10 Things You Can Do At Home To Positively Impact The Environment
It’s easy to think that your individual choices don’t impact the environment—after all, what can one person really change? Quite a bit, actually. Our personal decisions at home have a greater impact on the environment than you may think. There is so much we can do collectively to reduce energy use and waste production. From little things like cutting the lights off when you leave a room, to larger things like eliminating meat from your diet, there are plenty of personal decisions we can make together to improve our environment. Below, we have 10 eco-friendly ways you can positively impact the environment. The more of us that implement these changes into our lives, the greater the difference we can make. Let’s get started!
1. Unplug Devices and Appliances
Most times, we don’t think twice about the devices and appliances we leave plugged in. However, even when they are turned off, these items still draw power. To avoid this, take the extra time to unplug these devices—phone chargers, toasters, hair straighteners, TVs, etc.— after use. While we don’t expect you to inspect every room of your home for items that can be unplugged, remaining conscious about this simple change is a step in the right direction. Start unplugging devices and appliances when you aren’t using them, rather than just turning them off. Before you know it, this will become a useful habit that reduces the amount of power used in your home!
2. Use Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs
Speaking of reducing power, consider switching from standard light bulbs to energy-efficient bulbs. LED bulbs can reduce the amount of energy used by up to 80 percent. Additionally, 95 percent of the energy used goes towards producing light, while only five percent is wasted. Not to mention the amount of money you’re able to save by switching to LED bulbs! This is a small change that will not only impact the environment, but also your monthly energy bill.
3. Recycle When You Can
While not every item is recyclable (although you can choose to purchase or reuse recyclable items), you should opt to recycle as much as you can. Items like glass, plastic and aluminum can all be recycled. Recycling these items helps the environment by keeping things like glass or plastic bottles and aluminum cans out of landfills. Save plastic bags for recycling, too. Many grocery stores have set recycling bins specifically for plastic bags. Oftentimes these bags make their way into landfills, and drift into the ocean polluting our water and harming marine life. This can be so easily avoided with the simple decision to recycle, or you can choose reusable bags and eliminate the need for plastic bags altogether!
4. Cut Back on Water Usage
There are quite a few ways to reduce the daily amount of water you use, like:
- Taking shorter showers
- Choosing a shower over a bath
- Waiting to do laundry until it’s full—don’t do a half-load
- Turn off the faucet when you’re brushing your teeth
- Use a watering can instead of a hose in your lawn or garden
These are easy changes you can make in your daily life to decrease your water intake, and help the environment.
5. Plant a Tree
Trees absorb carbon dioxide and other harmful chemicals and pollutants while releasing oxygen back into the air. In fact, one large tree can produce a day’s worth of oxygen for four people. But planting a tree in your yard isn’t only beneficial for the environment. It also benefits your home! A tree can help shade your home, requiring less work from your HVAC system to cool your home, helping you save more money in the long run. Additionally, a single tree in your yard can increase your home’s value by 2 percent, while multiple trees can increase your home’s value by 9 percent!
To learn more ways to increase your home’s value, take a minute to read our blog
How An Investment In Lawn Care Adds To Your Home’s Value
6. Consume Less Meat
Did you know that it takes 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef? The meat industry is known for its increasingly high levels of water consumption, as well as deforestation. As the industry grows, more trees will need to be torn down in order for the farms to expand. While we’re not saying to cut meat out of your life completely, consider having a vegetarian day once a week, or challenging yourself to go without meat for a certain amount of time.
7. Reduce Unnecessary Waste
How often do we ask for extra napkins at the restaurant, only to throw them away unused? Instead of throwing them away, keep them in your home or car for future use. Take a moment to think of the other items you use daily that could be reused. Maybe it’s continuing to reuse a piece of paper for notes or to-do lists rather than grabbing a new sheet every time. Or, maybe it’s refilling the same water bottle instead of opening a new one. Small choices like these can help reduce the amount of waste we produce individually, as well as globally. While it may seem insignificant, doing what you can do reduce waste can positively impact our environment.
8. Reuse as Much as Possible
Piggybacking off of our previous point, there are more opportunities to reuse items in our day-to-day lives that would otherwise be disposable. Take for example gift wrap and tissue paper. How many presents do you wrap a year? Between birthdays, anniversaries and holidays, it’s safe to assume you wrap more than your fair share. Instead of throwing away bows, tissue, bags and more, keep these items to use again in the future. Tissue paper and festive bows can be used for multiple occasions, and bags and boxes can be easily repurposed as well. While wrapping paper isn’t always reusable, remember to recycle it when possible. Or, get creative with it and reuse old newspapers or magazines to create your own unique gift wrap.
9. Invest in Travel Cups and Mugs
Plastic bottles are so easy to eliminate from our lives, however, we continue using them. Make the choice to invest in a travel cup or mug to replace any plastic bottles you may otherwise use. While they are recyclable, plastic bottles commonly end up in our landfills and oceans, further polluting our environment. Your choice to invest in a reusable cup or mug can help positively impact the environment by reducing the amount of plastic waste.
10. Donate Gently Used Items
You know the old saying, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure? It’s actually quite true! Instead of throwing away old items, consider donating them to a local charity or consignment shop. Things like old cell phones, appliances, clothes and more can be easily donated within your community. Do your research, and find a way to benefit others with your older items, while also helping the environment. Your decision to donate gently used items will help reduce unnecessary waste in a greater way than you may realize. Aside from this list, there are even more environmentally conscious decisions you can make around your home. Fight mold with essential oils, or use houseplants to purify the air you breathe. Small changes like this not only stand to benefit you, but also the environment. At the end of the day, make it your goal to seek products and services that benefit and value our environment.
Killingsworth Environmental Cares
Here at Killingsworth, we care about our environment just as much as you do! Which is why we pride ourselves on using organic and eco-friendly treatments for our lawn and home care services. When you need expert lawn care (without harsh chemicals or pesticides), schedule a service with us. We’d be more than happy to answer any questions you may have—and make your lawn the best looking yard on the block!
