According to the National Institutes of
Health, about 208 million tons of municipal solid waste is generated per year.
In simple numbers that’s four pounds per person per day.
According to the Native Forest Network, each
person approximately still receives almost 560 pieces of junk mail every year.
44% of it simply ends up in a landfill without even being opened.
Some 100 billion plastic bags are used and
trashed by Americans every year.
These statistics are just the tip of an
iceberg called environmental pollution. While the world is certainly trying to
turn green in many ways, yet it is not possible if it is not adopted at grass
root levels. Every household should take steps to change their homes into a
green and eco-friendly living space. Here are a few easy tips to help you
achieve that.
Save energy
The easiest way to save energy and money is to
change all your incandescent lights into CFL lights. They consume 75% less
electricity and lasts 10 times longer than the regular bulbs.
Save water
Although beaten to death, this is an advice
that still needs a hearing. Water can be saved in so many different ways. Save
while washing clothes in a machine, try to put a full load and at a lower
temperature. Showers that are even two or three minutes shorter can make a huge
difference. Use bucket instead of shower and shower in place of tubs. Install a
low flow flush in toilets, which uses only 1.6 gallons of water as against the
3.5 gallons in old models.
Save trees
Old t-shirts and old clothes can become waste
cloths to wipe and clean instead of paper. When buying paper, try to buy
unbleached ones, as bleaching creates harmful byproducts. If you like wooden
floors, opt for bamboo. They are environmentally friendly, and grow quickly,
unlike hardwood trees, which take 50-100 years to mature.
Go local
A typical grocery food store product travels nearly 1,500 miles
before settling in the aisle. Think about the carbon footprint it will leave.
If you want to preserve your environment, go local. Support local farmers by
buying from them. You’ll not only save energy, but also get the freshest of
food.
Shop online
While the argument continues about how much
carbon footprint online shopping may leave, you can still make the best use of
it. For example, many stores associated with numerous online Cash Back websites
will oblige with already-used packaging, or leave the catalogue out if you
prefer. So, every small step counts to make a big difference.
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