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Read More June 28, 2016 | Blain's Farm & Fleet20 Ways to Go Green This Earth Day
Help reduce your carbon footprint, save money, and conserve our natural resources every day by following these eco-friendly tips.
This Earth Day, let’s embrace the opportunity to make more environmentally-conscious decisions in our daily lives. If you’re looking to make a difference but aren’t sure where to start, you’ve come to the right place.
Going green doesn’t have to be daunting or involve a complete lifestyle overhaul overnight. It’s about making small, manageable changes that collectively make a significant impact. Whether you’re a green-living enthusiast or just beginning to explore sustainable living, this guide is designed with you in mind.
So are you ready to make this Earth Day the start of your greener lifestyle? Following these small, environmentally-friendly tips from Blain’s Farm & Fleet can lead to big changes for our planet.
Remember, it’s not about being perfect. It’s about making conscious choices that add up. Together, we can make a difference.
Reduce Water Usage
- Brushing Habits: Turn off the water when you’re brushing your teeth. You’ll save 25 gallons of water per month and have a lower water bill.
- Sprinkler Adjustment: Adjust water sprinklers so the water is only hitting the lawn and not the house, sidewalks, or cars.
- Leak Repairs & Shower Heads: Fix leaky faucets and install water-reducing shower heads to help save on your monthly water bill.
- Laundry Temperature: Wash your laundry in cold water instead of hot water. Heating the water alone accounts for 90% of the shower’s energy use.
- Dishwashing Efficiency: Don’t rinse your dishes before you put them in the dishwasher. This will not only save you 20 gallons of water per load, but it can also be a huge time saver.
- Lawn Watering Schedule: You want your lawn to be lush and green. One of the best ways to achieve this (and save water) is by watering your lawn and garden in the evening and early morning. If you water your lawn during the hottest parts of the day, the water won’t soak into the soil because it evaporates into the air. It’s a waste of water.
Reduce Electricity Usage
- Light Discipline: When you’re leaving a room, turn off the lights. By turning the lights off, you’re conserving energy and decreasing your electrical bill.
- LED Lighting: Swap out all the light bulbs in your home with LED light bulbs. They are extremely energy-efficient and use much less energy than other types of light bulbs.
Reduce Waste
- Pet Waste Cleanup: Disposing of waste properly is a great step toward going green. One of the easiest ways is to pick up after your dog. The dog waste can flow into storm drains and pollute the water. Investing in a pooper scooper will help you with easy cleanup.
- Shopping Bags: Use reusable bags instead of the store-provided plastic bags when you go shopping. Keep them in your car, so you don’t leave them at home on your next shopping trip.
- Paper to Digital: Switch from paper to online bill payments. You’ll reduce your paper waste.
- Recycling Practices: Separate recyclable materials like glass, aluminum metals, plastic, and paper products from the garbage. And put them in the recycling bin.
- Coffee Habits: If you like to start your day with a cup of joe from a café, one of the easiest ways to go green is by using your own coffee cup. There are a plethora of travel mugs to choose from. Many coffee shops are willing to fill your cup, and some even give you a discount for going green.
Conserve Energy
- Appliance Choice: When you replace home appliances, buy energy efficient models.
- Natural Drying: Reduce your energy use and bill by drying your laundry on an outdoor clothesline in the warmer months. In the colder months, you can use an indoor drying rack.
- Ceiling Fan Direction: Check to see if your ceiling fans have a switch to make them change directions. In the warmer months, make sure that the ceiling fan blades are moving counterclockwise to make a downward breeze. In the colder months your fan should be moving clockwise to create an updraft. This pushes the warmer air at the ceiling downward to the floor.
- Thermostat Management: Everyone likes being comfortable. But lowering your thermostat temperature one degree can often save between one and three percent on your energy bill. Invest in a programmable thermostat to make this easier.
- Tree Planting: If you have the space to do it, consider planting a tree in your yard. Not only is this a great family project, but it is good for the environment. If you plant your tree on the west side of your home, it can eventually provide shade and naturally cool your home.
- Dryer Maintenance: Clean out the lint from your dryer’s filter trap every time you use it. Also, make sure to wash the mesh filter at least every six months with soap and water. Waxy buildup can be left behind on your mesh filters from dryer sheets. Air can’t pass through the filter, which makes your dryer work even harder.
- Window Treatment: For south- and west-facing windows, leave your blinds closed in the summer to block out sunlight and keep your house cool. In the winter, open the blinds to let in natural light to warm your rooms and decrease the use of your heaters.
Going green doesn’t have to only happen on Earth Day. By making these small changes in your everyday life, you’ll help the environment while increasing your quality of life.
For more tips like these, see our other Home Maintenance articles.
