Reasons To Be Environmentally Friendly

August 10, 2021 By Anne

We all know that being more environmentally friendly and aware of how we live in terms of being green is essential, but what this entails may not be quite so obvious. We all know it’s great for the environment, as expert Stephen Troese Jr. says, but what else? Is there anything else? The answer is yes, so read on to find out more.

Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash

Help With Climate Change

Human activity all around the world has had a significant effect on climate change, and we can see this in many ways, including a rise in severe weather conditions occurring worldwide. These conditions include so-called ‘superstorms,’ increasing water levels, and melting ice glaciers. The only way to stop and, in the best scenario, reverse this trend is for everyone to become much more environmentally conscious.

For Future Generations

If the present global population isn’t careful and doesn’t become more environmentally friendly, there will not be enough resources left for future generations, which is unfair and highly selfish. So another reason it’s so critical to protect the environment is for our children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and many more future generations. It doesn’t matter whether you have children or not or even if you’re not planning to have any – it’s still essential to ensure that future generations live as well as possible.

Reduce Pollution

The earth is badly contaminated thanks to pollution. To some degree, the air, soil, and water are all polluted, which is having a detrimental impact on the population’s health. The more trash that accumulates, the worse the issue gets, and therefore it is critical that pollution be minimized as much as possible. When we understand where the things we throw out go and the effect it has on the environment, we can begin to think more clearly about recycling and reusing instead of throwing away.

Save Money

While becoming green is beneficial for the environment, there are some personal advantages as well, one of which is that you will save money on your energy costs. Energy-efficient lightbulbs, for example, are much less expensive to use than conventional lights and last significantly longer. Installing solar panels can allow you to save money on your energy costs too.

Help the Local Economy

If you’re going green, you’ll want to buy more locally since you won’t be traveling as far (or at all) or using polluting public transportation. That’s fantastic for the local economy. You can support the local economy by shopping at farmers’ markets and independent stores, for example. Because there will be more investment in parks and play areas, schools, walkways, and other community initiatives, more of your money will remain in your town and help it grow and become a better place to live.

You’ll Feel Less Stressed

The condition of the world may be a source of stress and concern for you, just as it is for many other people. If you can do something about it, even if it seems like something very little and perhaps even insignificant, you will feel a lot better and be able to relax a bit more. Those little things build up quickly, particularly if many people are all doing their best to make these critical changes.

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

4 Home Exterior Tips To Help You Live A Green Lifestyle

March 11, 2021 By Anne

Sustainability is a priority for a lot of people when they are designing and managing their homes. If you want to reduce your impact on the planet, it’s always best to start at home and make some simple changes. But we always tend to focus on the inside of the home and forget about the exterior. Even though you are still making a positive impact by switching to LED lights or cutting back on plastic, you should also address some of the exterior issues too if you want to reduce your impact even further. These are some of the best home exterior projects to make your home more sustainable.

Image From Pixabay CCO License

Rethink Your Lighting Choices

It’s always good to have some lighting outside of your home. It acts as a brilliant security deterrent and it makes the place look nice too. In the summer, you need lighting if you want to sit outside in the evenings. But you should rethink your lighting choices if you want to create a more eco-friendly home exterior. Instead of using standard lights, why not look into solar powered options. You can find some heavy duty outdoor solar lighting on this site and if you make the switch, you can reduce your energy use in a big way. Using LED, solar powered lighting in your garden will allow you to be more sustainable without having to make any sacrifices in terms of the quality of light. Switching to solar, or solar-powered energy providers, could also result in being a hugely beneficial step to making your home a greener space in the long-run. Among all energy sources, solar energy has the least detrimental effects on the environment. It does not damage the water or release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. In contrast to nuclear power plants, for example, which need 20 times more water, it also uses a very little amount of water for maintenance. Since many solar installations, including household solar panels, are located in metropolitan areas, the fact that solar energy production produces no noise is a significant advantage. On top of that, you will need less electricity from the utility provider if you generate it yourself. Your energy bill will immediately decrease as a result of this. Additionally, you can profit by returning the excess electricity you’ve produced to the grid: the more energy you produce, the less you will need from the supplier which will increase your energy self-reliance.

Buy Sustainable Garden Furniture

We’re all trying to cut back on the plastic we use at home, but people often forget about things like garden furniture. A lot of garden furniture is made using plastic, which is bad news because the items are large and difficult to recycle. If you already have plastic furniture, you should try to keep it in good condition and use it for as long as possible. When it does come time to replace it, make sure you go for sustainable wooden options. If you feel confident enough, you could even make your own garden furniture out of old pallet crates. Using reclaimed wood and building it yourself is about as sustainable as you can get.

