Geerthana Uthayakumar Every year Earth Day sparks discussions on what we can do to help clean and protect our environment. But really shouldn’t every day be Earth day? There are many little things we can all do to help our planet.
Here are 50 suggestions:
1. Replace the incandescent light bulbs in your home with compact fluorescent bulbs. Fluoresecent bulbs give you the same amount of light while using much less energy.
2. Open up the curtains instead of turning on the lights during the day. Natural light is the best light and causes the least strain on your eyes.
3. Turn off lights when not in use.
4. Turn off your computer at night instead of leaving it on sleep mode.
5. Opt for a laptop computer instead of a desktop computer. A laptop uses about half the amount of energy of a desktop computer.
6. Preheat the oven only once you have prepared the dish that needs to be baked.
7. While baking look through the oven window to check on your food, rather than opening the oven door.
8. If using the dishwasher, avoid pre-rinsing.
9. Wash your laundry in cold water.
10. Only wash, when you have a full load of laundry.
11. Hang-dry your clothes whenever possible. Take advantage of the summer heat and let your clothes air-dry outside. Your clothing will last longer and stay brighter this way!
12. Invest in a programmable thermostat which gives you the opportunity to regulate your house temperature based on when you are home and away.
13. For the summer set your thermosat to 24 degress Celcius, and for the winter set your thermosat to 19 degress Celcius.
14. Weatherstrip your windows and doors.
15. Take short showers, rather than baths.
16. Don’t let the faucet run while you brush your teeth.
17. Opt for natural, eco-friendly cleaning products. Click here to learn how to make your own basic household cleaners.
18. Walk, bicycle, use the bus or subway, and car-pool more often.
19. Maintain correct tire pressure. You will extend the life of your vehicle, save on gas, and create less pollution!
20. Take your car to the car wash, instead of washing your own car. Car washes are designed to use less water and be more efficient.
21. Plan to run all your errands in one trip, rather than several small trips throughout the week.
22. Recycle your daily newspaper.
23. Take batteries, electronics, and other hazardous objects to local hazardous waste recycling centres.
24. Invest in a charger and rechargeable batteries.
25. Use 100% paper wrapping paper. Even better creatively use newspaper or cloth to wrap your gifts.
26. Reuse gift bags and old wrapping paper.
27. Recycle your old cell phones.
28. Choose matches made from cardboard (rather than wood), over lighters made from plastic.
29. Use reusable grocery bags instead of buying plastic bags. Forgot your resuable bag? Use the cardboard boxes available at grocery stores to carry your groceries.
30. Stop paper bank statements by signing up for online bank statements.
31. Sign up for online bill statements.
32. Plant trees, shrubs, and flowers. If planting a tree on your property, plant it on the west side so it offers shade from the hot afternoon sun.
33. Water your garden early in the morning or late at night when the water is less likely to evaporate.
34. Use full-strength white vinegar to kill your weeds, than harmful sprays and pesticides.
35. If you regularly grab a coffee or tea on the go, invest in a resuable cup. Most coffee shops will fill your cup, sometimes even for a discounted price!
36. Reuse the glass jars from jams and pasta sauces.
37. Recycle aluminum cans and plastic water bottles.
38. Eliminate water bottle usage by investing in a filtering system for the home and carrying a refillable water bottle to school or work.
39. Consider using cloth diapers for the babies in the family. It is better for their skin and for the environment!
40. Use both sides of the paper when writing, photocopying, drawing, etc.
41. Recycle flyers, junk mail, old letters, worksheets, etc.
42. Reduce food waste in your home. Click here to read 11 Tips for Reducing Food Waste in Your Home.
43. Create a composter in your backyard. Click here to learn how.
44. Choose organic foods and help support more environmentally-friendly approaches of growing food and animals.
45. Eat less meat. Many trees are cut down to make space for animals raised for food.
46. Buy seasonal produce and local foods and help reduce the amount of pollution caused in transporting foods through planes and trucks. This is also a great way to support your local economy!
47. Use reusable food containers to pack lunches instead of plastic zip-lock bags and clingwrap.
48. Donate, recycle, and reuse items instead of throwing them away.
49. Buy only what you need. Consider buying second-hand or renting items that can be rented.
50. Pick up litter. Participate in community clean-up events and help clean your schoolyards and parks.
Teach your children to respect and take care of the enviroment. Pass onto your children your knowledge, so that we may create a greener and cleaner planet for our children and future generations!
Feature Image: cleanersecrets.com.au
