Going green, or working to be more sustainable, is an excellent move for the planet and your finances. The best part is how easy it is to implement sustainable methods in your home.
Adapting to a new lifestyle doesn’t have to feel scary. We will discuss small and practical changes that aren’t supposed to turn your routine upside down but instead make life easier by saving you money. If you want to become more eco-friendly, you’re in the right place.
1. Cut Your Bills
Utility bills are becoming more expensive as time goes on. Using renewable energy sources is a simple way to reduce energy costs at home.
Investing in a portable power station offers you an alternative power source. Pair your power station with a solar panel, and the panels will harvest clean solar energy. The panels store the energy in your power station, and you will cut your bills expenses while you rely less on the national power grid.
2. Don’t Buy New
It’s a fact that buying second-hand items is always cheaper than buying a new version. Plus, the fewer new items we purchase, the fewer products, clothing, and tech make it to landfill.
In the US, 66% of fabrics and textiles end up in landfills to decompose, which could take hundreds of years. A portion of discarded materials gets shipped to third-world countries. The issue is that there is still such a surplus of clothing that isn’t needed.
Due to overcrowding in landfills and limited space overseas, the places that receive the discarded clothing end up burning it. Burning fabric results in significant air pollution and directly impacts residents’ cardiovascular health.
Ditch Food Waste
Right now, our planet wastes about one-third of all whole foods produced. With food waste, it’s not just a single item going to waste. The production also wastes the energy and water required to grow the food, then the energy it takes to harvest, transport, store, and package.
If food ends up in a landfill, rotting food will produce methane, a greenhouse gas. We could reduce 6-8% of the greenhouse gases caused by humans if we didn’t waste so much food.
It’s clear food waste has a detrimental effect on our planet’s health, but it’s also pretty harmful to your wallet. Save money and food waste by:
- Meal prepping. Prep an evening meal plan for the week. Only buy the ingredients you need to make the dishes you plan to cook.
- Bulk batches. Rather than portioning food for one or two people, make a family-sized batch and freeze your leftovers.
- Dinner party. Suppose you’ve got a lot of food left over at the end of the week—what an excellent excuse to get some friends around! Invite your friends to bring their food items and have a leftover potluck!
Save Money and the Planet
You’ll make a difference even if you implement one or two initiatives outlined in our article. It’s a no-brainer when you can save a sum and help our planet.
