7 TIPS FOR LIVING GREEN ON EARTH DAY (AND EVERY DAY)
This year’s Earth Day is on Saturday, April 22! This event is now observed in nearly 200 countries around the world — a global movement in support of environmental protection.
Earth Day is a great way to raise awareness about environmental causes. But going green isn’t just a one-day-a-year event, it’s about walking the walk, fixing any “brown” habits and incorporating them into our day-to-day.
Here are our top 7 tips for living the sweet green life:
1. #RecycleYourCartons
Obviously.
2. Buy local
Buying local supports nearby businesses and the economy, and it greatly reduces the carbon footprint of our consumerism. Why? Because it means the products we’re buying weren’t delivered to you from halfway around the world.
3. Buy products with recycled content
Products made from recycled materials save natural resources such as oil and trees, and keep waste out of our landfills. More on Grist.
4. Watch what seafood you eat
Seafood Watch is a great resource for making environmentally responsible choices when purchasing seafood. Their guide and mobile app provide research-supported recommendations on how to buy seafood that has a lower environmental impact. (TLDR: Ask your grocery store where the fish is from and how it was caught or farmed. Even if they don’t know the answer, they know you care — and are more likely to ask their suppliers where the fish came from.)
5. Conserve water
This one could be its own list of tips. There are the obvious ways to conserve H2O such as, “Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth or shaving”, “Choose a shower over a bath” (baths take up to 60 gallons more!) and “Fix leaky sinks and running toilets”.
Some less obvious tips to add into your daily habits include:
- Load your dishwater properly (see best practices here)
- Avoid the permanent press setting on your washing machine (it uses 5 extra gallons for an additional rinse!)
- Water your plants in the early morning when it’s cooler (for less evaporation)
6. Keep a backup handy
This one is just a common sense reminder — keep a tote bag in your car for whenever the mood for groceries strikes and a reusable water bottle nearby to quench your thirst. They’ll reduce your dependence on single-use plastic items like plastic grocery bags and plastic bottled water.
And for those days that you forget a reusable water bottle but want to stay hydrated, reach for water in a carton. Our friends over at Boxed Water, ReThink, JUST Water and Flow Water are great bets.
7. Educate yourself on what you can and can’t recycle in your area
Take 15 minutes to Google what your local waste hauler accepts for recycling (and compost if it’s available). Print out signs to display by recycle bins, if they don’t already have them. The biggest barrier to proper recycling is often just education. Educate yourself and help educate others — spread the word that food and beverage cartons are recyclable!
What are your favorite green tips? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter!