“Green” living is one of those concepts that has taken hold in mainstream media, becoming a pretty significant “buzzword” in the last few years. However, unlike “Bennifer”, this one seems to be sticking around. Green living basically refers to doing things in your daily life that helps the environment.
A super easy example of what you probably already do is recycling. There is definitely a level of extremity, as well as perspective that ties into what truly makes something ‘green’.
However, we’re not here to tell you about recycling. It’s a good thing, and you should do it, but since it’s pretty likely that you already do, let’s try taking a look at some of the other options out there. After all, individuals and businesses alike are trying to become more sustainable and eco-friendly. Check out five tips for going green that you might not be familiar with.
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Plant Your Home Near Trees
This may sound like a playful idea, but it’s not just for the kids’ treehouse. Planting your home near trees, or vice versa, actually has some pretty good effects for your home. Trees, especially once they reach their full height, provide a great deal of shade for your home. This helps to cut down on your air conditioning needs during the summer, since you’ll already be cooler.
If you’re looking to keep your home a bit warmer in the winter, well, trees might not be your best friend. Large bushes, however, will do the trick. Plant them in flowerbeds close to your home and they’ll act as a second layer of insulation, trapping the heat for you during the winter. They’ll help to cut down on the wind as well!
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Buy Eco-Friendly and Fair Trade
When you go out shopping, it’s important to keep in mind that everything you buy is basically a vote for that company, and against the others. Buying eco-friendly products means that the way the materials were harvested was done in a sustainable way.
That applies to preventing deforestation, over-fishing the oceans and often means no-pesticides were used. Lancaster furniture stores are an example of keeping household products eco-friendly.
Businesses like this do everything the good old fashioned way; hard work and labor, all by hand, earning the artisan trade title. While large businesses mass produce with machines that pollute, small businesses generally keep their products natural and earnest to nature.
On the same token, fair trade applies to the workers. It ensures that the workers who were involved in any aspect of the production of the product were paid a fair living wage. It also means that international child labor laws are adhered to, which means there were no 10 year-old’s getting paid $0.02 a day to harvest those bananas
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Up-Cycle
Up-cycling is one of those new “buzzwords” that’s been floating around on social media, and it’s actually a really good idea. Basically the idea is to throw less away. Instead of trashing it, find a way to either re-use the product, or turn it into something else. Old platforms can be turned into wall-holders, mason jars can become planters. Go ahead, get creative with your “trash”!
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Unplug
Want to know what’s secretly sucking the power and tacking onto your bill? Yep, it’s those plugs! Cell phone plugs, computer cords, lamps, printers and TVs all continue to suck power, even when they’re off!
You may not be able to unplug everything on a regular basis of course (I don’t even want to attempt getting to the backside of my TV). However, I’m sure there are some things that wouldn’t add more than a few seconds on to your morning routine. Your coffee pot and toaster are probably pretty accessible. Same goes for your cell phone and laptop. Simply pulling the plug is going to reduce your energy usage and you bill.
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Go Au-Natural
Don’t worry, you can keep your clothes on! I’m not talking about walking around in your birthday suit, I’m talking about your household products. It’s pretty amazing how many of your products you can make yourself.
Pretty much everything from laundry detergent to makeup has DIY options that you can find online. Many of these options actually proclaim to both work better and produce more than buying it off the shelf.
No matter why you’re looking to turn a little greener, there are always new, inexpensive ideas that you can implement. Trees, up-cycling and breaking out your crafty side are only some of the options out there. A bit of creative thinking and a little bit of research can open up a whole new world of what you’re capable of.