Making the change to eco-friendly products demonstrates a conscious effort to better the environment. Small changes in your everyday life will make a tremendous impact. Although it may feel strange at first, you’ll gradually become accustomed to the change. Here’s a list of eco-friendly alternatives to implement at home to get you started!
Reusable Bags
Sealable, single-use plastic storage bags are a home staple. Any time you’re packing to-go lunches or gifting goodies to a loved one after an event, you reach for a plastic sandwich bag.
But this ingrained societal habit doesn’t have to be the norm. Reusable food storage bags derived from silicone, vinyl, or fabrics like cotton are easy to use and don’t end up in the trash. Just wash them with warm, soapy water, dry them with a towel, and use them again! This small adjustment will save you money and benefit the planet.
Beeswax Wraps
Food storage is one of the most common areas where we single-use plastics like Saran Wrap. If you have larger items that won’t fit in reusable sandwich bags, beeswax wraps come in handy.
These biodegradable, reusable tacky cloths easily wrap around foods or bowls to keep contents fresh. Perhaps you have a bowl of fruit or a block of cheese that needs storing. Simply place the wrap over a bowl or around the block of cheese, then put the food in the fridge. The beeswax wrap will keep food fresh longer than plastic-stored foods.
Solid Dish Soap
Not all dishes can go through the dishwasher. As you hand-wash delicate pans or your favorite reusable water bottle, you probably douse them in liquid dish soap and start scrubbing. But did you know that liquid soaps contain at least 50 percent water? Not only are you paying for the plastic packaging at the store, but you’re also paying for a product that’s half water.
Solid dish soaps don’t have diluents like water. Companies that produce solid dish soap also usually avoid plastic packaging. To use solid dish soap, add water to the dish brush and scrub the solid dish soap in circular motions. The block will become sudsy, and then you’re ready to clean!
Rechargeable Batteries
When your TV remote batteries go bad, you probably toss them in the trash and put in two new batteries. But what happens to the old ones? The batteries likely sit in landfills as toxic chemicals leach from them, causing soil and water pollution.
Instead of contributing to the pollution crisis, change to rechargeable batteries. You’ll spend less money on batteries in the future while minimizing your contribution to landfills.
Programmable Thermostat
Have you ever watched your energy bills skyrocket during certain times of the year? If you want to save money and benefit the environment, consider switching to a programmable thermostat.
You have the power to program the thermostat to automatically adjust the temperature. Whenever you’re out or sleeping, you can set the thermostat to lower the temperature.
Home Improvement Projects
Do you want to go bigger than simple eco-friendly alternatives to implement at home? If you want to take things further, there are plenty of eco-friendly home improvement projects you can try as well. From implementing low-flow water faucets to installing metal roofs, you can make long-term changes to better the environment.
Mom on the go in Holy Toledo 