13 Ways To Go Green While Saving Green

Getting into all the ways we can change to help the planet can get a little overwhelming. But remember, it's “the people who make the biggest difference are the ones who do little things consistently.”

To celebrate Earth Day, just pick even just one or two things off this list to start applying to your day-to-day life to help save the planet and save you money!

Reduce the amount of food you throw away

While you might not be ready to start composting, you can still reduce food waste by planning meals before you go to the grocery store, by learning to love leftovers, and by understanding and remembering expiration dates.

Turn off the lights!

Save energy by turning off the lights in your home whenever you can. Letting sunlight in can also help boost our mood! Using energy efficient light bulbs will also help save the planet and save you money even when you do need the lights on.

Reserve water

Clean water is a resource often taken for granted. To save water, turn off the tap while you brush your teeth, take shorter showers, and find ways to clean your dishes more efficiently.

Be conscious about packaging

Shop wisely. Many brands are starting to offer package-free products like shampoo and lotion! Pay attention to excess packaging and chose brands that create less waste.

Shop locally

Buying local products helps reduce emissions when what you’re buying doesn’t have to be shipped in from another state or country. When it comes to produce, buying what is in season will also help with this.

Switch to reusable

Choose reusable options to replace things like grocery bags, produce bags, water bottles, coffee thermoses, cloth towels, and metal straws.

Say goodbye to dryer sheets

Wool dryer balls are a great alternative to dryer sheets. You can add a few drops of essential oils to them to add a fresh scent to your laundry and they help you avoid chemicals used in dryer sheets. Doing less laundry and cleaning your lint filter after each use are also great ways to both lower your utilities bill and to save energy.

Sign up for paperless billing

Opt in to paperless billing- some companies even offer lowered payments/fees for going paperless! (BONUS: Get rid of the spam and the excess paper, go to optoutprescreen.com to stop receiving pre-approved credit card offers and sign up on catalogchoice.org to reduce the amount of unsolicited catalogs sent to you.)

Buy green power from your utility

In many states, you can opt for renewable energy from your local power company for a few extra dollars a month. Visit the Green Power Network’s U.S. map at eere.energy.gov/greenpower to get started.

Skip the red meat (even just once a week)

Meat production is extremely resource-intensive, so eat less of it and choose sustainably raised beef whenever you can. If only you gave up red meat once every seven days, you would save the 840 gallons of fresh water it takes to produce a single serving.

Reuse everything

Change your mindset and think twice before throwing things away. Get creative with things like resealable plastic bags, glass jars, peanut butter jars, and tupperware.

Cut down car use

Help save the planet and save money on gas! Use public transportation, carpool, walk, or ride your bike- even just a few times a week makes a difference.

Buy eco-friendly products

Choosing to purchase from companies that sustainably source their products is one small change you can make to make a big difference.

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