Working to become more eco-friendly can be an overwhelming task. There are so many different things people want to change about the type of products they purchase and how they live that it can seem impossible to make even one effective change.
However, if you take baby steps toward becoming more eco-friendly, there are easy ways you can begin to make a difference.
Simply making one change each day toward living more eco-friendly is very effective. Here are some easy steps that virtually anyone can follow to become more environmentally sustainable:
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1. Replace your incandescent lights with more energy-efficient compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs.
2. Turn off the lights when you leave a room.
3. Reduce your electricity usage by turning off appliances at the end of each day or when not in use.
4. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving to avoid wasting water.
5. At night, close drapes and shades if the sun isn’t necessary for heating during the day.
6. When you’re washing your clothes, match the water temperature to the load of clothes being washed.
7. Never run the dishwasher or washing machine with a partial load.
8. Use cold water when possible for both laundry and dishes.
9. Don’t let water pool in your sink by using plug holes.
10. Use rain barrels or pots to catch rain water that can be used for plants, lawns, and gardens.
11. Plant native plants in your yard to avoid having to use extra water, but still, keep your yard green.
12. If you have a fireplace at home, use it for heating instead of running your furnace or central heating.
13. If you must run your furnace, use a programmable thermostat that lowers the temperature at night and when everyone is gone during the day to save money on energy bills.
14. Turn the water heater down to 120 degrees Fahrenheit to avoid scalding while still getting clean clothes and dishes.
15. Use cold water for your clothes washer to avoid unnecessary electricity expenses even if it takes the clothes longer to get clean.
16. While showering, shut off the water while soaping down and then turn it back on to rinse off quickly.
17. Drive slowly and steadily within speed limits not just for gas savings but for the safety of others.
18. Use a reusable water bottle instead of buying disposable ones.
19. Check your tires often and ensure they are properly inflated, which saves fuel by reducing friction while driving.
20. Turn off the engine when you’re going to be stopped or sitting in traffic for more than a minute.
21. Buy used whenever possible to reduce the cost of new items and the resources that went into their production.
In conclusion, it’s important to remember that every little change you make toward living more eco-friendly makes an impact. There are so many small steps you can take each day, and they all add up to help save the environment.