5 Simple Changes You Can Make To Your Life To Help The Environment

You love our planet, and you want to do all that you can to help it heal. Taking small actions each day can go a long way in helping the Earth. Here, we’ll take a look at five simple ways you can change your life that positively affect the environment. 

Number one: reuse and recycle. When you cut down on waste in your home, you’re doing your part to help the environment thrive. Reducing your consumption keeps food, clothes, and other products out of landfills. Reusing and recycling items instead of buying new or throwing things into the trash (and eventually, the landfill) reduces greenhouse gas emissions and helps to conserve the Earth’s natural resources (like water and fuel). Next time you’re about to toss an item in the trash, stop and think: is there a way you could give the item new life?

Number two: change your transportation situation. Sometimes, it makes sense to fly or drive, but often, public transportation, biking, and walking can get you where you need to go. Carpooling is also a great way to cut down on the number of cars on the road, reducing your contribution to global warming. If you have to drive, be sure to keep up with local emissions regulations to ensure that your car is meeting government standards. 

Number three: go meatless one day each week. The production of farm animals (especially cattle) has a negative impact on the environment. Farm animals require large areas to graze. The creation of these areas requires deforestation, a process in which trees are cut down to make space for agriculture. This decreases the number of plants available in the area to transform carbon dioxide into oxygen. Farm animals also produce large amounts of methane, which contributes to the destruction of the ozone layer and contributes to climate change. Simply going meatless one day each week can have a large impact on the amount of meat you consume in a year, and doing so can positively affect the environment. 

Number four: consider switching to solar power. While getting solar panels installed on your home can take some time, doing so pays off in the long run. In addition to adding value to your home, solar panels eventually pay for themselves by saving you money on your electricity bill. Be sure to take advantage of any tax credits that you may qualify for when you switch over to solar energy. 

Number five: save water. Just one percent of the water on Earth is suitable for human consumption. Saving water can help you do your part to save the planet. Limiting showers to five minutes, cleaning your outdoor walkways with a broom instead of a hose, and washing only full loads of laundry can all go a long way in helping you save valuable h2o.