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With Earth Day just being celebrated, everybody feels motivated to make some changes. The problem is, are people motivated beyond a single day? Saving our planet is going to take a lot more than a day of good deeds from each of us. We need to make lifestyle changes. Below I’m going to talk about a few small changes that make a big difference in the environment.
Use Less Water
It’s unfortunate that we use so much water everyday––82 gallons per day to be exact according to the EPA.
The same study found that we can reduce our water usage by up to 20% with some small changes.
These changes include installing energy efficient appliances, using low-flow shower heads (don’t worry, the water pressure is still good, this is the one I use), and turning the water off when you’re brushing your teeth. Small gestures go a long way.
Reduce Your Plastic Use
Plastic is the bane of my existence. Even though a lot of plastic is recyclable, certain types of plastic require more energy to recycle than it’s worth so it merely gets thrown away.
One simple way to reduce plastic waste is by getting a reusable water bottle. Getting a Hydroflask was one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. I probably fill mine 10 times a day! Just imagine all the plastic water bottles I’d be throwing out if I didn’t have a reusable water bottle.
Another small change that makes a big difference in the environment is purchasing your produce whole and forgetting the plastic. Your peppers, apples, lemons, and so on will be okay without a plastic bag.
Sure, some produce is wet like greens and you probably want to use a bag. Fine, but use reusable produce bags.
Eat Less Beef Products
Eating less meat in general will have a great environmental impact overall, but eating less beef especially will. In fact, cattle make up almost 65% of animal-related emissions according to the FAO.
I know some of you might have a really hard time with letting beef go or even reducing consumption but it has a huge impact.
There are hundreds of studies that show the positive impact on reducing meat consumption. Don’t believe me? Just Google it.
Go Paperless Whenever Possible
Paper had it’s time in history but that time left decades ago. If you want to make a personal impact, opt in to paperless billing options. Some companies even give you a discount if you do this.
Another great move is to get rid of paper towels and start using rags or worn out t-shirts for cleaning. You’re also going to save money!
Now I’m going to hit a sensitive subject for some of you––books and magazines (do people still read magazines?)
It was difficult to make this decision at first, but now I’m so glad I moved to reading almost exclusively on Kindle.
Don’t get me wrong, I still have some physical books that are sentimental to me but I donated or sold the majority of my books. The byproduct is a neater and less cluttered home!
Change Your Laundry Habits
Everybody does their laundry (hopefully) but you can make some tweaks to your current habits.
First, consider air drying your clothes with a drying rack. Air drying not only saves money and energy from your appliances, it’s actually better for your clothes.
If you must use a dryer, try getting rid of your softener or dryer sheets and start using dryer balls. We started using dryer balls and we haven’t noticed a difference in how our clothes feel. You also get to save money and reduce the plastic from softener.
Finally, using cold water when running a load of laundry has great benefits on the planet and your bank account. According to the American Cleaning Institute, 90% of your washer’s energy goes to heating it.
I challenge you to try one or all of these small changes that make a big difference in the environment. Let me know which of these you’re trying and how they go!