Clean Energy Journey

How Making Small Day-to-Day Changes Can Help the Environment

Heatwaves, flooding, tornadoes, oh my! On Tuesday, June 13, the U.S. experienced six natural disasters leaving people wondering if this is a climate issue? Short answer – yes. Like humans, the environment works best when healthy and in balance. Right now, the environment’s health is out of whack with pollutants, resource depletion, and heavy consumerism. What can we do to aid the environment in its health journey? Make small lifestyle changes.

Use a Reusable Water Bottle

Staying hydrated is great for your body. Water increases a person’s energy levels, improves skin complexion, flushes out toxins naturally, and keeps your body functioning and healthy. But how does carrying a reusable water bottle help the environment, you ask? 

It reduces the amount of plastic waste! According to the Container Recycling Institute, 86% of water bottles end up in landfills and what do landfills do? Add to pollution in the air. Investing in a reusable water bottle is great for your body, great for the environment, and will help clear out some clutter on your nightstand (you know what I mean).

Meatless Meals During the Week

Contrary to popular belief, vegetable-based dishes can be delicious alternatives to meat-based dishes and can encourage the kiddos to eat more veggies. We’re not saying to go vegetarian or vegan, hold your horses. Keeping meat off the menu for one day a week makes a huge impact on the environment for a small change. 

Eating less red meat in fact is much healthier for the body in the long run. If you’re looking for an alternative to a red meat dish, try lamb! While lamb can push pollutants out into the air, it has been found to produce 50% less than other red meats. 

Walking or Biking to Your Destination

If your destination is within walking distance why not put a little pep in your step? Going for a walk can be super relaxing and it can be turned into a family trip. Getting the kids outside in nature for a little exercise and to run an errand? Talk about two birds, one stone. 

Even bike riding has been proven to reduce pollutants by 6 to 14 million tons. Not only would you be helping the environment, but you’d be avoiding traffic and the road rage that comes with it. Give yourself more time during the day and be efficient.

Fix Your Stuff Before you Buy Something New

In today’s digital world there are a ton of tutorials online for fixing and DIYing almost anything. Normally, people will use products or furniture until they’re on their last leg and then throw them away. This only contributes to the already growing landfill problem. 

A couple of examples of how you can extend the lifespan of your furniture and appliances: 

  • Hanging your clothes to dry keeps your dryer working less and for longer. 
  • Using a wood preservative or leather conditioner can keep your furniture in good condition for much longer. 

Buying secondhand furniture has also become much easier. You can check out Facebook Marketplace, where people in your area could be selling and buying used furniture or electronic goods. There are usually many options to choose from and it can turn into a fun fixer-upper project for the whole family. 

Create or Join an Online Group and Blog

Creating or joining a local cleanup crew that encourages all ages to join helps to educate and create better surroundings for the people, animals, and plants. Including your children can set them up for better practices out in the world and in their homes. 

If you’re already incorporating green methods in your home, try starting a blog or Facebook group! The more people make small lifestyle changes, the better our planet will be. 

Helping the environment doesn’t mean completely changing every facet of our lives. If each household moved towards creating more green practices throughout the home and in their communities, there would be a huge increase in the health of our world.

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