Living in an environmentally friendly way has many benefits, along with being both incredibly rewarding and cost effective too. Not only are you helping to look after the environment but you’ll also enjoy lower bills, increased energy efficiency and your home will require less maintenance over time. With a wealth of information and support available, it is now easier than ever before to create a greener and more energy efficient home.
- Opt for energy saving light bulbs
- Install low flow showerheads, faucets, and toilets.
- Look into gray water systems or catching rainfall.
- Install solar panels and a solar battery. Don't own your home? Look into switching where your energy comes from with your electricity service provider or joining a community solar farm.
- Seal all your windows and/or replace them with more efficient double-pane windows.
- Add insulation to your home.
- Unplug your devices to prevent phantom electricity from being consumed.
- Keep a bucket in your shower to catch the water while it's heating up and use it to water plants or flush the toilet.
- Wash your clothes in cold water.
- Hang your clothes to dry on the line instead of using the dryer.
Bathroom Swaps:
- Use an electric razor instead of a disposable plastic razor.
- Opt for body wash barsinstead of body wash in plastic bottles.
- Use a shampoo bar or use a refillable service.
- Create a core of makeup that you use everyday, and one for special occasions and don't buy ANYMORE than that.
- Implement a 'one in, one out' rule where you only buy one product once you finish a product.
- Use the correct amount of product. Often we use way too much product.
- Cut your tubes open to get the last bit of product and don't let any of it go to waste.
- Put your toner in a spray bottle and spray it on your face instead of using cotton rounds that absorb a lot of the product.
- Switch to reusable cotton budsinstead of disposables.
- Opt for a bamboo toothbrush instead of plastic ones
- Opt for products in glass instead of plastic.
- Look for beauty products with clean ingredients that are better for both your health and the health of the planet.
- Install a bidet attachment.
- Go for recycled or tree-free toilet paper.
- Switch to reusable menstrual products like menstrual cups, and cloth pads.
Kitchen Swaps:
- Don't buy individual servings of food. Buy larger servings and portion them out at home.
- Use reusable dishcloths instead of paper towels.
- Avoid plastic wrap by switching to beeswax wraps.
- Switch to reusable silicone mats and ditch the aluminum foil.
- Store your food in reusable glass containers like mason jars or snapwares.
- Opt for reusable silicone bags instead of plastic bags.
- Pack your lunch in a reusable lunch box instead of a brown paper bag.
- Use real plates and flatware instead of single use ones.
- Use cloth napkins instead of paper napkins.
- Clean-up with a simple homemade cleaner.
- Opt for loose leaf tea, or paper tea bags.
- Ditch the Keurig and opt for a french press.
- Keep a stocked pantry so you can make all of your favorite meals quickly without creating trash.
- Spend a few minutes prepping a few foods to help get zero waste dinners on the table fast.
- Swap sponges for compostable bamboo dish scrubs.