Every day should be about saving the Earth, not just one day out of the year. People talk about how humans are responsible for climate change and global warming. We may be. I see it as the Earth’s way of asking for help. Non-scientists, like you and me, can do some things to stop the ozone layer’s continued deterioration. These are things that you can start right now. Hence, they are accessible and cheap to start when you are ready.
Below is a list of easy and cheap solutions to help you begin saving our planet.
1. Switch your Toothbrush to a compostable Toothbrush.
Your dentist tells you to switch your toothbrush every 3-4 months. Well, now think about how all of your toothbrushes in your lifetime. According to National Geographic, one person uses 300 toothbrushes in their lifetime. National Geographic writes that if you lay out all Americans’ toothbrushes in a year, it can surface the entire planet.
To replace your toothbrush and become more eco-friendly, try a compostable toothbrush, such as a bamboo toothbrush.
You can get a pack on Amazon for between $6 and $10. The best part is that after you are done and want to change your toothbrush, you only have to throw it in your compost bin. The toothbrush breaks down, and you have some fertilizer for your plants. It’s that easy.
2. Compost your Food Scraps
Did you know that, according to the USDA, food scraps make up 30-40% of landfills? That equates to approximately 133 billion pounds of wasted or lost food. This food waste could go to a restaurant rescue or your compost bin.
If you are new to composting, check out my blog post, How to’s of composting and why it’s essential. It’ll teach you all about what you need to start composting and everything that goes into composting.
3. Walk More, Bike More, and Drive Less.
We all know that driving everywhere makes it easy and faster to get to places. But it’s not great for the environment. Walking and biking are better for reducing your carbon footprint and bringing you some exercise to decompress, especially after a stressful day at work.
4. Plant a Tree for/with your kids or grandkids.
The Earth thrives when you plant a tree with your kids, grandkids, someone you love, or someone in your community. You bond with your community and your community.
Trees help the environment and us in many ways, including helping humans bond and create relationships. Below are some ways that trees benefit the Earth and us.
Some Ways that trees help the environment:
- Reduce the carbon footprint.
- Carbon footprint is carbon dioxide humans create with buildings, cars, and other machines.
- Create new homes for wildlife to replace the ones we chop down for resources.
- Produces food for us humans and wildlife to feed and fuel us.
- Aids in flood relief by soaking up water in their roots.
- Creates a good sense of community. In parks with trees, people want to gather and be around each other in a beautiful space.
- It helps reduce energy use. In the summertime, having trees shading your house helps reduce the energy you use from your air conditioner.
- Reduces air pollutants both in and outside. You can plant trees inside your house in pots or out. Trees help with water pollution and filter toxic water.
5. Pick up litter on streets in your neighborhood or your favorite trail.
When walking on your favorite trail or route, bring some trash bags or put up a little along the way. Every bit of trash you pick up helps beautify your favorite spots and relaxes others who walk on them, too.
6. Use Mesh Bags for produce and recycled bags for your groceries.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or the EPA, in 2018, around 27 million tons of plastic ended up in landfills. Since it takes at least 100 years to decompose, mesh bags are better to take with you.
Mesh bags can be bought in a grocery store or online. They are washable and can be reused during grocery shopping or for other snacks when you’re on the go.
Bonus points: most mesh bags do not wind up in the oceans stuck to the wildlife or inside their stomachs as much as plastic bags.
7. Recycle or Repurpose
We have all heard the proverb: Somebody’s trash is another man’s treasure. When it comes to recycling and repurposing an old item, it becomes a heartfelt treasure for you or someone else. Plus, when you recycle or repurpose something, it’s an opportunity for that item not to be put in a landfill.
Repurposing an item not only allows you to be creative but also allows you to work with your hands to make something for someone else. In addition, you can sell it to someone else who wants it. So, it can help you financially if you are strapped for cash and need extra to pay your bills.
Think about all that stress you can relieve from today’s society by creating something out of a used item to help someone or for them as a decoration to admire.
8. Use newspapers in your garden, home, or for gift wrapping
You are missing out if you never got a gift wrapped up in the comics section. When I was young, my uncle would wrap all my gifts in comics. I always thought of it as a 2-for-1 gift: I got something great AND a laugh out of Dagwood.
Reading the comics to make your day lighter and to be able to save the environment on top of it. You, of course, can use any part of the newspaper, depending on the person you are gifting to.
Newspapers are multipurpose. You don’t have to use them only for gift wrapping; you can also use them in your garden.
Newspapers are recyclable, and you can use them in a few ways, such as:
- Newspaper kills grass in the garden by laying it down before planting. You can layer it with hay and cardboard to help with weeds or grass.
- Use for composting. Newspaper is considered a “brown” item because it combines green and brown to balance a good compost for gardening. Limit the amount of newspaper in your compost since it’s tougher to break down than most “brown” items.
- Gift wrapping.
9. Change your lightbulbs to LED.
You can save money and the environment by changing your lightbulbs to LEDs. They also last longer than incandescent. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, LEDs in homes use approximately 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs and 25 times longer than them.
10. Plant a garden you can eat from
Inflation is getting to us all. Everything has increased, including the price of food. Gardening is the way to decrease gas costs at the grocery store, understand the effect of car emissions on the environment, and grow something with your hands.
Grow some things you love to eat, like lettuce, tomatoes, strawberries, etc., to help the Earth. Plus, you will feel accomplished that you can provide for your family by feeding them something you grew, which keeps your bank account fatter.
You can grow a garden both inside and outside your house. So, do not fret if it’s winter and you think it’s impossible. It is not. Growing things inside and in containers during all seasons will help you. One less thing you need to buy at the store is better than nothing if it will help you feed your loved ones.
11. Recycle or Repurpose Your Clothes.
Do you squat a lot at work and get rips in your crotch or wear out your favorite clothes from wearing them unstop? It’s a pain in the posterior that your favorite clothes keep wearing out.
A lot of people throw their clothes away and have them end up in landfills.
Ways to keep your clothes out of the landfill:
- You can recycle your clothes at a thrift store.
- If your clothes are made of natural textiles, such as cotton or silk, you can compost them.
- Cut them up. You can use them for arts and crafts projects, like quilting backing, or as rags to clean your house.
12. Buy yourself reusable utensils.
Before a party, it’s so easy to buy plastic utensils because you don’t have the time or energy to wash them afterward.
According to the Ocean Conservancy, in 2018, at a volunteer clean-up, they picked up approximately 2 million individual pieces of plastic utensils from the ocean. This is mind-boggling. I don’t think dolphins need plastic to help them eat.
13. Get yourself a solar flashlight.
I originally got a solar flashlight when going to Girl Scout camp as a leader with my troop. I wanted something that would stay on all night if the girls got scared in the woods or the tents.
Solar flashlights are fantastic. They are a reusable energy source, so you feel better using them. Plus, it’s always good to have something like that when the power goes out in the winter, and you scramble to find something in a dark house.
Where to start?
You don’t need to start all of these things at once. Changing your habits is hard and takes 21 days to accomplish. Start small. Start with one thing to save the Earth and progress to more. Why don’t you start with one new thing a month? This way, you can help the environment and adapt to your family’s unique way of living.
Let me know in the comments what your first step will be to save the Earth or something you have done to help the Earth. You got this!
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Happy gardening, lovelies! :
