Easy (Almost) Effortless Ways To Be More Eco-Friendly
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Thinking about trying to be a bit more eco-friendly, but honestly it just seems like a bit too much work?
Here are some really easy ways to adjust your lifestyle to become a bit more eco-friendly without much effort at all.
Get into the habit of flicking that switch as you walk out the room.
Bonus: Using motion sensors for your lights means you don’t even have to switch them on yourself – the ultimate in lazy sustainability. Setting yourself up with smart lights means you can also control them from your phone app wherever you are, so you can even turn the lights on and off from in bed!
Next time you’re logged into your utility or banking provider, take a few seconds to toggle the button to go paperless, choosing to receive communications digitally.
You’re brushing your teeth anyway right? So why not take a minute to order yourself some new bamboo toothbrushes and lower your plastic use. You can get them delivered to your door, so don’t worry, you don’t even have to leave the house.
This will lower your water bill, give you a little extra time back and save on energy.
This saves approximately £25 a year. Or if you have one, use your dishwasher, which can actually be more efficient water wise than washing up by hand, especially if it has an eco mode.
Then you’ve always got a nice cold drink ready. These swing top bottles are a popular choice for this, and fit perfectly in your fridge door.
You’ll save cash this way too. Consider investing in a good reusable bottle, to take out and about with you – they can keep your drinks hot or cold for 12 hours!
Take a break from clothes shopping and help your wallet and the planet. If you still want to switch up your wardrobe, try buying from charity shops or buy/sell apps and websites.
Read more: 5 great reasons to shop second hand
Leaving things on standby still uses a surprising amount of electricity.
Just a few degrees either way is enough to make a difference. Use more or less layers of clothing before adjusting the heat.
Newspapers, magazines, books…they’re all available online, so stop buying paper versions – you’ll save money too.
Try Kindle Unlimited free for 30 days – unlimited ebooks for a month!
Try reusable versions instead of wipes such as these make up remover pads – you can just throw them in the wash with your regular laundry.
Read more: 7 simple sustainable swaps
Most items will get just as clean washed on a colder cycle – and it’s much more eco friendly.
Donating clothes rather than throwing them away both helps stop waste them at landfill and gives other people the chance to buy secondhand and be more sustainable than buying new.
Buying locally helps reduce environmental impacts such as pollution caused by transportation, and local business will appreciate the support, so it’s a win-win.
There are tons more adjustments you can make and easy ways to be eco friendly, like buying sustainable gifts, but these are some of quickest and easiest ways to make simple changes without breaking a sweat.
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I use my library all the time. Kindles need to be recharged, using electricity. If you stop at the library when you are going to the library, you can get a loaner book for free and not use your kindle. My small local market lets me bring in my own containers to shop at the bulk bins. They weigh them first (with the tops on) and subtract that from the total weight when full.
Things I can live without (AND DID or do): bottled water, one-use anything, disposable diapers, paper towels, spray-cleaner anything, "pod cleaner" anything, plastic shopping bags, a lot of "instant" foods, all fast foods/drive-thrus, StarBucks anything, yard-workers/yard mowers, cleaning ladies, any cleaning agents beyond Chlorox & basic others, every nuisance mail I get daily in my mail box or on my email, pre-packaged ssstufftuff