Simple Eco-Friendly Changes Your Family Can Make Today

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint and Make a Difference

Do you ever ask yourself, will my small eco-friendly changes and efforts at home really make a big difference? 

Every time I save a food scrap for the compost or use a cloth towel instead of a paper towel, I wonder, are these small changes really going to have a positive effect on the environment? 

The answer is yes! Individuals can make a difference, but in different ways than you may think.  Our simple personal changes do help but may not do enough alone to offset the carbon levels in the atmosphere. Our individual actions also contribute to awareness for change on a larger level.

“In fact, getting politicians and industry to address climate change may start at home.” The Slate Group

When we lead by example, others will see and learn of the benefits and want to make the same changes as well. Which will, in turn, make an influence on a much larger scale.

Eco-Friendly Living

Eco-friendly living means to live in a way that reduces your carbon footprint. Living in a way that supports and helps protect the environment. Eco-friendly living is about giving more to the earth and to others than you take. To produce less waste and help regenerate more. 

Carbon Footprint

Your carbon footprint is your impact on the environment. Greenhouse gases such as carbon are released from the earth’s surface and they trap energy from the sun. This process, the greenhouse effect, happens naturally and we need the greenhouse effect to keep the earth warm. However, humans have contributed to a larger than normal carbon emission and are causing the atmosphere to become too warm leading to global warming. 

As I stated in my previous article, Connect with Nature, climate change and global warming are having devastating effects on the diversity of our ecosystems and the species within them, as well as, the many effects on humans (more severe weather patterns, drought, wildfires, food security, etc).

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, “Human activities are responsible for almost all of the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere over the last 150 years. The largest source of greenhouse gas emissions from human activities in the United States is from burning fossil fuels for electricity, heat, and transportation.” 

Have you ever wondered what your individual or your family’s carbon footprint impact is? Internationally, the carbon footprint per person is 4 tons. In the US, it is 16 tons! Click here to access the carbon footprint calculator and find out your carbon footprint.

Eco-Friendly Changes

How can you make a difference? I have listed 43 simple eco-friendly changes below. There are many items listed you can make right away or in the near future, but others that will take some time if you have the availability or funds to do so. 

Use a step by step approach to reduce your carbon emissions. List what items are attainable for you and make one or two changes per week. You will be amazed as to how quickly you can make a difference.

Reduce Emissions

• Drive less
• Carpool
• Take public transportation
• Switch to a hybrid or electric car, if possible. This is one of my goals!
• Cut back on flying 

Fashion Industry

• Shop second hand
• Reduce consumerism
• Simplify your wardrobe
• Purchase from companies that produce sustainable products: Recycled wool/shoes, etc.  
• Support local shops. Click here to see how many popular companies today are committing to reduce their carbon footprint. 
• Create your own compostable home/holiday decor. Check out our most recent DIY project.

Eat Less Meat

• Focus on eating more vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, and whole grains
• Support local farms and regenerative agriculture

Less Food Waste

• Grow your own food
• Compost food scraps
• Plan meals and your grocery list before shopping
• Purchase bulk and food with less packaging
• Eat at home: Not only is this a healthier option, but it will save you money as well as reduce food waste due to the huge portions of food restaurants tend to provide.
• Properly store leftover food and eat the leftovers!

Reduce and/or Eliminate Single-Use Plastics

• Use reusable water bottles and food containers
• Purchase reusable ziplock alternatives. I do have ziplock bags we bought quite a while ago and I use them when needed, but always wash them after use. They will keep for a long time. Reuse, Reuse Reuse! 
• Use reusable shopping bags
• Recycle! 

In the Home

• Wash your laundry in cold water and air dry
• Take shorter cooler showers
• Use energy-efficient appliances
• Switch to LED lights
• Turn off lights and unplug electronic devices
• Purchase solar panels for the home
• Use your heater and air conditioner less
• Use a cloth or recycled options for paper towels
• Grow food, not lawns! Reduce lawn size if possible and decrease watering time.
• Zero scape the yard and use local native plants: This will also help cut down on lawnmower usage.
• Or transform your yard into a permaculture food forest
• Use eco-friendly zero waste self-care products or make your own
• Use eco-friendly zero waste home cleaning products or make your own

Help on a Larger Scale

• Plant a tree: This helps to reduce the carbon in the air
• Join a local environmental group or organization
• Volunteer or larger community projects
• Make donations
• Sign petitions
• And don’t forget to Vote!

Benefits of Eco-Friendly Living

Living eco-friendly can affect your wellbeing. Not only does it give you peace of mind to know you are doing the right thing for your family, the community and the environment, but living eco-friendly can also contribute to health benefits. 

There are many toxic ingredients in most of the self-care and home care products on the market today. Health food stores usually have better alternatives for healthy living and self-care. There are also many DIY recipes for these products as well. 

To check whether or not your personal care products are safe, go to the Environmental Working Group’s skin deep page. Search for the product and it will give you ingredient concerns as well as a rating for the item. You can do the same for cleaning products.  The Environmental Working Group’s guide to healthy cleaning and search page can be found here. 

Eco-friendly living can also help to save money. The initial investments will eventually pay off. Think of all the reusable items you will utilize (lunch containers, bags, straws, water bottles, napkins, paper towels, etc.) These items may eventually need to be replaced but will last a lot longer than a single one-use plastic item that will be purchased on an ongoing basis. 

Solar panels, water heater panels, rainwater storage tanks, LED lighting, etc. will reduce your monthly home utility bills. 

Growing your own food will help reduce grocery costs as well as reduce chemical/pesticide exposure to the food that you consume. 

Purchasing second hand and/or high-quality sustainability fashion items will also help save you money. Second hand is definitely less expensive than shopping at a retail store and when you purchase sustainable items, you know they are good quality and will last a lot longer which will cut down your shopping trips to the mall.

Conclusion

Now, let’s focus on the original question of this article, will individual action make a difference? 

Individual efforts can make a difference. Simple eco-friendly changes can reduce your carbon footprint. Lead by example and influence others to do the same. Teach your children who, in turn, can influence their friends, bring awareness through conversations with friends and family, join a local environmental group or organization to volunteer for larger projects, make donations, and sign petitions. Most importantly, vote!  Let’s all come together to take collective action to do our part for the planet. 

Do your part! Have you made any eco-friendly changes in your life? Please share below.