In this day and age, everyone is pretty well aware of our poor environmental situation. Fortunately, there are small ways everyone can help reverse this situation. If you have yet to jump on the “going green” bandwagon, now is the perfect time to do it!
Recycling, installing solar panels, and carpooling are some of the more obvious ways to reduce your personal negative impact on the earth. However, there are many more small changes you can make to your life that—along with the more traditional methods mentioned above—can really help keep our planet beautiful for future generations.
#1: Downsize
Tiny houses are all the rage, and making the switch to one is the perfect way to minimize your carbon footprint. That said, many people are not comfortable moving into a mere 300 square feet of space.
If you are one of the many who would prefer a bit of space to move around, you can still ramp up your green game significantly by downsizing to something just a bit smaller than your current place. After all, 1500 square feet can be cooled on far less electricity than 2000 square feet, and with the right floor plan, you aren’t likely to notice the loss of space. Mind you, if it’s more than just yourself living there, for instance you are married or have kids, this can be a limiting factor.
#2: Care for Your Community
Caring for the community is something everyone should do. However, did you know that it can actually have a positive impact on the environment?
When individuals like you make the decision to take care of the people and public spaces in your community, you leave the local elected officials with much more time to address environmental matters and implement programs and systems that help make the world a brighter place to live.
#3: Sell Your Old Stuff
Factories and an excess of stuff are both huge problems when it comes to taking care of the earth. Therefore, the fewer items we produce in said factories, the better. Additionally, fewer items produced means fewer items left in landfills, which is definitely a major environmental bonus.
How can you help ensure the number of toys, household items, and other products we collectively produce is kept to a minimum? Well, you can begin by selling your old stuff! If you have items lurking in the backs of cabinets that you haven’t used for years, it’s high time those things are passed onto a neighbor or friend. This will prevent them from purchasing a duplicate of the same item, plus it could save them money and put a little extra cash in your wallet all at once.
#4: Travel Smart
Everyone loves a good vacation, and very few people keep up their environmentally sound practices while spending their week in the lap of luxury. However, the fact of the matter is that you can do a great many small things during your vacation to keep living your green lifestyle.
One of the biggest green decisions you can make is to stay in a vacation rental home rather than a hotel room. By doing this, you reduce the amount of water used during your stay by avoiding the daily linen cleanings done by traditional hotels. You can also control how much electricity is used in your place of lodging and you could even choose a vacation rental with solar panels if you wish.
In addition to decreased water and electricity usage, a vacation rental can also help reduce food waste by giving you the opportunity to cook your own meals through the use of the rental kitchen.
#5: Shop Local
Last, but certainly not least, each and every person in the country can do their part in helping the planet by doing any necessary shopping at local shops and stores, and purchasing locally made products whenever possible. This reduces greenhouse gas emissions significantly by removing semi trucks from the equation.
If you’d like to learn more about living well and doing well, please have a look around my site.
What things do you do to help keep things greener in your life? Share with us in the comments below!
