Simple Tips to Go Green Everyday

We live in a beautiful world that has provided generations with air, water, shelter, energy, and basically everything we need. Look at the things around you and you’ll find that nature is in the materials and processes used to create them. Sadly, we’ve abused these resources almost to the point of no return. Going green doesn’t always have to be difficult or expensive. Here are 12 simple tips to go green, everyday.

Reduce waste

One of the green tips you can apply everyday is to try to reduce waste. Opt for reusable items instead of disposable ones. A few ways to do this:

• Use a cloth rag to clean instead of disposable wipes, dusters, or paper towels.
• Bring your own drink bottle or cup whether in the office or when ordering drinks. Some coffee shops, like Tim Hortons and Starbucks, offer a small discount whenever you bring your own container.
• Use soap and shampoo bars instead of gels to decrease plastic jug waste.
• Use washable cotton pads for skincare.
• Bring your own reusable straw and utensils instead of using disposable ones. It’s more sanitary and avoids adding to the landfill!
• Shop at zero-waste stores

Here are 10 Zero Waste Products for Everyday Use!

Reuse!

Whenever you can and wherever possible, reuse! Reusing items reduces waste or extends the life of otherwise single-use items. There are multiple ways to do this, such as:

• Reusing plastic bags from shopping for your non-biodegradable waste. Smaller bags can be used for small garbage bins like in your bedroom or office for paper and other dry waste.
• Reuse tin cans, egg cartons, or takeout boxes to pot seedlings for your garden.
• Reuse cereal cartons as magazine or document holders.

And the list goes on! Think twice before tossing stuff and see if there are other uses for it.

Go paperless…for docs you throw

Another one of the green tips you can apply everyday is to choose the paperless route for things that end up in the trash. This minimizes waste. Almost everything is now available online through your phone, tablet, or computer. Take advantage of this for:

• all your receipts and bank statements
• Sticky notes/reminders
• Boarding passes/tickets when traveling

However based on some articles, reducing demand for paper to zero will probably end up felling more trees as forest landowners might convert their land use if paper and tree products are no longer profitable. So I say, strike a balance. Support paper products like books, journals, and art pads. These won’t end up as meaningless waste such as those on the top.

Buy in bulk

Buying in bulk reduces shipping costs, is more energy and gas-efficient (less trips to the grocery store!), and minimizes trash. There are even some companies that offer refills (such as Attitude) or give you a discount if you return their containers to their store.

Segregate your waste

Regardless of whether it is required by your community or not, segregating your waste is a simple way to go green everyday. It lessens the amount of waste going into our landfill, allows us to reuse and repurpose recyclables, reduces energy spent on sorting waste, and prevents hazardous items from contaminating our rivers. Below is a general guide on what goes where:

• Compostable – Food and yard waste
• Non-biodegradable – foam containers, lotion and toothpaste tubes, plastic plates, straws, and cutlery
• Recyclable – anything that can be reused such as bottles, boxes, paper, cardboard, plastic containers; please note that these need to be rinsed or cleaned if soiled such as food containers/canned goods
• Hazardous waste – batteries, broken glass, chemicals, needles, and other sharp objects

If you’re not sure on what goes where, do a quick search online. Here’s a guide for reference from the city of Calgary. Please note that your community might have different guidelines, so make sure you check the rules where you reside.

Check the label

If you’re serious about going green, always check labels on the products you buy. Doing so can help you determine what’s in the product or what it is made of, its efficiency, and how to dispose/recycle it. Click the link for a quick guide on the labels for different product types from paper and food to electronics and animal cruelty.

If you want to dig deeper, research about the company and see how they manufacture their products and take care of their waste. This encourages us to support companies that aren’t just out to make profit but make sure they don’t damage the environment as well!

Save water

One of the more basic tips of going green everyday is saving water. We were all taught this when we were young but sadly, a lot us still ignore it. Saving water can be as easy as:

• Turning off the tap while you brush
• Rinsing off both shampoo and soap in one go in the shower
• Using excess water (such as those leftovers in your glass which you toss) to water your plants
• Using a glass instead of your hand when rinsing your mouth
• Placing a filled water-bottle inside your water closet
• Reporting any leaks to your property manager/plumber and getting it fixed ASAP

Be conscious of what you eat

Some food just take more resources to make and have more damaging effects on the environment. Beef, for example, generates around 4 times more carbon dioxide than chicken, according to this study from EWG. This is one of the reasons why a lot of people have turned vegan. Here’s a link to a carbon footprint factsheet from the University of Michigan and a chart from the same study.

Now, while totally giving up meat is not possible for some people, reducing the frequency of having it and choosing the type of meat wisely will definitely help.

Support local

Buying from local businesses not only reduces the energy and fuel used to transport products and bring you to it, it also supports the economy where you live in. Aside from that, local food products are usually more fresh and have less pesticides and preservatives.

Conserve electricity

Another basic way to go green that we often neglect to do is conserve electricity. It can be as simple as turning off the lights and appliances when not in use. Other ways would be to:

• Set a timer when charging your phone or avoid charging it overnight.
• Using more energy efficient appliances.
• Choosing the cold setting when washing our clothes.
• Wearing more clothes instead of turning the heater up.
• Put your laptop on hibernate or shut it down instead of putting it on sleep mode when it’s not going to be used for more than 30 minutes.
• Using the energy saving mode on your phones.
• Use a power strip so you can turn off many appliances in one go

Walk if you can

Instead of driving your car or taking an cab, try walking to your destination if you can. Not only do you reduce carbon emissions and fuel consumption, you also exercise and burn calories in the process! Walking can also be very relaxing and allows you to appreciate your environment more.

Share the green lifestyle

If all of us become more conscious about our choices and take care of our environment, the earth would be a much better place. So while applying these green tips everyday is already a big help, sharing and influencing your family and friends to do the same would multiply the positive impact you are making. Sometimes, all people need is someone they trust to show them how to live more sustainably. That person could be you.

Once you start applying these simple tips to go green everyday, you will see how easy it is and it will make you feel more protective about our planet. A bonus is that most of these tips not only save the environment, but also result in savings and other health benefits for us. So no matter how small, start applying these daily and they will add up. If we want to continue living here and ensuring the future generations can too, we must all do our part.