Check and fix any water leaks. A leaky faucet can waste a lot of water. Install water-saving devices on your faucets and toilets. A low-flow showerhead could be a good start. Take shorter showers. Don’t wash dishes with the water running continuously. Use a method that requires less water to get the dishes clean. Turn off your washing machine’s water supply to prevent leaks. It doesn’t need to be on all the time. Replace old toilets with new ones that use a lot less water. Wash and dry only full loads of laundry and dishes. Doing a half-load wastes water. Don’t use too much water to water your lawn. Don’t leave the faucet running while you brush your teeth.
Learn about alternatives to household cleaning items that do not use hazardous chemicals. For example, using a solution of 1/2 white vinegar and 1/2 water works as well as most commercial cleaners for basic cleaning jobs. Baking soda and salt are cheap, non-toxic cleansers, but should be used in moderation. When no good alternatives to a toxic item exist, determine the least amount required for an effective, sanitary result and use a minimal amount each time you clean. Paying close attention to the requisite amount will help you reduce and also save money. Instead of using chemical-laden shampoos and soaps, try making your own. Instead of using pesticides and herbicides, find natural ways to get rid of weeds and pests.
Join a local environmental group that works to clean up the water in your area, whether it’s a river, lake or ocean. Contact your local representative to speak up about your views on keeping water chemical-free. Volunteer to help clean up beaches or riverbanks. Help others get involved in efforts to clean up the water in your area.
Use solar power for home and water heating. Shut off electrical equipment when you leave work to head home. If you have central air conditioning, do not close vents in unused rooms. Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120. Turn down or shut off your water heater when you will be away for extended periods. Turn off unneeded lights even when leaving a room for a short time. Set your refrigerator temperature at 36 to 38 and your freezer at 0 to 5. When using an oven, minimize door opening while it is in use; it reduces oven temperature by 25 to 30 every time you open the door. Clean the lint filter in your dryer after every load so that it uses less energy. Wash clothes with warm or cold water instead of hot. Turn off lights, computers, televisions and other appliances when not in use. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs to save money and energy. Plant trees to shade your home. Replace old windows with energy-efficient ones. Keep your thermostat higher in summer and lower in winter when you are away. Insulate your home as best as you can.
Walk or ride your bike instead of driving, whenever possible. Find bike routes in your town and use them! Join a carpool or vanpool to get to work if biking or walking isn’t an option. Report smoking vehicles to your local air agency. Maintain your vehicle properly. Purchase radial tires and keep them properly inflated for your vehicle. Paint with brushes or rollers instead of using spray paints to minimize harmful emissions.
Shop at farmer’s markets and buy food that was produced as close to your home as possible. When you’re online shopping, pay attention to how far the items you order will travel before they arrive. Try to find items that won’t have to travel long distances. Pay attention to where your clothes, electronics, home goods, and other possessions were made. As much as possible, buy items that were made in your region.
Eat more vegetables. This simple change is a way of opting out of the factory farming industry. Question where your meat comes from. Learn to hunt responsibly for a more natural source of animal protein if practical. Buy only locally-sourced meat from a small farm. Avoid eating beef. Cows emit lots of methane, a dangerous greenhouse gas, and other pollutants. Try to reduce your beef intake and opt for other types of meat.
Join a group that plants trees to help clean the air. Become a bike activist. Work to have safe paths built in your city. Contact your local representatives to speak up about issues particular to your region. If there’s a factory spewing pollutants into the air, for example, get politically active to put a stop to it.
Buy products that you can reuse. Use glass containers instead of flimsy plastic ones, for example. Don’t use plastic bags - use long-lasting fabric bags. Maintain and repair durable products instead of buying new ones. Avoid products with several layers of packaging when only one is sufficient. About 33% of what we throw away is the packaging. Use reusable plates and utensils instead of disposable ones. Use reusable containers to store food instead of aluminum foil and cling wrap. Buy rechargeable batteries for devices used frequently. Copy and print on both sides of the paper. Reuse items like envelopes, folders and paper clips. Use e-mail or texting as a substitute for paper correspondence. Use recycled paper. Mend clothes instead of buying new ones. Buy used furniture - there is a surplus of it, and it is much cheaper than new furniture.
Food. If you’re really ambitious, grow or hunt for your own! Otherwise, do your best to make as many meals as possible from scratch. Buy ingredients in bulk to cut back on packaging. Body products. Shampoo, conditioner, lotion, toothpaste, etc.
- you name it, you can make it! Try replacing a few things at first, then work up to making most of what you use. Hint: coconut oil is a brilliant replacement for lotion, deep conditioner and face wash. Cleaning products. Everything from window cleaner to bathroom cleaner to oven cleaner can be made using all-natural supplies.
Do research to figure out what trees will be most beneficial to the environment where you live. Plant native species. Aim to plant trees that will grow tall and provide shade. [14] X Research source
Plant shrubs, flowers, and trees that attract wildlife. Put out a bird feeder and birdbath stocked with clean food and water. Let beneficial snakes, spiders, bees, bats, and other creatures live. Having these animals around is a sign your ecosystem is in good health. Install a beehive if you have the room. Use cedar chips or aromatic herbs instead of mothballs. Don’t use chemical pesticides. Use humane traps instead of rat and mouse poisons and insect killers. Use an electric or manual lawnmower instead of a gas-powered one. If you hunt deer, squirrels, or other animals for their meat, respect the animals whose lives have been ended for your nutritional sustenance. Do not let any of the meat go to waste.
If you are buying eggs opt for cage-free and certified humane and organic eggs. Make sure the eggs you are buying have the Certified Humane stamp on the carton. (The stamp is a rectangle with blue text at the top reading “Certified Humane”. There are green hills at the bottom that have white text reading “Raised and Handled”. ) Brands of cage-free and certified human eggs include Nellie’s and Vital Farms. These can be found at most grocery stores, but especially Whole Foods.
Let creatures like moles and groundhogs live instead of trapping and killing them. They may cause a little inconvenience in your garden, but they have a part to play in your region’s ecosystem. Don’t disturb wild places like forests, beaches, wetlands and other areas where animals make their homes. When you visit such areas, stay on trails so you don’t accidentally cause damage to an animal’s habitat.
You can also help ebb cats’ killings by working with local animal shelters to get feral cats off the streets. Never punish your cat for killing an animal, it’s part of their natural instincts. If your cat is an outdoor cat, consult this article if you want them to be an indoor cat.
