Earth Day only comes once a year but that doesn’t mean that you can’t contribute to making Earth a better place every day. I mean it is where you live…
Here are a few simple ways you can take care of Mother Nature on a daily basis.
- Skip the sink: We all have chores and I’m sure washing the dishes is one of them. But a dishwasher uses less energy and way less water. You can save up to $40 and 100 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
- Don’t watch TV in HD: If you select the standard picture of watching movies or television shows on your TV, it uses a lot less energy (and money for that matter).
- Change your screensaver: Pictures as your screensaver take longer for your computer to hibernate when you aren’t using it. Use something a little more low-key or neutral.
- Pop the old fashion way: Microwaveable popcorn bags are lined with a chemical acid that is bad for the air and potentially fatal for you. Stick to popping popcorn the old fashioned way and pop it on the stove.
- Skip straws: I know straws are much easier and simpler to use than just sipping from a cup but there really is no point in them. They just contribute to the waste we already have piled up. Plus, puckering your lips causes wrinkles. Hell nawwwww.
- Take shorter showers: I’m horrible at this myself. I love showers but they contribute pounds and pounds of pollutants every year. Try to shower within 5 minutes and turn the water off when you’re shaving your legs. Cutting down your shower time could save water, money and your skin (showering everyday makes your skin dry).
- Air dry your hair: After your short shower, leave your hair alone and let the air do its thing. Blow drying your hair emits 45 pounds of carbon dioxide annually. Also, the heat can damage your hair cuticle causing your hair to break. Air drying your hair makes it smoother and more controllable.
- A little bit of sunshine: Instead of light bulbs, open a few blinds or curtains during the day and use natural light as your light source. First, it’s cheaper. I mean, it’s literally free. Plus, sunshine has been medically and psychologically proven to make you happier.
- Read the labels: Cosmetic and personal care products are allowed to say they are “organic” when they have chemicals in them that are bad for the environment. So do something as simple as reading the labels on the back of your makeup or shampoo when you’re about to buy them.
- Switch to aluminum or sports bottles: The simplest thing you can do is reduce your use of plastic water bottles. Single use water bottles are usually made of polycarbonate and polyethylene (a much a safer plastic but still toxic). The safest option is to fill a metal or BPA-free plastic bottle with tap water.
There are many more things that you can do, but if you commit to doing at least 10 things, you are already doing more than most people. And you are helping to make our planet a better place.
