23 Simple Ways To Go Green At Home

Being environmentally friendly is easier now than ever and a great place to go green is in your own home. We compiled a list of 23 ways you can practice green living. These simple strategies will help save you money and help save the environment!

1. Recycle

Recycling is an easy way to go green. All you need to do is separate your recyclable waste into your recycling bin and nonrecyclable waste into the trash. Recycled waste can be made into new products rather than sitting in a landfill. In addition, the new products often take less energy to make than when using raw materials.

2. Buy Energy-Efficient Appliances When It’s Time

When buying new appliances, make sure to buy energy-efficient models. It is important to note that you should only replace appliances when you need to. Unnecessarily disposing of your old appliances adds waste to landfills. When it’s time to replace, energy-efficient appliances are money and earth savers!

3. Compost Your Food Scraps

Old food does not need to go in the trash! Just like separating recycling, food scraps have their own place. You can get a small composter for inside the kitchen or a larger one for outside. Rather than going to waste, your old food scraps can help feed your lawn, garden or houseplants!  

4. Plant A Small Garden

Planting yourself fruits, vegetables and herbs is a money and environment saver! Planting a garden may seem intimidating in a traditional sense, but nowadays there are easier options. These include raised gardens and even small indoor gardens. You won’t contribute to as much produce shipping, and you’ll save money on what you’re able to grow.  

5. Upcycle

Upcycling is a form of recycling as creative reuse. When you upcycle, you are taking waste and turning it into something more valuable than the original item. There are endless creative ways you can upcycle. You could use an old car rim as the base of a coffee table. You could dye your clean peanut butter jar for an artistic vase.

6. Use Energy-Efficient Lightbulbs

LED lightbulbs last much longer and take much less energy than traditional bulbs. They save you money and reduce your carbon footprint.

7. Turn Off Lights Around The House

If you aren’t in a room, turn off the lights! It’s an easy and effective way to go green.

8. Use Natural Light When It’s Available

If natural light is available, open your curtains rather than turning on the lamp. It will save you money!

9. Use A Reusable Water Bottle

Plastic water bottles are a one-use item. It takes three times as much water than what’s in the bottle to make the bottle. Rather than wasting water and piling up plastic in landfills, use a water bottle that you can fill again and again!

10. Try Reusable Dryer Balls

Dryer sheets are a staple in how many of us do laundry. Unfortunately, they are single-use and wasteful. Dryer balls are reusable, biodegradable and compostable. Buy them locally rather than shipping and enjoy the savings!

11. Pay Your Bills Online

Save yourself from the inconvenience of paper bills! Paying online is easier, often automatic and doesn’t require wasteful paper use and shipping! Most bills have an option for you to pay online.

12. Get The Most Out Of Paper

Use the front and back of paper. Encourage your children to use scrap paper for doodling. Maximizing each sheet will help save our trees.

13. Check For Used Local Options Before You Buy New

Many items you look to purchase new work for many years. Because of that fact, buying used is an easy way to save money and the planet. Check your local online marketplaces for the things you want. That way, you cut yourself out of the carbon footprint associated with production and shipping!

14. Fix Leaky Faucets

Leaky faucets waste water. You will save money in long run by fixing them. Meanwhile, you will help to reduce your water usage.

15. Make Your Own Sanitizing Products

Most household cleaning products contain harmful chemicals that were never necessary for cleaning your home. You can make your own sanitizing products easily with recipes online. These cost close to nothing and you can put them in reusable bottles. This saves the environment in more ways than one!

16. Limit Your Hot Water Use

The hotter the water, the more energy being used. The longer you use hot water at a time, the more energy being used. If you can do laundry with hot water less often, take shorter showers, and reduce the temperature, you can save money and energy.

17. Unplug Unused Items

If there is an item plugged in that is rarely used, unplug it! It saves energy.

18. Use Rainwater For Houseplants And Garden

Collecting rainwater is a simple  way to conserve water. You can use this perfectly good resource to water houseplants, your lawn and your garden.

19. Repurpose Old Shirts For Kitchen Cleaning

Dish clothes are nothing special. They are just cloth. Clean old shirts work great as dish towels, hand dryers and cleaning tools around the kitchen! It’s a great and direct way to recycle an unwanted item.

20. Use Cloth Napkins

Simply using cloth napkins can reduces your paper waste and they work better!

21. Limit Your Tissue And Paper Towel Use

Disposable tissues are unnecessary waste. Paper towels are unnecessary waste. You can use reusable versions of both these things. This saves you money and limits an unnecessary waste. Investing in a bidet is a good way to slow your toilet paper waste.  

22. Educate Yourself

Watching documentaries and learning about zero-waste lifestyles are a great way to stay informed. Staying informed helps you to make those small lifestyle changes that add up to make a big difference.

23. Donate Your Old Car

Your old unwanted car does not need to go to waste. Even just recycling it is wasteful in a way because it misses out on potential value. Donating your vehicle to Wheels For Wishes results in four great benefits:

• The vehicle is recycled.
• The proceeds from your donation benefit your local chapter of Make-A-Wish. You benefit local kids facing critical illness with a life-changing wish. That is an immense value simply recycling your vehicle doesn’t achieve!
• The process is very convenient. We come to you with free towing. You can donate over the phone or by filling out an online donation form.
• Your donation is tax deductible. It really pays to donate! After your donation, we send you a 100 percent tax-deductible receipt in the mail.

Go green at home with these 23 tips today!