Source Sustainable Fence Materials

Your garden fence is a practical fixture that gives you privacy, creates a safe space for children and pets, and makes the space look nice. Most people don’t think about the sustainability of their fence because it’s made from wood and they assume that wood is always sustainable. However, just because it’s not plastic, that doesn’t mean it’s sustainable. Whenever you buy wood, it’s important to check where it has been sourced from so you can be sure that it has been handled responsibly.

Build A Compost Bin

Finding ways to put your food waste to good use is a brilliant way to live a greener lifestyle. The most obvious way to do this is to make it into compost, so why not build a compost bin in the garden? You could just buy one but a lot of them are made with plastic, and that defeats the whole point of trying to be more eco-friendly in the first place.

If you are trying to live a sustainable lifestyle, don’t forget about these great home exterior projects.

Anne

6 Things You Can Do to Become a Greener Parent

March 10, 2021 By Anne

People usually talk about environmental terms, which many people fail to understand their meaning; for instance, climate change, sustainable development, and ecological footprint. All these terms are somehow a bit complex, but they carry a big message that we cannot afford to overlook. It can be hard to change everything at the same time; however, there are some simple and achievable things that we can all do to become eco-friendly. As a parent, your objective should be making socially and environmentally responsible choices in bringing up your kids.

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Changes to Make in Life to Live an Eco-friendlier Lifestyle

As a parent, you get the desire to leave the world a better place for your kids. Here are some tips to be greener while raising your children:

Pick good diapers

Do you know that an approximated 20 billion disposable diapers are thrown into the landfills throughout every country every year, creating almost 3.5 million tons of waste? Well, according to a report by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, disposable diapers have bacteria that are later introduced onto the ecosystem from the solid wastes they contain.

According to many other studies, disposable diapers in the landfill take up to 500 years to degrade therefore creating methane and other toxic gasses in the process. To be an environmentally friendly parent, you should try using biodegradable diapers which are usually made from plant-based plastics. Additionally, you can consider using reusable diapers which are made from organic cotton and bamboo fiber.

Purchase eco-friendly products

Buying toys and eco-friendly baby products are both beneficial to your kids as well as the environment. You can help reduce the impact on the environment by buying toys and products made from degradable natural materials. Additionally, think about the long-term effects for your family and choose eco-friendly pest control to deal with your pest problems and protect your children at the same time. Environmentally friendly products are better for your family, animals and are effective just like other products; the only difference is that they have less impact on the environment.

Ditch the plastic

Plastic bags can be valuable to many people, and we have literally become addicted to using single-use plastic, which has adverse effects on the environment. According to UNEP, we produce 300 million tons of plastic waste each year. This is almost equal to the weight of the whole human population. Consider using reusable plastic every time. For instance, you can use canvas bags instead of plastic bags. Even if you don’t have access to a canvas shopping bag, you can reuse the plastic bag you have and avoid buying many that will end up in the landfills.

Save on energy in your home

There are many ways to cut down on the energy utilized in your home. These ways will help reduce the energy bills and save you more money eventually. Think of it as a win-win for you and the environment. You can start by lowering the thermostat in winter and increasing it in summer. Additionally, unplug any appliance that is not in use, wash your clothes on cold water detergent, and use a clothesline to dry the clothes. Hot water uses a lot of energy; therefore, deciding to use cold water can help in reducing energy bills and save the environment.

Use the right light bulbs

You don’t have to be a parent to do this. Don’t go to the store and replace all the bulbs that are still working; instead, the subsequent time you want to replace that faulty light bulb, pick a compact fluorescent light. These light bulbs can stay five times lengthier and utilize less energy when compared to regular incandescent light bulbs. CFL light bulbs are also brighter, meaning that you will be able to use fewer light bulbs in your house.

Make your own baby food

When your baby starts eating solid food, consider buying a good blender. You can blend whatever the family is having for dinner and then freeze them for storage. Making your own baby food minimizes wastes, saves you money, and helps the baby to eat the way the other members of the family do. To store the extra breastmilk, try freezing them inside glass bottles.

The Bottom Line

There are many other ways to make your home more eco-friendly. You can use environmentally friendly cleaners instead of the ones that contain harsh chemicals and buy eco-friendly household products. All these changes might seem small; however, they can make a big change to the planet.

