An eco-friendly lifestyle is centered on conserving the environment, re-using the available resources and cutting down or back on waste. Eco-friendly living helps you cut back on electricity and water bills, live healthier and maintain clean surroundings. Here are five tips for living a true eco-friendly lifestyle.
· Use less paper and recycle more of the used paper
Paper comes from trees. Using unnecessary amounts of paper means that more trees will be cut. You can lower your usage of paper by sending documents by email instead of printing them, using digital notebooks instead of the physical ones, and taking the used paper to designated areas for recycling.
· Use more natural light and energy saving bulbs
You can make modifications to your home to allow more of the natural light during the daytime. You can also replace the incandescent light bulbs with LED and energy saving bulbs. The latter lasts longer and uses a fraction of the energy used by the regular bulbs. These bulbs are also brighter, therefore it will lessen the number of bulbs you would need to light up a room.
· Reduce water waste
Conserve water by using less water and cutting back on bottled water purchases. You can install a low-flow showerhead to cut down on the amount of water that you use when bathing. You can also invest in efficient water closets that use less water. The gray water from the kitchen can also be used for irrigating your yard rather than being drained to the sewer line. You can also collect rainwater for household use.
· Plant more trees
Trees provide us with fruits, timbers, oxygen and make our landscape beautiful. By planting more trees, we can arrest global warming, bring in more rainfall and make the world a beautiful place to live. As a general rule, always plant two trees after you have cut down one. You can also join the local environmental groups and plant more trees in the neighborhood.
· Use eco-friendly substances
Most of the everyday chemicals like oil, paint, and detergents contain ingredients that are hazardous to the environment. These chemicals are either washed away to the water bodies or seep into the ground and pollute the soil. You can help prevent both scenarios by using biodegradable substances such as detergents, paints, and herbicides. This not only protects your body but also ensures that the ecosystem is not polluted.
If we take on a conservation mindset, we can preserve the environment, its energy resources and ecosystem to protect and preserve the future for the next generation. We are only given one earth and it is our responsibility to take care of it.