Living an eco-friendly life doesn’t mean you have to turn every aspect of your life upside-down. There are simply and small changes you can make that will have a big effect on how much unnecessary waste you produce of energy you expend. Large companies are starting to operate more eco-friendly, for example, swamp mats are here now and used by construction companies to reduce the footprint they leave when working on unstable or soft ground, and to ensure that they don’t cause too much damage. So if big construction companies can make changes, so should we. Here are some ways to get you started:
Start With Your Cleaning Items
Household cleaning items are some of the worst culprits so causing damage to the environment. Start swapping out your cleaning chemicals for green and organic. Some well-known brands include:
- Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day All-Purpose Cleaner
- Method All-Purpose Cleaner with Powergreen Technology
- Seventh Generation All Purpose Cleaner
Have a Day Without Meat
I know this is something many will hate to hear, but meat production requires a lot of land and resources to maintain. Just having one day per week where you don’t eat meat makes a difference!
Switch to Reusables
This will easily apply to coffee cups for most people. Especially when you are buying coffee from Starbucks or Dunkin, just ask them if they’ll fill up your coffee mug instead. When it comes to k-cups, try the reusable ones where you can put in your own favorite blend of coffee—this will save you money as well!
Next, you can start bringing your own reusable bag to the grocery store and ditch the plastic bags.
Go Paperless
So many industries are taking paper documents online and keeping it all digitally. Instead of printing, just keep things digitally. Even companies like Rex Originals link building services and Mississauga Real Estate are deciding to go paperless to avoid unnecessary waste. You can forward documents to your phone if you need to take a “copy” with you somewhere and show it. And when you do use paper, make sure you’re recycling it when you’re done.
Consider Solar Panels
Prices for solar panels are becoming more affordable. If you’re already using outdoor lighting, consider getting some lighting that come with the little solar panels. And if your home is in a good sunny location, you may end up cutting down your electric bills by installing some panels on your roof.
And while you’re at it, while a car may be a bigger decision for most people, if you can make the switch to an electric car, you should consider it.