Seven Easy Ways to Live Greener at Home
Choosing to live a greener lifestyle is healthier for you and your family as well as the planet. And while you’re saving the planet, many environmentally friendly habits will also save you money. With a few easy changes, you can reduce waste, lower your energy consumption, and cut costs. It’s a win-win-win situation. Here are seven easy ways to live greener at home. Plus, some bonus tips for how to stay green when you’re on the go!
Host Green Get Togethers
We all love a good gathering with friends but hosting a party can create a lot of waste. And unfortunately, food-stained products can’t be recycled, so much of it will end up in a landfill. Instead of paper plates and napkins, treat your friends to cloth napkins and your best dishes. Avoid disposable cups and make large batches of drinks for everyone to share to eliminate individual cans and bottles.
If you host a lot of outdoor gatherings, it may be worth it to invest in a set of melamine dinnerware, so you don’t have to worry about breakables outside. Bonus – your guests will appreciate not having to balance soggy paper plates on their laps!
Minimize Food Waste
The average Canadian household throws away approximately 140 kgs of food per year! Reduce food waste before you even bring it home by shopping with a plan. Start by making a weekly meal plan to ensure everything you buy will get used. Make more frequent trips and buy for only a few days at a time so food doesn’t go bad before you get a chance to eat it.
When you’re at the store, choose fresh produce with no packaging and skip the plastic produce bags. Consider getting meat from the butcher that comes wrapped in paper instead of Styrofoam and plastic. When possible, choose glass jars and cardboard packing over plastic. And opt for large containers instead of single serving packs for items such as yogurt, juice and snacks. You’ll save money and have less packaging to dispose of.
Replace Your Single Use Items
When it comes cooking and food storage, you can eliminate a lot of waste and cut expenses by switching to reusable products. Beeswax wraps work better than plastic wrap and can be used many, many times. Instead of tinfoil, use silicone mats to make any tray non-stick and silicone lids seal instantly to any bowl you put them on.
Avoid storing food in unhealthy plastic containers. Choose glass food storage containers that last longer and are microwave and dishwasher safe. To be even more mindful, reuse glass mason and food jars instead of buying new glass containers.
Reduce Water Usage
There are many different ways to reduce your water usage at home. A good first step is to not let water go down the drain! Simply turning off the water when you’re brushing your teeth, shaving or washing dishes, and cutting the length of showers can save thousands of litres of water each year. Replacing old or leaky toilets, faucets and showerheads can also help reduce indoor water use by as much as 14%. When you replace old fixtures, switch to automatic faucets, and low-flow shower heads and toilets to save even more water.
Save Energy with Smart Home Features
There are a lot of new smart home features that will not only save you money, they’ll also make your life easier. Smart lights paired with motion and daylight sensors will ensure your lights are on when you need them and off when you don’t. Keeping your home too hot or too cool can use a lot of extra energy and raise your heating and cooling bill significantly. A smart thermostat will keep your home at just the right temperature and save you money.
Upcycle and Donate
Changing how you get rid of things you no longer need or want can have a huge impact on how much waste you create. Just because you don’t have a use for something anymore, doesn’t mean it won’t be helpful to someone else. Donate gently used items such as housewares and old furniture instead of leaving them on the curb. When you upgrade your electronics, recycle or donate the old ones to avoid adding harmful toxins to landfills.
Instead of tossing things that are in disrepair, try fixing them! You’ll not only avoid sending things to the landfill, you’ll also prevent the need for a new item to be manufactured, packaged and shipped. Try mending ripped clothes, repairing broken furniture and toys, and painting or updating items that are looking dated.
Bonus Tip: Go Green When You Leave the House
Take your new habits on the road and eliminate waste when you’re on the go. Making an effort to reduce waste outside the home helps the planet and helps keep our city clean. If you’re new to travelling green, start with a good water bottle and coffee mug so you can always bring your own drinks. Never waste money on bottled water again!
Step up your lunch game with stylish reusable sandwich bags and snack containers. And instead of plastic cutlery, switch to convenient travel packs with reusable bamboo or steel cutlery. With just a few easy changes, you can be waste-free whenever you leave the house.
Little choices we make every day can have a big impact on the environment. Incorporate some of these ways to live greener at home to help reduce your carbon footprint.