Want to help save the environment? Taking steps to conserve and reuse is easier than you might think. You can do your part to help save the environment just by changing your daily habits. For starters, try decreasing your energy and water consumption, changing your eating and transportation habits, and adapting your home and yard to be more environmentally friendly.
Changing Your Daily Habits:-
Switch off anything that uses electricity when not in use. If you're not using it, turn it off. This goes for lights, televisions, computers, printers, and so on.
Changing Your Daily Habits:-
Switch off anything that uses electricity when not in use. If you're not using it, turn it off. This goes for lights, televisions, computers, printers, and so on.
- Put timers on lamps and use them to turn off lamps at the same time each day. Timers like these can be found in hardware stores and they can be plugged into outlets, then control the power to your lamp.
Unplug devices when possible.
- Leaving devices plugged in, such as laptop chargers or toasters, can use "phantom" energy. Even when an appliance is turned off, it may still use power. It is best to unplug anything that you do not anticipate using in the next 36 hours (or more).Use a power strip to turn lots of things off with the flip of a single switch. You can plug all your devices in one area—say, your computer—into a power strip. When you're done, simply turn the power strip off with the switch.Measure the energy your devices use, or look up typical energy use. To measure usage yourself, use a Kill-a-Watt. You plug an appliance in through the Kill-A-Watt, and it measures the power use. This tool can also tell you whether a particular appliance or device draws power when it is turned off.
Trade in your dryer for a good old-fashioned clothesline. Air drying leaves your clothes smelling fresh and is environmentally friendly. Tumble dryers are among the biggest energy users in most households, after the refrigerator and air conditioner. If you do use a dryer, make sure to keep the vent clear, for safety as well as efficiency.
Run your air conditioner sparingly or not at all. Air conditioners use a great deal of electricity. Use natural ventilation or a fan to keep cool, as much as possible.
- If you do use an air conditioner, set it to a slightly lower temperature than outside. Remember that setting the temperature lower uses more electricity, and it won't cool things off any faster.
Close the heating and air conditioning vents in your home. If you are not using certain rooms in your house, close the vents in these rooms, and close the doors. Doing this consistently will reduce the amount of energy squandered by heating or cooling seldom occupied spaces.
Don't use electronic exercise machines. Instead of using exercise equipment, use a real bicycle (or a unicycle), or walk to get to nearby destinations or for pleasure. Calisthenics, push-ups, and other bodyweight exercises work, as well.
Use a warm blanket or sweater in winter. Bundle yourself up and lower your thermostat by a few degrees. Aim to set your thermostat at 68 degrees F in the winter, perhaps even lower at night. Every degree above this will generate about 6-8% additional energy output.
The average family of four in the U.S. uses about 400 gallons of water every day. Make conscious choices to lower your consumption of water.
- Take shorter showers or fill the bathtub only one-quarter to one-third full.
- Turn off the faucet while you brush your teeth.
- Install low flow faucets (taps) or aerators, low-flow shower heads, and low-flush toilets.
- Run your dishwasher only when it is completely full.
- Wash full loads of laundry in a washing machine. Choose a front-load machine if possible.
- If you hand wash your car, park it on your lawn and use buckets and sponges. Use the hose to rinse. Use a hose nozzle to stop the water or turn the hose off between rinses. Keep in mind however, that the soap and other cleaning products might go down the storm drain (if you have one), leading to pollution.
- If you have a swimming pool, use pool covers to reduce evaporation and keep leaves out.
- Plant drought tolerant landscaping, and consider xeriscaping. Maintain your outdoor irrigation and water no more than is necessary.
Recycle all you can. If you have curbside recycling, use it. Be sure to separate your recycling into glass, metal, paper and so on.
- Take special trips to a recycling center if you don’t have curbside recycling, or if you need to recycle certain materials not accepted by your recycling service.
Stop your junk mail from coming. If you get several catalogs which you do not need, call and ask them to stop sending then to you.
- Sign up at Opt Out Pre screen’s website to stop unwanted credit card solicitations for either 5 years or permanently
Be a mindful consumer. Ask yourself how your purchases are impacting other people and the natural environment.
- Do not buy what you do not need. Besides saving money, you'll save resources if you don't purchase a lot of excess stuff.
- Buy for durability. For items you do buy, look for things which will last a lifetime. Search "buy it for life" to find forums and recommendations for durable products.
- Buy used. Reuse is a far higher purpose for used goods than the landfill, plus you'll save money.
Changing Your Eating Habits
Eat less meat and dairy. Meat and dairy production is highly resource-intensive and inefficient. Attempting vegetarianism or veganism is definitely one of the best things you can do for the environment and also for your health.
- Meatless Monday is a national non-profit public health campaign that encourages people to give up meat one day a week. Visit the site for some meatless recipes.
Don’t drink coffee from K-cups. K-cups, or the mini pods of ground coffee for Keurig coffee makers, are single use and typically thrown out (although they can be recycled if users dissemble them into paper, plastic and metal). Billions of mini cups of ground coffee were sold in 2014, and the number of cups that ended up in landfills could circle the earth 12 times. Brew coffee in a regular coffee pot or French press instead.
- Use a mug or other reusable cup for your coffee instead of a disposable cup.
- If you love the convenience of single-serve coffee and have already invested in a Keurig machine, look for a washable, refillable cup. You'll still save money and resources, compared to purchasing the individual cups.
Buy local food. Transporting food from far-off locations takes a toll on the environment, as it must be shipped in trucks, by rail or by ship, all of which produce pollutants. Buying food that is sourced locally will help eliminate or reduce transportation impacts.
- Visit farmers markets to find local vegetables and fruits, or use a CSA (community-supported agriculture) service to get fresh produce on a regular basis.
Avoid excess packaging. Oftentimes, food companies expend just as much energy creating the packaging for food products as is expended in producing the actual food. Try not to buy food that is individually wrapped or buy in bulk.
Don't waste food. Plan your meals so that you don’t cook more than you will eat. Store your leftovers and use them up at your next meal. If you do have an overrun of food, such as after a party, share it with friends.
Use reusable bottles for water. Most tap water in developed countries is safe to drink, which means that buying bottled water is unnecessary. Buy a glass or metal bottle and fill it with water.
- Request a water quality report from your city if you are concerned about the quality of the water.
- A water filter is generally unnecessary, but even a simple one can improve the taste. Remember, however, that water softeners and reverse osmosis systems waste a lot more water than they deliver.
- Fill a pitcher with tap water and chill it in your refrigerator.
- If your tap water has a whitish, cloudy appearance when first poured, it may just be air bubbles. Try pouring some into a glass or bottle, and look again in a minute or two, to see if they rise out.
Changing Your Transportation Habits
Walk or bike for local trips.
Organize a carpool for work or school.
Take mass transit.
Plan out your errands and combine trips.
Drive a hybrid car.
