Every day, you make decisions about how to use your time and resources. Your choice of whether to recycle your newspaper or throw it in the trash, whether to take a bus or drive your car and what you’ll eat for breakfast all have an impact on the environment.
Be an Eco-Warrior!
What if there were some changes that would simultaneously improve both our wallets and the world we live in? Well, there are! And here they are:
1) Switch to Eco-Friendly Lighting
Switching to energy-efficient lighting can save you money and benefit the environment. Even though it can be a little more expensive at first, with the initial costs of installing, by using and maintaining energy-efficient light bulbs, you’ll save money in the long run.
Examples of eco-friendly lighting sources include LED light bulbs, compact fluorescent lights, and even solar lighting. You can even find options for solar lighting for outdoors and lighting that is compatible with your existing electrical systems!
Eco-friendly lighting will not only save you money on the bills and lighten your footprint on the environment, but it will also last longer, which will reduce your worry about changing lightbulbs.
2) Use Environment-Friendly Cleaning Products
Don’t want to spend a ton of money on cleaning supplies? Skip the name-brand products and go for store brands, or better yet, make your own!
You can find recipes online. Just because you’re choosing environmentally friendly doesn’t mean that they don’t work as well as their commercial counterparts! The best ingredients for cutting-edge cleaners are often the most basic.
Take baking soda, vinegar, and lemon juice for example - they’re all great natural cleaning products that will help you save money!
You can also always add a few drops of essential oil to your cleaner for a nice scent. Besides cleaning products you can also make your own laundry detergent and dishwasher soap.
3) Take Shorter Showers
Just as cutting back on your use of energy can be a double benefit to yourself and the environment, so can reducing your water consumption.
It can be tempting to run a nice hot bath and enjoy some me-time in the tub, but it’s more environmentally friendly to take shorter showers!
When you shower, make sure you turn off the water while you lather up and shampoo your hair. You should also limit the time that the water runs when you're rinsing to make sure you’re living an eco-friendly lifestyle.
Also, don't forget about this rule when brushing your teeth!
4) Reuse Your Shopping Bags
When you’re headed out to the store, make sure you bring your own bags! Doing this will keep plastic and paper bags out of landfills and it can also save you money.
Making a habit of reusing shopping bags for trips around the house is an easy way to begin being more environmentally responsible that also saves you money.
You can attach a reusable bag to your purse or have one ready in the car, so you don’t forget about it when you head out for groceries.
5) Recycle
This one goes without saying, but it’s worth noting that recycling is a great way to help the environment! Instead of throwing your aluminum, paper, glass, and plastic in the trash, recycle them.
If you live in an area that doesn't have a curbside recycling pick-up service, drop off recyclables at a local drop-off center or contact your recycling company to find out the best way to recycle. You should also make sure to divide recyclables into the right categories.
6) Insulate Your Home Properly
Having insulation in your home can really help to lower energy costs. With proper insulation, you can keep your house warm in the winter and cool in the summer, which will keep your bills lower.
There are many types of insulation available for purchase, but if you're looking to save money on buying insulation materials, look through your home for places that are currently not insulated well.
Stuffing these areas with materials like fiberglass or styrofoam peanuts can be a great way to increase insulation in your house! Keep in mind that you should hire professionals for this type of project.
If you're feeling brave, though, you can try to do it yourself and see if you can do it!
The environment-friendly changes we’ve provided here can help you save money and improve your living situation.
How will you apply some of these ideas to make your home more environmentally friendly?
We hope this article has given you some great tips for saving on energy costs by making a few easy changes!
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