By Leslie Kramer
Shocked by the impact of global warming across the world? Wondering if there is anything you could do to lessen your impact on the environment? Believe it or not, there are some really simple, small, and easy adjustments that you could bring about in your lifestyle as well as at home, in order to help the planet and the environment. Listed below are five simple tips that will help you lead a green life, a healthy life.
Create a compost heap
Wondering if you put all those vegetable scraps or apple cores to some better use rather than chucking them down the bin? Looking for ways to avoid throwing away leftover food? Creating a compost bin is a great idea if you’re looking to do your bit towards environment and green living. Leftover food, vegetable scraps, and yard waste can be converted into compost, rather than being transported to the landfill in a plastic bag. You can add a number of other household wastes into the compost bin such as ground coffee, nut shells, grass clippings, shredded newspapers, egg shell, and leaves. Compost can work wonders in nourishing your garden since it is filled with rich nutrients. It works great as a soil conditioner, a fertilizer, as well as a natural pesticide for your soil.
Use the washing machine only when full
How many clothes do you wash in one lot when you use your washing machine? Yes, this is an extremely important question that you should ask yourself every time you use the washing machine. Oh, and the dish washer too! Make sure that you use the dishwasher and washing machine only when they’re loaded. Washing machines not only use up huge quantities of water, but also consume a huge amount of energy, so you might want to make sure you’re washing full loads whenever possible. By doing so, you will reduce their usage and will end up saving water as well as energy!
Look for eco-friendly accessories while decorating your home
If you’re looking to style your home both beautifully as well as responsibly, you might want to consider sprucing up your home with some ultimate eco-friendly accessories. Whether you’re building a new home or looking for ideas to decorate your home, or even if you’re working on a home remodeling project, there are a number of eco-friendly ideas you could consider incorporating. Be it eco-friendly flooring, eco-friendly furniture, organic wall paint, wall hangings and other home decorations made up of recycled paper, lamp shades, door mats, cushion covers, organic fabrics, energy saving lighting system, and what not, there are literally hundreds of eco-friendly options for your home.
Take shorter showers
Having a long leisure showers is a luxury most of us indulge in quite often, without actually realizing the amount of water we are wasting in the process. If you are serious about playing a role towards water conservation and energy, get into the habit of taking shorter showers right away! Try taking shorter showers by restricting the amount of time you spend on soaping up, washing down, and rinsing off. No matter how much fun long showers can be, as a responsible individual you’ve got to keep a watch on your shower time. Moreover if you have troubles, you can even try using a shower timer, which basically allows you to set up a time notification, and when your time is up, it notifies you! This way you not only end up saving huge quantities of water, but you can also reduce your water bill drastically!
Get into the habit of carpooling
Obviously, the best and the most responsible ways to commute are either by foot or by using public transport. Better still, if you need to run an errand nearby, grab your helmet and head towards your bicycle! However, if you want to use your car, consider joining a carpool program and use mass transit for your daily commute. Moreover, make sure you car is in a good condition so as to cut down on carbon footprints and make sure your car’s mileage always remains efficient. Also, remember to change your car’s oil and air filters on a regular basis. This way, you will not only be able to keep a tab on the carbon footprints, but you’ll also save on fuel and money! Nevertheless, nothing beats walking, cycling, or public transport if you are a true supporter of green living.
Leslie Kramer, the author of the post, is a freelance blogger, who is currently writing for Corefront, one of the leading names in custom furniture in Calgary. Leslie uses guest blogging as a platform to share her ideas on home improvement and green living.