I think it’s safe to say we all want to make the Earth more sustainable by becoming more eco-friendly – or at least some of us do. I am definitely one of those people. Part of it is because my lovely boyfriend BF is incredibly eco-conscious and the other part is because it makes me feel good by knowing I’m doing my part to make the world a better place.
How are you becoming more eco-friendly?
Start recycling
This is probably the easiest – and cheapest – way to start being green. A recycling bin at Home Depot costs less than $15. It takes a little bit of effort on your part but the end result is less waste in landfills and more products made from recyclable materials.
Every area recycles differently so contact your local city office to find out the rules and regulations, but the just of it is this: you separate recyclable materials from your regular garbage and put them out by the curb on the designated pick up day (which is usually different than the trash day).
Recyclable materials include cans, paper and plastic. Check all your bottles, cans, cereal boxes and other consumer packaging for the recycle symbol. It’s important to note that not all cardboard and paper is recyclable – at least not in our city.
Change your light bulbs
The next time your light bulb burns out don’t replace it with an energy consuming $0.89 light bulb. Spend a little extra to buy eco-friendly LED light bulbs, trust me you’ll be thankful later. Not only are LED light bulbs energy efficient but they also save you money in the long run because they last longer than a regular light bulb.
An energy efficient 9.5 Watt LED light bulb is the equivalent of a regular 60 Watt light bulb. The cost is $2.48 per bulb at Lowes and the entire life is 15,000 hours of eco-friendly light. This is an inexpensive way to make your home more eco-friendly for less than $100.
Think about buying recycled materials
Recycling your own materials is one way to help the environment when you’re getting materials out of your home, but buying recycled materials is a great way to become more eco-conscious when bringing new materials into your space.
You would be surprised at the amount of stuff we can buy from recycled materials such as rubber tires, cotton clothes and bags as well as paper for your computer and toilet paper for the bathroom. So the next time you’re at Staples or Wal-Mart look for items that have been produced from recycled materials. The cost is comparable – especially when items are on sale – and the quality is very similar.
What’s your best eco-friendly tip?
