Make strides toward a healthier planet by following these green tips. They aren’t merely sustainable choices, either. Many of the tips will also save you money – it’s like a gift basket for your wallet and the environment!
Keep Your Mailbox Clear
Every year, 96 million trees are cut down just to produce junk mail. And most people receive these catalogs only to toss them in the trash without a second glance. Remove yourself from this negative cycle by signing the National Do Not Mail List. It takes around 15 minutes of your time, and your name will remain on the list for five years. It’s the perfect way to keep your house free of clutter – while saving the earth’s forests!
Indulge Your Green Thumb
Choose a sunny weekend and spend a few hours planting some trees in your yard. Not only will it make your property a woodland oasis by providing habitat for wildlife – it will also absorb carbon dioxide to prevent greenhouse gases from escaping into the atmosphere. When placed properly in your yard, trees can also save up to 30% of your home’s heating and cooling costs.
… And Indulge Your Green Thumb Some More
If your community doesn’t offer a composting service, you can do it yourself! From eggshells to unused veggies to food scraps, creating your own composting system in your backyard is quite easy. In doing so, you are diverting an average of 470 pounds of waste from the landfill each year. Add to that the fact that you will have an abundance of nutritious soil for your garden and you’ll find yourself wondering: Why didn’t I start doing this earlier?
Cool Off
Lower the thermostat in your home to use less energy. Now, this doesn’t mean that you have to bundle up with jackets and scarves while you eat dinner – even making a seemingly unnoticeable change can do wonders. To put it into perspective, consider this: By reducing your temperature by one percent, you can save an average of 4% on your energy bill each year.
Let Your Clothes Chill Out
When washing your clothes, opt for the cold water setting. This simple action can save up to 80% of the energy used to wash laundry. As if this isn’t compelling enough, consider going one step further: by air drying your clothes, you are reducing your household’s carbon footprint by an almost inconceivable 2,400 pounds each year.