Earth Day is April 22 each year. It’s a day when people all across the United States make commitments and steps towards doing more to protect our world. This includes supporting environmentally-friendly companies, learning about recycling, pursuing a zero-waste lifestyle, and more. While the actions taken on Earth Day do a lot of good in regards to protecting our environment, imagine how much more could be done if everyone celebrated Earth Day every day of the year? Well, firstly if you’re wanting to try and get other people to believe the hype and try to further protect and maintain our the Earth, maybe take a look at pages published like this at trvst, and offer some of the quotes as motivators to friends and family as to why we should start looking after the planet we live on. Here are five ways you can honor Earth Day in your own home year-round:
Recycling
Recycling is a step almost everyone can take that can have a huge impact on the quality of our environment. The literal definition of recycling is converting waste into a usable material. One way you can easily recycle at home is to recycle packaging and containers. Have a separate bin in an easily accessible place to make it as easy as possible and remind you to actually do it. Most packages have a label that identifies it as recyclable if it can be recycled.
Another fairly simple step you can take in recycling is to ditch plastic bottles and get a good reusable water bottle like the purifyou Premium Glass Water Bottle w/ time and volume markings. According to The Water Project, almost 80% of plastic water bottles get thrown in the trash rather than recycled, and only 20% of bottles that are recycled can actually be used for recycling. If everyone stopped using plastic bottles and switched over to reusable bottles, the impact on our environment would be incredible.
Energy Consumption
Your energy consumption is another area where small changes can make a big impact. One quick and fairly inexpensive change you can make to the energy usage in your home is switching out your general light bulbs for energy-efficient light bulbs. You should also make sure to switch off the lights when you leave a room and to unplug products when they’re not in use. This later action is often easy to forget about. For example, people leave their phone chargers plugged in all the time even when their phone isn’t charging. If you use power strips, you can easily unplug multiple things at once, making it easier and more energy-efficient. Alternatively, you could look into energy providers who offer plans of solar and renewable electricity, such as TXU electric. This is particularly efficient in helping the environment by drawing on numerous renewable energy sources.
Water Conservation
Many people aren’t aware of the types of water waste happening in their home every day. For example, a simple leak that drips every second could add up to five gallons of wasted water by the end of the day. Start by being more aware of the water you use by turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth and rinsing dishes. You could also consider installing a slow flow shower-head, especially for a home with a bigger family. This will not only save a lot of water but it will also keep more money in your pocket as well.
Earth-Friendly Home Updates
A step towards making your home more Eco-friendly would be to consider different home updates you can make. Some kitchen updates that could have a large impact on the environment would be using Eco-friendly materials for counter-tops and cabinetry. You could also install a water-efficient sink fixture or energy-efficient lighting. Even the simple addition of a few houseplants will help clean the air of toxins. A kitchen remodel is another great thing to consider, as even a minor kitchen remodel could have an ROI of 80% or more. Not only will you be helping the environment, but you’ll be increasing the value of your home as well. Just be sure to reach out to a plumber to make sure that your kitchen remodel is taken care of quickly and professionally. A Charlotte plumber or a plumber in your area can make sure that your garbage disposal, drains, and sinks are all working efficiently.
That is not all though. One area that not many homeowners consider when making Eco-friendly changes is the pool. Chlorine is a very harsh chemical used to clean pool water, but as it splashes out or seeps through the ground, it can negatively impact the environment around it.
There are no doubts about it, chlorine is classified as a dangerous chemical. It is for this reason that chlorine should be stored and administered in such a manner that the possibility of cross-contamination by splashing or spillage is eliminated. Furthermore, in industrial settings, chlorine and any acids should be stored in separate rooms, each specifically designed to store chemicals, and with warning signs both on the doors and inside to remind people which chemical is stored within. Moreover, you can find plenty of storage solutions for dangerous chemicals like chlorine by taking a look at the Storemasta website.
But what about keeping chlorine in the home? Homeowners with pools could consider installing an ozone sanitation system. They do not fully replace chlorine used in pools but can reduce the use of chlorine by up to 90%. Again, chlorine should be kept separate from any acidic cleaning products.
Products Used at Home
The products used in your home on a day-to-day basis have a large impact on our Earth. For example, many commonly used cleaning products have harsh chemicals that not only have a negative impact on the environment, but also the health of your family. Elect to purchase and use natural cleaning projects as well as natural beauty products to help the environment and yourself be more healthy.
One product that piles up in many homes is plastic shopping bags. Recycle these bags properly and then vow to never use them again. They are surprisingly harmful to our environment, especially to animals. Keep reusable shopping bags in your car so that you will remember to use them for grocery shopping.
Where you chose to spend your money and which brands you purchase can also have a large impact on the environment. There are companies that have elected to be more environmentally-friendly with their packaging, development, creation, and more. Supporting those types of businesses gives you a voice in the fight to save our Earth.
Which of these Eco-friendly habits can you apply to your own home today? While these five steps are small, they will be a great leap towards honoring Earth Day and the environment year-round in your home and life.
