In celebration of Earth Day, it seems appropriate to discuss how we can do our part for the environment. Sometimes it seems like being green leads to a more complex and expensive everyday life. Life is busy enough, so it can seem like an uphill battle to keep on top of basic activities without having to consider the impact on the natural world.
The solution is simple: being green doesn’t have to mean elaborate changes in your lifestyle. There are many easy ways of being more environmentally friendly that are as easy as buying a few simple ingredients while you’re getting groceries, or being more conscious of bigger purchases such as furniture. Here are five easy tips to make your home greener and safer:
Meal Planning
It sounds so obvious, but simply planning meals ahead will reduce the amount of waste in your home. When you buy too much produce at the store, something always end up being thrown in the trash. This means you have more waste than you need to. The more waste you produce, the more you’re contributing to landfills. It may be tempting to pick items off the shelf according to your mood, but it’s less expensive for you and better for the environment to only buy exactly what you need.
Homemade Beauty Products
With a few ingredients that include essential oils and carrier oils, you can stop buying chemical moisturizers, lip balms, and even makeup. There are lots of resources online that provide recipes for anything from insect repellent to healing salve. It’s recommended that you start with something basic, like a homemade moisturizer using a carrier oil such as olive, coconut, or jojoba oil. Moreover, essential oils need to be used very carefully as they are incredibly potent, so make sure you do plenty of research with regards to the dilution factor and what oils are safest to use.
Homemade Cleaning Products
If you’ve ever read any DIY cleaning manuals, you’ll know that there are some natural ingredients that can be used for pretty much any cleaning requirement. Take baking soda, for example. By simply mixing it with warm water, you have an immediate tile floor cleaner. Lemon juice and vinegar are excellent for cleaning glass and windows. If you really want to start making your home green and safer, there are a number of items you want to keep in the cleaning cabinet to make your own cleaning products. These include white vinegar, natural salt, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and liquid castile soap.
Energy Star Ratings
Anytime you’re making a large purchase like a new small or large appliance, look out for energy star ratings on the labeling. This means that the product has been officially stamped with approval as an efficient appliance, that will both reduce your energy consumption and save you money on utility bills.
Natural Materials
Wherever and whenever you can, choose natural materials over synthetic. Many synthetic materials are manufactured using harmful chemicals that can negatively impact the air quality in your home and pollute the environment. Bamboo is an example of a natural ingredient that is eco-friendly. Many products can be made using bamboo, not just furniture. Here at Kyte BABY we make all of our products using bamboo. It is the world’s most sustainable material and grows so quickly and efficiently it doesn’t need replanting. It also doesn’t require the use of tractors, pesticides, or chemicals, so it is much better for the environment.
