The environment on our planet is mainly affected by our everyday activities involving energy and heat production, and fuels for the transportation sector.
We are also affecting the environment with our everyday activities that are polluting the environment with trash that instead of being recycled is left in nature to pollute the soil, and the underground water sources or is dumped in the oceans to destroy marine life.
Being greener or more sustainable doesn’t need to be expensive because you can do this by simply modifying a few things in your life.
Green Ideas for Saving Money and the Environment
On planet Earth, we have a large number of natural resources available for us, which we can be used to make our life easier, save some money and also protect the environment.
1. Switch to a Utility Provider that uses Renewable Energy
There are many utility companies providing 100% green electricity today, and to switch to one of these providers just check the list of utility providers with 100 percent renewable energy and contact them to make the switch.
This way you will be sure that you are no longer polluting the environment while watching the TV or using your appliances.
2. Stop Wasting Energy
At home, we are wasting a good amount of energy every day by simply forgetting to switch off the lights when we leave a room and the appliances during the night, to turn off your device when is fully charged, etc.
By simply unplugging all your appliances and devices (excepting the fridge) during the night, and the lights in empty rooms, we can save a good amount of energy every month, which will reduce our carbon footprint and will save some money in our pocket.
3. Use Rechargeable Batteries
Instead of constantly buying new batteries that will end up in landfills, buy rechargeable batteries that can be used to power your devices (gadgets, controllers, remotes, etc.) for a very long period of time just because they can be recharged.
4. Go Digital
Going digital will save trees and money, and you can do this by choosing online banking (to pay all your bills), get email subscriptions instead of paper ones, etc.
By no longer receiving paper bills you will save the trees, but you will also reduce the volume of garbage produced monthly that is partly recycled and the rest goes to the landfill.
5. Cold Wash
Clothes can be washed with cold water too, you don’t need to use hot water all the time.
Actually, you are not using cold water, you are only lowering the temperature of the water used to wash clothes because the detergents used will do the job even at lower temperature, and this way the washing machine will consume less power.
6. Stop Using the Car
If you live close enough to your workplace or school you can walk there or you can use a cycle or an electric scooter.
Walking and cycling is a very healthy activity for your body, while using the electric scooter will remember you the days when you were only a child.
If you stop using the car for short trips, you will save money on fuel and also the environment by reducing the amount of harmful emissions released into the atmosphere by your vehicle.
7. Go Vegan
Eating less meat will make you a healthier person, will save some money in your pocket and will significantly reduce your carbon footprint.
If you can’t live without meat, try only to reduce the amount of meat eaten each week.
Rely more on seasonal fruits and vegetables because they represent the freshest and healthiest food available on the market.
Seasonal fruits and vegetables are usually produced locally, so by buying them you will no longer buy imported products that have traveled to your country and town from a pretty long distance.
8. Stop Using Plastic Bags
When you go to the store or the supermarket to buy something, always bring your own bag with you.
On begreenbehappy.com I read that you can use a compostable bag instead of plastic bags to deposit your groceries.
This way you will no longer buy plastic bags, which after usage, end up in the sea where they kill marine life, or in landfills where they start polluting the soil.
9. Use Water Aerators
To seriously reduce the amount of water wasted daily, you need to install a sink water aerator that fills the water with air to reduce the amount of water consumed.
By consuming less water (cold and hot) you will pay less on utility bills, and you will also save a precious natural resource of the planet, represented by the freshwater reserve.
10. Take Less Showers
You don’t need to take long showers every single day just because this is not healthy for your skin.
By removing all your natural oils every day, your body will no longer be able to produce oils to moisturize the skin because you will take another shower and another and so on.
A skin that is no longer protected by its natural oils and is constantly bombarded by hot water and chemical substances can be damaging for it.
If you still prefer to shower every day, try to take shorter showers and use colder water.
Hot water is not healthy for your heart (weakens it), while colder water will make your body stronger and healthier.
By taking shorter showers daily and using colder water you will save energy, the environment and you will pay less on utility bills.
11. Buy Less Things
The less you buy the less you spend, and this way you consume less.
You don’t need all the things that others are buying simply because you will not use them, and after a while all those useless things will end up in the trash can and from there in the landfill.
Consuming less financial resources to buy useless things, will save you more money for the important things in your life.
In terms of clothes, electronics, books, etc. try to buy secondhand because only by reusing all these things you can save money and the environment (one man’s trash is another man’s treasure).
12. Use LED Light Bulbs
Replace all your old light bulbs with LED light bulbs, even if you need to invest some money into them because the new technology is not only consuming less energy, but it also lives a much longer period of time (you don’t need to buy new ones soon).
By replacing all your old light bulbs in your house with LED light bulbs you will consume less energy and you will save money and the environment paying smaller energy bills.
13. Compost Your Organic Waste
If you have a garden you can compost almost everything organic (food waste, animal and human waste, etc.) and this way you will no longer buy fertilizers.
If you produce a larger amount of organic waste weekly, you can build an anaerobic digester to produce nutritious water and compost for the garden, and also methane for cooking and maybe even for heating the house during the winter.
14. Cook At Home From Scratch
Stop ordering prepackaged and processed food because the food that can be prepared at home using whole foods is much cheaper and healthier.
Learn to cook from home and this way you will save money, you will eat healthier and you will reduce the use of plastic packaging, and the amount of waste produced.
15. Use A Smart Thermostat
If you use an old thermostat that tells your central heating system what temperature to set for the house, try to replace it with a new smart thermostat.
A smart thermostat is a programmable thermostat, which means that it will consume energy in a more efficient way.
By making this simple switch you will save energy and money on energy bills.
Final conclusion
Living in harmony with the environment is much easier today, and if this activity can help us to save energy and money in our pockets we should all become green persons.
