Easy ways to make Earth Day matter every day.
Guest blog by Brenda Masse, Green Scene Home Inspections
Earth Day 2017 is almost here, and it’s time for your annual round of Green Guilt. But seriously, it’s a great time of year to take stock of every day ways you can reduce waste, save energy and positively impact your environment. Here are a few easy ways to make Earth Day every day.
1. Get rid of incandescent bulbs. Switch to LED or fluorescent. They cost a little more, but they save you money in the long term. They last longer, are more energy efficient, don’t put out heat, and there are MANY more options available to you now than with incandescents. Fluorescent and LED bulbs come in every shape, size and color.
2. Nix disposable cups. From your favorite coffee to take-out sodas to those little plastic wine cups at parties – when you think about it, this unnecessary trash really piles up! Each time you can replace a reusable cup with a disposable one makes a difference, so bring your own coffee mug, carry one of those cool wide-mouth bottles or steel containers for take-out, and purchase washable plastic wine cups for your next cocktail hour!
3. Use cloth towels. This one can be tough. It’s so much easier to clean that small (or super-gross) mess with disposable paper. Try keeping one roll and using it like gold – only when you really need it. For day to day cleaning, keep washable rags handy. Cut up old T-shirts or bath towels into more convenient sizes or find one of the cute reusable towel products out there for a more aesthetically pleasing choice.
4. Recycle your batteries. We are all guilty of tossing these in the trash, but batteries contain corrosive, toxic materials that we don’t want in our soil or water. Designate a container in which to keep used batteries and simply drop them off at Home Depot, Staples, or one of the many businesses that provide this service. If you’re not buying rechargeable batteries, give them a try. They last much longer and when they do eventually run out – recycle them!
5. Stop junk mail. This is an easy one and so worth the minimal effort. Sign up for online bill-pay for all bills, and only print the statements you absolutely need hard copies of. Then go to this siteto find out how to get your address off junk mail lists.
There are so many small decisions we make each day that, put together, add up to a big difference. This Earth Day, take stock of the choices you’re making at home and as you go through your day, and see how many ways you can make your footprint smaller!