Every day, scientists estimate that we make around 35,000 decisions, presenting us with numerous chances to make a positive contribution to the environment. Although these choices may appear trivial, they have the potential to significantly diminish our personal carbon footprint. Over time, the collective effect of these minor actions can lead to considerable progress and better health outcomes for individuals, embodying the essence of living a conscious and healthy life. If your objective is to reduce your carbon footprint, here are some suggestions to contemplate.
Here are some practical tips on how to reduce your carbon footprint at home-
Reduce energy consumption: Turn off lights and electronics when not in use, unplug chargers, and use energy-efficient appliances. You can also switch to renewable energy sources like solar or wind power.
Use sustainable transportation: Consider walking, biking, or public transportation instead of driving a car. If you need to drive, choose a fuel-efficient vehicle or carpool with others.
Reduce water usage: Fix leaky faucets, take shorter showers, and install low-flow shower heads and toilets. You can also collect rainwater to use for watering plants.
Reduce waste: Recycle, compost, and avoid single-use products, such as plastic bags and straws. Choose reusable products, such as cloth bags, water bottles, and utensils.
Use sustainable products: Look for products made from eco-friendly materials, such as bamboo, recycled plastic, or organic cotton. Choose products with minimal packaging and avoid products that contain harmful chemicals.
Speaking of Sustainable products- There has been a growing movement towards sustainability in recent years, and for a good reason.The planet faces various environmental challenges, from climate change to plastic pollution. It is up to individuals and businesses alike to take action to protect the environment.
Why is it important to use sustainable products?
There are many reasons why buying and using sustainable products is essential. Here are just a few:
Protect the environment
Using sustainable products helps reduce human activities impact on the environment. By using products made with renewable resources and minimal environmental impact, we can help protect ecosystems and prevent further damage to the planet.
Reduce waste
Many sustainable products are designed to be reusable or to have a longer lifespan than traditional products. This means they can help reduce waste and minimize the amount of material that ends up in landfills.
Save money
While some sustainable products may have a higher upfront cost, they can save you money in the long run. For example, investing in a reusable water bottle or coffee cup can save you money on disposable cups. Similarly, choosing energy-efficient appliances can help to lower your energy bills.
Support sustainable businesses
By choosing to buy from sustainable businesses, we can help support companies committed to protecting the environment and promoting sustainability. This can help create a sustainable product market and encourage other companies to follow suit.
Getting Started with sustainable products
By choosing to buy from sustainable businesses, we can help support companies committed to protecting the environment and promoting sustainability. This can help create a sustainable product market and encourage other companies to follow suit.
Invest in reusable products and/or companies who are trying to be more sustainable
Investing in reusable products is a great way to reduce waste and save money over time. Look for reusable water bottles, coffee cups, grocery bags, and food containers to get started. If you are just getting started with using sustainable products, here are some tips to help you get started; Start small, Choose one or two products to focus on initially, and gradually build up from there.
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Produce Bags- are a great way to reduce the use of plastic in your home. Produce bags travel easily through the wind and end up stuck on fences and can litter our land, freeways, waterways, and even end up in our ocean. I highly recommend adding these bags to your reusable bag collection and using them when you grocery shop.
Reusable Sandwich bags- We always have reusable sandwich bags on hand and love to use them over and over. Sandwich bags save us so much in Ziplock bags. Interestingly enough, when you think about how many uses your ziplock bag gets; it becomes disturbing. Think about it- You use your bag ONCE. Does this seem so wasteful when you think of it this way??
Mason Jars - Mason jars are very versatile and can be used for years and years. Mason Jars can be used to create salads, dressings, and dips. Their usage doesn't stop there. Mason Jars can also be used to store foods you want to keep airtight and you can even take them to the grocery store to get your bulk items. This saves you a bag AND time!
Bread bags- If you have followed along with me you know I LOVE making bread. Keeping my bread fresh can be tricky. I don't love using plastic bags so we have found bread bags helpful.
Bees Wax - Bee's was sheets are another great way to keep food fresh. We also love wrapping our bread in beeswax sheets which have been a game-changer! Don't stop there, the bee's wax sheets can help keep a lot of food fresh. Try It!!Reusable shopping bags- We recently found these Lotus Bags and they are the best reusable bags we have ever had. Why? They help us stay organized while shopping, then we can easily unload to pay and re-load. They are big so you don't need more than the pack comes with (4)
Silicone ziplock bags-We like to use reusable bags as often as we can. For our family, it's not something we can do all of the time. When we can, we do.
Reusable water Bottles- We love our Stanley cups for more than one reason but one reason is that they have been tested for lead and other metals that can be found in your stainless steel water bottles. Their water bottles came in CLEAR!!!
Glass Containers- These have probably been one of our best investments. We have had these two styles for YEARS! We use these for school lunches because they wont break if they get dropped. We use these for our adult prep or leftovers. Check out my Amazon store for more here
Water Filter System- We love and use AquaTru but I recently found this Clearly Filtered (Use Code WellnessHomemade) water filter that is also a good option.
Essential Oils- Using essential oils over candles has benefits of all kind but one of the biggest ones is the reduction or elimination of using candles. Candles come in containers that have to be thrown away and end up in our landfills. Because most of them have poor ingredients they emit whats left into the candle in the air. Candles can also pollute the air in your home which has been linked to endocrine disruption. I personally choose Doterra because they are reducing the carbon foot print and producing oils that are better for our health. Here are my favorite oils! you can remove any items you don't want.
Other things you can do at home or on the go-
Shop from local farms or a farmers market
Eat your leftovers! Save the food you don't eat and use it in other recipes or for lunch/dinner the next night.
Use your own reusable utensils, tote bags, coffee cups, water bottles, etc. when you travel, shop, or go out for the day.
Walk, bike, use public transportation, or carpool whenever possible.
Maintain your vehicle with regular service to increase its efficiency.
Choose eco-friendly hotels when you travel.
Look for airlines that are committed to achieving carbon neutrality through their environmental programs. Before booking your flight, research the company's policies to ensure you are supporting a responsible brand.
By incorporating these tips into your daily routine, you can make a significant impact on the environment and reduce your carbon footprint. Remember, small changes can make a big difference. Start by making one change at a time and gradually incorporating more sustainable practices into your life.
Lastly, reducing your carbon footprint and using sustainable products are vital steps towards protecting the environment and promoting a greener future. By taking responsibility and making conscious decisions, we can contribute to a healthier planet for generations to come.
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How will you do your part?? Tag me on IG to show me your Earth Day 2023 contribution.
Tasha xoxo