reducing waste is not as difficult as you might think. By making conscious decisions about the products you bring into your home and how they are disposed of afterward can make a big impact on the environment. So, make a change for the better and go green!