Many of us are concerned about how our actions impact the environment…but we may not be sure what to do about it. We hear about our environmental crisis everywhere: climate change…melting ice caps…carbon footprints. Our heart is in the right place – we want to do something – but what? It’s easy to feel overwhelmed.
The good news is, even incremental changes to your daily routine can make a huge difference. It may seem small to you but what if 100 people made these small changes? Or 1,000? Or 100,000? Here are some small changes you can make right now that will make a big impact!
Change Your Bag Situation: Many people use reusable grocery bags. Did you know there are all kinds of reusable bags that can cut down on the amount of plastic and paper you use? Try reusable mesh bags for produce – take them with you to the grocery store and bag your apples, peppers, and lettuce in them. They’re washable and super convenient. Need reusable bags for snacks or kid’s lunches? There are a lot of options for PEVA or cloth sandwich bags that can be washed and used as many times as you need!
Choose Paperless. Almost all credit cards, utility accounts, and banks have an option for paperless billing. If you’re able, log on and check the paperless box.
Make your home more energy efficient. Turn off lights. Switch all your bulbs to energy efficient bulbs. Unplug chargers and/or devices you’re not currently using. If your utility company offers a free energy efficiency audit, sign up so you can learn more tips and tricks and save money!
Switch to cloth in the kitchen. I’ll admit it – I have a thing about paper towels. I’ve recently begun buying packages of cloth kitchen towels so I always have one on hand to clean up after kids, dogs, and myself. If I must buy paper towels, I always choose ones made from recycled paper.
Donate to people instead of a landfill. When we moved recently, we spent weeks cleaning out the basement. There was a ton of stuff that was in great shape – we just didn’t need it. I could have thrown it all away in the rented dumpster in my front yard. Instead, we made many, many trips to our local Goodwill. Your trash can be someone else’s treasure for sure!
Change your water habits. Wash clothes in cold water instead of hot. Invest in a sturdy stainless steel water bottle and fill it up instead of buying individual plastic bottles of water. Check out the selection of water bottles at Modo – they’re high quality, cute, and will help you go green! And speaking of drinking, get yourself some reusable stainless steel, bamboo, paper, or silicone straws. You can get them almost everywhere these days!
These are just some ways to get started if you’re unsure what to do. There are many more ways to go green. Pick 2 or 3 of these ideas and try them for 30 days. They’re quick and easy changes you can feel good about!
Here is an old video we made when we called the pillar ‘Live Green.’ We wanted to embody it more, so we changed the pillar to ‘Be Green.’ Enjoy and share these easy ideas with your mates and family!