More and more people are looking into ways to organize their lives in a way that has as little negative impact on the environment as possible. Those aware of the problems really wish to do their part, but are often intimidated by the amount of money they think is necessary to invest in order to live green.
Although that might be true in many cases, there are also many steps we can take to make our lives much more environment-friendly without breaking the bank. If you’re serious about going green, have a look at some ideas that are effective, but also budget-friendly.
Shop locally
The idea behind this tip is that you won’t be using your car to drive to and from a remote shop, which reduces CO2 emission and air pollution. Also, you won’t be wasting time stuck in traffic jams, which would allow you to spend that time more productively. Finally, having to walk to a nearby shop means you’ll be getting additional exercise, which is beneficial to your health.
Manage your waste
You can actually save quite a lot by planning your meals carefully. If you have a clear and realistic plan, you only need to shop for the groceries you’ll actually need, which means there will be much less, if any, waste lying around the fridge for days. On a larger scale, the fact that you’ll be reducing your waste and that you won’t be filling landfills so much means a lot to the planet. Trying to implement zero waste home policy is not easy, but it’s far from unattainable. Recycling and composting are just some of the activities you should pay more attention to in your efforts. Live green by recycling and not wasting items is certain budget friendly!
Looking after home appliances
This may not seem obvious to some, but keeping your home appliances well-maintained means that you’ll extend their life, which, in turn, means you won’t have to replace them with newer models. Making sure you regularly wipe the dust of your fridge coils and covering the stove top drip pans with aluminium foil to get better heat reflection are easy and cheap tricks that can help you with this aspect.
Home improvement
If you need to or simply wish to make some home improvements, do consider making your home more energy efficient. There are a lot of materials that provide excellent quality, but are also environment-friendly. Not only that, but you can also save a fortune on various bills if you do these renovation projects carefully. If you want to learn more about the options, simply follow this link.
Saving energy
There is no need for the lights to be on when you’re not in the room. Also, instead of traditional bulbs, which consume much more energy, you should use compact fluorescent or LED ones. Another trick is to unplug your appliances when you don’t need them, which also helps you save a bit of energy and money. Finally, by adjusting your thermostat a bit and lowering the temperature when you’re away will help you use less energy and save some money, too.
Less paper and plastic if possible
Try not to use paper and plastic at home if you can. Reading magazines and newspapers online is one step you can make in the right direction, and so is taking your shopping bag to your local grocery store instead of getting new plastic bags every time. This is not only convenient and free of charge, but also very beneficial to the environment.
As you can see, there are so many things you can do if you want to live green on a budget and don’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. If you only invest some thought and attention, you might be able to enjoy an economical, sustainable and environment-friendly living, which will benefit both you and your family, as well as the whole planet.
We just swapped out the filter and cleaned the back of our refrigerator this month and it is working good as new! Those little steps can add up. Thanks for sharing on the Waste Less Wednesday Blog Hop!
HI Katy,
Yes little steps do and can make a difference. Thanks for hosting Waste Less Wednesday blog hop. Have a great day!
Great tips for saving money going green! It’s not an easy or cheap process unless you really think about it. Reusing and repurposing is number 1!! Thanks for sharing with #wastelesswednesday
HI Leah,
Glad you liked my article and tips. I agree reusing and repurposing is number 1. Thanks for stopping by and commenting. Have a healthy, happy & blessed day!