Anne

Ideas To Make Your Business More Green

February 24, 2021 By Anne

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Entrepreneurs have a responsibility to keep their projects green, reducing their carbon footprint and protecting the planet. Regardless of the kind of business you run, there are many areas you can focus on to make things greener.

1 . Try green business apps

To help you to create a greener business, several apps may be able to help. For a few ideas, check out the following:

Forest: This is a top productivity app, it was designed to stop employees from getting distracted by their phones. First, you plant a virtual tree and next you try to focus on your work task until the tree is fully grown. The app works with ‘Trees For The Future’, meaning you can trade-in your digital trees for real ones, (helping to save the planet)!

iRecycle: With the help of the iRecycle application, you can discover recycling centers nearby, and get plenty of recycling tips. It’s important to recycle everything you can and adhere to the correct recycling laws, for instance, the laws concerning e-waste.

Consider waste management

To go greener as biz it’s worth considering your waste management processes. An excess of waste will negatively affect your sustainability initiatives and your bottom line. It’s a good idea to improve your waste management processes, using a combination of lean principles and waste management software. Make sure that you don’t over-order resources, and train your employees on reducing waste. When you’re running a business, it’s important to reduce waste as much as possible.

Simple adjustments

Going greener as a business doesn’t have to involve huge changes, there are many ways that you can make a difference, with simple adjustments:

Go paperless: Embrace the cloud for everything you do, and reduce the need for paper around the office.
LED lights: Ensure that you only use LED light bulbs, these are more energy-efficient and will also last longer.
Conserve water: Use water-saving appliances and reduce the amount of water you use.

Consider solar energy

To reduce your carbon footprint, it’s well worth considering solar energy for your business. Solar power is the leading form of renewable energy, over the last few years, an increasing number of businesses have opted for solar power. Solar solutions use roof panels that are made with photovoltaic cells. Once you’ve made the switch, your business will make some nice savings on your energy bills.

Train your staff

To get everyone on board with going green, it’s important to create clear policies and provide your staff with training sessions. With the right leadership, you’ll be able to get your staff to take green policies seriously. Taking your business to new heights is all about fantastic executive leadership. To learn more about executive leadership and expanding your business contact John Joyce.

With so many ways to help your business go greener, you’ll soon improve your sustainability efforts. It can help to set yourself a few goals, when you set goals it’s easier to monitor your performance.

Anne

Every Little Helps – Small Actions To Make Your Home More Eco-Friendly

February 12, 2021 By Anne

It can be easy to feel overwhelmed when it comes to making your home more environmentally friendly. After all, there is so much advice out there. However, all that matters is that you start making changes, as even small ones like the suggestions below will add up over time to make a big difference. Read on to find out more.

Cut your plastic use

One of the easiest ways to make sure your home is as eco-friendly as possible is to reduce the amount of plastic you use and then throw away. After all, we all know that plastic usually ends up in the Earth’s oceans and wreaks havoc with the ecosystem, killing wildlife and slowly polluting the location around it.

With that in mind, it’s best to make some simple swaps that will reduce the amount of plastic your household uses. The first of these is to ditch the plastic bags when you go shopping and instead take your own reusable ones. You can even craft your own from old t-shirts which will save even more waste ending up in landfills!

Use less energy

We all know that energy is generated by using up valuable and increasingly scarce resources. However, many of us forget that there are several small things we can do around the home to limit our energy use.

The first of these is to make sure the lights and the heating are turned off in rooms that are in use. Indeed, it’s super simple to do this now, as you can use smart lights and thermostats to control these home features from anywhere!

Another smart way to use less energy is to make sure your home is well insulated. This should then help keep the heat in during the winter, and help keep your home cooler in the warmer months.

Indeed, you can reduce your energy usage a great deal by using less to control and maintain the temperature of your home. That is why another task that needs to be completed regularly is gutter cleaning. This is because when gutters get clogged they can cause leaks, which in turn can compromise your insulation, something that means you will end up using more energy for heat.

The good news is that you don’t have to get up on the ladder to do this less than pleasant job yourself. Instead, look for the most trusted gutter cleaning professionals in your area to do the task for you. It’ll be quicker, safer, and you’ll get a better result too.

Harvest your rainwater

Last of all, if you want to make sure your home is as eco-friendly as possible, be sure to start harvesting rainwater.

Now, you won’t be able to drink this, but you can use it for all sorts of tasks such as watering your garden or washing your car. Tasks that would have previously needed water from the tap to be used.

Of course, by using less tap water you will not only be preserving this valuable resource but you can help to save on the energy it would take to purify, collect and transport it to your home. After all, every little helps!