We can all be a little bit more environmentally friendly at home. While there’s also much that companies can be encouraged to do, there’s a good argument that it all begins with the home life.
Here are three environmentally friendly actions that you can take at home to start doing your bit for the planet.
Test the Neighborhood Drinking Water for Safety
When you’re drinking from the faucet or refilling your sports water bottle with water before heading out for a run, then you’re relying on it being healthy. When there are water contaminants within the H2O that you and your family are drinking, then you may not even know it. The long-term damage to the health of your household could be affected. Also, neighbors along the street using the same water supply may not even be aware that it’s not as pure as it should be.
It’s possible to test your drinking water once a year to verify that it’s still safe to drink. A broken pipe earlier in the year that let contamination into the system could have filtered down to the pipes in your street by that time. Only by testing the water can you know that it’s safe.
Also, for gardeners, if you use the water for your backyard plants and lawn too, then the same contaminants could be damaging the lush lawn and plant life too. It’s always good to check.
Switch to Canvas Bags
While some stores have now encouraged consumers to make the switch away from paper or plastic, not all have. Don’t wait for stores to change their policies; switch in your household if you haven’t already.
Using a canvas bag is much better for the environment, and let’s face it, they also just look better than the cheap, see-through plastic bag options too. And compared to paper bags, they won’t unexpectedly split on you halfway to the car either!
These types of bags are recyclable later as well.
Get for Free or Cheap, or Borrow It
Before you see the online sales as a time to replace items that have worn out or to purchase something you don’t yet own, pause for a second.
There are plenty of manufacturing plants that have already produced what you’re looking for. Also, there are people who’ve had enough of a similar product, barely taken it out of the box, and don’t want it anymore! Rather than letting that item hit the nearest landfill, set about procuring it instead of buying new.
You can use a site like Freecycle to find someone in your local area with a similar product. Craigslist is another option to search there. People also give items away to the Salvation Army where they’re sold inexpensively. Also, see if a neighbor, friend or family member already owns what you need, and whether you can occasionally borrow it. This might be preferred over buying another item taking up permanent residence in your home too.
It doesn’t take much to become more environmentally conscious. Getting off the materialism treadmill certainly helps with this goal too.
