5 Eco-Friendly Changes to Protect The Environment

5 Eco-Friendly Changes You Can Make to Protect The Environment

There’s no question that our planet needs us more than ever right now. So how can you start taking steps to help protect and preserve the environment? Well, reducing your carbon footprint can start with a few simple changes at home. So if you want to live a greener life in a greener home, here are some habits you should be focused on:

 

Water-Wise Landscaping

 Keeping your lawn luscious and green can enhance your home’s curb appeal, but if you’re not using water-saving landscaping tips, your lawn habits could be bad for the environment. Some of the easiest water-wise tips to put to work include watering lawns in the morning hours and collecting water via rain barrels in your yard. The latter should work in most locations but do check in with local codes and regulations to see whether collecting rainwater is allowed in your area. If you are thinking of giving your lawn and gardens a makeover, you could also go green by opting for xeriscaping instead of traditional grass. Although xeriscaping may not sound as attractive, there are some beautiful ways to spruce up your yards without wasting water.

 

Eco-Friendly Shopping

 Did you know that you can help reduce your carbon footprint every single time you shop? Aside from bringing reusable bags, there are other green steps you can take to make those grocery and retail stores run less of a burden on the environment. Walking, biking or taking public transportation to those shops will get your trips off to a greener start, but you can continue to reduce your impact on the environment by choosing items with minimal packaging, goods that are reusable and looking for packaging that can be recycled in your community. That last one can be tricky since recycling abilities can vary from city to city, so be sure to check local rules.

 

Energy Efficient Lighting

 While you’re out grabbing groceries and other necessities, you should also think about picking up some eco-friendlier light bulbs. Energy-efficient light bulbs come in all sorts of shapes and styles these days, and the lighting is more flattering than ever before. Plus, these long-lasting bulbs use a fraction of the electricity that traditional bulbs do, which means more savings on your power bill and fewer impacts on the environment. Want to really boost those energy savings? Then also consider adding smart features, including smart lighting in and around your home.

 

Plastic-Free Living

 Take a quick look at your home. How many items do you see that are made with or packaged in plastic? From produce to personal products, plastic seems to be present in many of the goods we bring into our homes. Although many people are aware of the problems with plastics, they tend to think that recycling will undo the damage. Recycling and disposing of plastics, however, can be a lot trickier than it seems, especially since it can take 500 years or more for plastic items to decompose (if they do at all). So in addition to buying plastic-free packaging, you can also reduce your plastic habits at home to help preserve the environment.

 

Waste-Reducing Habits

 Does your family regularly toss out spoiled food each week? If you answered yes, then cleaning up that bad habit should be your first step toward living a greener life at home. Food waste is one of the biggest culprits when it comes to pollution and carbon emissions, not to mention that all of the food items you toss out can end up overwhelming landfills. If you’re pouring certain items down the drain, you could also be polluting waterways and endangering the wildlife that depends on streams, rivers and oceans for survival. So try to plan out your meals, and use a shopping list so you only purchase what you need. You can also consider starting a compost pile to use organic kitchen waste as a boost for your garden.

 

Changing your habits is one of the most effective ways to help preserve ecosystems. By taking the simplest of steps, like skipping plastic packaging and being conscious about buying, you can make a major difference in the health of our planet now, and in the future.