Some (or let’s be real- most) mornings you can’t get your caffeine fast enough, right? One-cup coffee machines are amazing at getting it ready asap. But those used pods add up quickly- over 50 billion pods a year worldwide. Yes, that’s billion with a “b.” Keep your pods out of the landfills by using reusable or recyclable versions. Even better, go old school and use a French press sometimes. And of course always drink from a reusable mug to cut more waste!
I now select cold or tap water for the laundry because it uses 90% less energy than hot water. I like to think of it this way- if I paid $10 a month for hot water before, now I pay $1 by using cold. And my clothes are just as clean. Today’s washers- and detergents- are so advanced, you don’t usually need hot water. In our house, it also means less worry about colors bleeding into the wash.
Set the spin cycle to high and your clothes will come out drier and take less time in the dryer (if you use one).
A small but powerful change you can make is to transition to rechargeable batteries. No more cursing (under my breath, Mom) and running out to the store for fresh batteries. The rechargeable versions last longer and when they do lose their juice, you can charge them up and they’re ready again in a couple of hours. After an initial investment of batteries + charger, you’ll reuse them hundreds of times (some say up to 1000 but I’m not there yet). Less to worry about, less waste, and a smaller environmental footprint is a win-win-win situation!
Going through a lot of paper towels, paper napkins & plates, and tissues these days? Remember, they aren’t recyclable, even if they’re unused or clean. Before you throw these products away, be sure to use them first. Sound crazy? What about the dinosaur birthday paper plates in the drawer (and your kid is now a teenager)? No one has to know. We used up the last couple of reindeer napkins as we ate dinner on the porch last night…
HAPPY DAY! Celebrate today – get outside if you can (or bake some Earth cookies instead). Take a moment to think about the ways you’ve made the world a better place over the past year, and give yourself a pat on the back for actions both large and small. Next thought: how you can make every day a little more of an earth day in the future, one green step at a time!
Are you obsessed with beauty…when you go food shopping? Don’t be swayed by pretty produce. Much of what’s thrown away at grocery stores are bruised or misshaped fruit and veggies that no one picks up. Think of all the energy and resources used to grow and harvest all those less-than-perfect perishables. Why not take a couple home next time? You don’t have to fill your bag with only unsightly options, but at least pick one or two. I’ve started doing it, and they might look ugly, but they taste the same!
Imagine being hungry and not able to find a grocery store. Butterflies, hummingbirds, bats, moths and bees pollinate crops and most flowering plants, but it’s getting harder for these little guys to find food- their habitats are shrinking and getting further apart. That’s where you come in. Make your home or community more pollinator-friendly today. FYI, pollinators like to eat local, so check out wildflower.org, “native plants,” “plant lists” to find out what grows best in your area.
If you’re low on space, use containers for a pollinator snack stop. Start with one or two plants and see how it goes! Also, avoid insecticides when you can (duh).
