You’d be surprised at the effect small eco-friendly changes in your daily habits can have on helping the environment. As more people embrace a greener lifestyle, the more we will see healing for our planet. Here are five simple habits to start you on a journey towards a greener lifestyle.
1. Shop with a Reusable Bag
Make it your personal goal to banish the use of plastic bags in your home. Purchase several environmental shopping bags to use on all your shopping trips. Stash them next to your keys or in your car so you won’t leave home without them.
2. Make the Shower Switch
Taking a bath uses double the amount of water that a shower does. Save bath time for a weekly treat and switch to a daily shower instead. Try to keep your shower time short to save even more water.
3. Reset Your Thermostat
You can save energy by keeping your home thermostat set at 68 degrees in the wintertime and 78 in the warmer months. Consider adding a programmable thermostat to store these changes for you automatically.
4. Change Your Laundry Routine
If you only have a partial load, save those items for the next week so you are always washing a full load of clothes. Use cold or warm water settings on your washer instead of hot.
If possible, install a clothesline in your yard and hang your clothes and linens up to dry instead of using a clothes dryer. Who doesn’t love clean sheets that are line-dried?
5. Turn Off the Tap
Turn off the tap when you are brushing your teeth or washing your hands. Get your toothbrush or hands wet, and then turn the tap off while you brush your teeth or soap up your hands. Turn the water back on to do the final rinse.
Adopting these five simple habits will set you on the path to a greener lifestyle and help you make a difference in improving the health of our planet.