Thinking about the state of our planet can be very daunting. We don't all have a boat load of resources at our fingertips to dedicate to saving our Earth but don't let that deter you from doing your part. Our combined small efforts make a a gigantic difference! Here, 8 small things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint and be on your way to saving the planet.
SKIP THE STRAW
Plastic straws are one of the top 10 products found littered
on beaches during clean ups. They also contain BPA, which is toxic, to you and
the environment.
ONLY WASH WHEN ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY
I think we have been trained by our parents to think that we need to wash our clothes every time we wear them, but let's face it- unless you work a job where you get really dirty, it isn't necessary to throw your clothes in the hamper at the end of the day (obviously undergarments and socks not included). Standard washing machines use 40 gallons of water per load. If everyone would cut back on just 1 load a week, we could save enough water to fill 7 million swimming pools a year.
CARRY YOUR CUPS
The average American office worker uses about 500 disposable
cups per year. You can make a huge difference in the amount of waste you
produce by carrying a reusable cup for
your coffee, tea and water.
SWITCH TO A RESUABLE K-CUP
You know those k-cups that you use for your Keurig every
morning? Well, they aren't recyclable or biodegradable and they are destroying
the environment. There were enough K-Cups sold in 2014 to circle the Earth more
than 12 times. But the good news is, you don't have to get rid of your Keurig.
Switch to a reusable k-cup instead for a whopping $6 through Amazon .
TAKE UP MEATLESS MONDAYS
Meat production has a high cost to the environment in terms
of water used, greenhouse gases emitted, and fossil fuel-based energy expended.
1,850 gallons of water are used to produce a single pound of beef, for example,
while a pound of vegetables takes just 35 gallons. Meanwhile, if we took the
grain used to feed livestock (they consume 70% of the world's grain) and
instead used it to feed people with a vegetarian diet, we could feed 840
million people. Going entirely meatless is daunting to most, but opting to
lessen the amount of animal products consumed per week is a good place to
start.
TURN OFF THE FAUCET
The average faucet releases three gallons of water per
minute. Make sure that you're turning it off if you're not using it- like while
you brush your teeth or use your Clarisonic. A great time to turn off the water
as well is when you are washing dishes. Wet your sponge and your dishes then turn
off the water to scrub. When you're done scrubbing, rinse them quickly.
STOP RECEIVING JUNK MAIL
It takes a little time but in the end, you'll save a lot of
trees- like, a lot. In fact, if everyone in the U.S. reduced the junk mail they
received in their mailbox every week, 100 million trees would be spared each
year. Go to optoutprescreen.com to stop receiving pre-approved credit card
offers and sign up on catalogchoice.org to reduce the amount of unsolicited
catalogs sent to you.
ONLY BUY RECYCLED PAPER PRODUCTS
Paper towels, toilet tissue, napkins, facial tissues, cotton balls and many more products are now made with post-cosumer recycled paper. The 365 brand at Whole Foods and Seventh Generation brand are my favorite when it comes to recycled products.
Labels:
Awareness
,
Busy Guide
