words Al Woods
On a day to day basis, how often do you use something once, and then throw it away? Well, if you’re like most people, you probably do it all the time. Everything from soda cans to paper towels, these one-time use items are handy and convenient for you but can do serious damage to the environment.
Did you know that Americans, on average, use and discard around 2,500,000 plastic bottles every hour? And of all the plastic products that are thrown away, they kill as many as 1,000,000 sea creatures every year, according to usi.edu.
In addition to that, the waste we produce is also a major contributor to the releasing of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. Greenhouse gasses, when released, get stuck in the atmosphere and cause the global temperature to rise… thus, global warming and climate change.
The question is, how can we do our part in taking social responsibility to prevent our own negative impact on the environment?
Well, it starts with becoming more conscious and aware of the products we use and the waste we produce. The perfect solution would be to not produce any waste at all, right? But that’s not a realistic goal to try to achieve, of course. But there are ways to incorporate small lifestyle changes to your everyday life that help you to waste less.
The great news is that these lifestyle changes aren’t expensive or time-consuming. So, if you indeed want to do your part in helping the environment, check out these small changes you can make to your everyday life that will have a positive impact on the planet.
Everyday Lifestyle Changes to Help You Waste Less
Drink Tap Water Instead of Bottle Water
In your mind, you’re probably thinking tap water is gross, and in some areas, tap water is pretty gross, but that doesn’t mean you have to drink gross tap water to help the planet. There are actually filtration systems you can add to your kitchen faucet to filter your water… There are also water pitchers with built-in filtration systems.
By incorporating this into your lifestyle, you’re not being so reliant upon bottle waters for “good water.” This will also promote reusable water bottles too. Just simply refill them, and there’s no harm done to the environment.
Switch to Alternative Electricity
Whether it’s the hot summer months or the cold winter months, we’re all familiar with just how much our electric bills can increase during those times of the year. Because of this, people are constantly trying to come up with ways to reduce their monthly electric bills.
People will wear sweaters and coats in their homes during the winter just to not turn their thermostat up too high, and in the summer, they’ll wear their swimsuits at home to try to keep cool and not turn their thermostats too low. To prevent this type of “nonsensical” living, just switch to alternative electricity. This will lower your monthly bill at a fixed rate, and it’s great for the environment.
Invest in a Water-Efficient Toilet
You might be thinking that your current toilet works just fine so why buy another toilet… And that’s a very valid point, but in your efforts to positively impact the environment, reducing your water waste is going to help tremendously, and a high-efficiency toilet is a major contributor.
Most newer model toilets follow the standard of only using 1.6 gallons per flush but older model toilets use as much as seven gallons per flush. So if you indeed switch to a more efficient toilet, water efficiency is one of the factors you should look at.
Freeze Your Leftovers
Have you ever made too much food? If you’re like most people, you probably have and you ended up having food leftover. Some people love leftovers and can eat on it for days, but others just don’t like them and end up throwing the leftover food away…This is a huge waste of food.
The next time you make too much food, consider freezing some of it or a portion you know you won’t eat anymore of. There are, of course, certain foods that don’t freeze well after being cooked but then there are foods that freeze extremely well, and when you reheat it, it tastes just like you made it the first time.
These frozen delights are very convenient when you don’t feel like going anywhere to get food or don’t feel like cooking a full-blown meal, plus, you’re reducing your waste. There are reusable silicone storage bags that work wonders for freezing leftovers.
