Earth Day is the perfect time to reflect on how environmentally friendly we truly live and to incorporate ways to give our utmost respect to this planet we call home. Designating one day out of the year to give our gratitude and love to Earth is great, but we can easily extend this environmental consciousness to our everyday lives.
Here are a few easy things you can do today on Earth Day and every day to go just a little bit greener.
1.Buy a reusable to-go cup
Every year, 16 billion–yes, with a B–disposable coffee cups are used. These to-go cups are coated with plastic laminate and plastic lid; they also require precious resources like trees and water for their creation. An easy fix to the mass amount of wastefulness is a reusable to-go cup. Not only will the Earth thank you, but you may also get a little discount on your daily coffee or tea for bringing your own cup!
2. Incorporate air-purifying plants into your home
Plants can absorb toxins and purify the air, which is good for the planet and your health; adding plants into your home décor is a beautiful eco-friendly way to improve both design and air quality in your home. Some plants are better air-purifiers than others, so choose carefully. English Ivy, Bamboo Palm, and Peace Lilies are excellent choices. Plus, they make attractive additions to your home décor!
3. Avoid single-use products when possible
Whether it’s small travel size plastic bottles of toiletries, make-up removing cloths, plastic floss and toothbrushes, plastic utensils, paper plates, or anything that can be used one time only, convenience comes at a cost. Over the decades, industries have provided us the blind luxury of convenience without thinking about how this affects the planet. Now, with so many reusable options, is the time to weigh convenience and environmental impact. Is the waste really worth the single-use product? For products – try instead purchasing the largest size you can and distributing that into single or multi-use bottles. So many manufacturers are now offering eco-friendly refillable pouches that can save you money and help the planet.
4. Avoid fast-fashion
Shop second-hand or try shopping sustainable clothing brands. Going with the latter can be pricey, especially if you’re a shop-a-holic, but minimalism is in right now. I’m an advocate of heightening my wardrobe by shopping for one or two versatile pieces that I love rather than purchasing an over-abundance of clothes. It’s better to buy one expensive item you love and will wear over and over again than to purchase items that will sit in the back of your closet. In the long run this will actually save you money too!
5. Recycle
Recycling has been around for a while, so if you’re not doing it yet, then please start!! The key to recycling is to sort your waste correctly, check your local codes for what can be recycled. Trying to avoid the use of plastic all together can help too, but this isn’t always achievable; however, you’ll be surprised by how often you can use glass products over plastic if you pay attention!