Not sure how you can do your part to save the environment? Pat yourself on the back first! Learning and researching are one of the most significant steps you can take into your eco-friendly journey. You should be proud of yourself for wanting to create a change and try out new wasteless habits.
We’re here to show you that becoming more eco-friendly is not as difficult as it seems- it can begin from the comforts of your home! Through these simple beginner tips, you can embark on your exciting journey to help save the earth. Whether it’s a small step of bringing your own eco-friendly bags or reusing old materials, you’ve got this!
Switch from disposable to reusable
Take a look around your house and consider which disposable items do you use the most? For most households, paper towels, toilet rolls and tissue boxes are one of the most wasted products. Almost all tissue products are made from trees, rather than recycled paper. Try cutting down on disposable items by finding reusable alternatives for them! For example, switching to cloth towels instead of paper towels, handkerchiefs instead of tissues, and installing bidets in your households to encourage using less toilet paper.
Check out barePack Singapore, that was born from the frustration upon witnessing the abundance of disposable plastics consumed in Singapore. barePack’s practical day to day solution aims to target the injustice felt having to chose between convenience and sustainability. You can discover more about them here and learn how you can do your part!
Switch off when not in use
Switch off your appliances when you are not using them! This simple way to protect the environment tends to be overlooked by most people. When you’re leaving a room or the house, make sure that you’ve switched off all your lights and fans. When you’re washing the dishes, switch the tap off when you’re soaping up the dishes and when it’s not in use. Turning appliances off can help to save energy as well as reduce carbon emissions and other greenhouse gases.
Take a break from fast fashion
It’s not easy to cut down on fast fashion all at once! This is especially so if you enjoy shopping and you’re used to purchasing things without considering the possible consequences it might have on the earth. Though you don’t have to stop completely, it’ll be good to cut down from fast fashion once in a while. Take online shopping breaks by disabling notifications regarding sales or slowly start removing online shopping applications on your phone.
Donate your preloved items
Try going for more high-quality and eco-friendly products that can last longer instead of succumbing to cheap, low-quality ones that support fast fashion. Reading and educating yourself on the effects of fast fashion can also motivate you to become an eco-friendly conscious consumer. You can read up more on what questions you should ask yourself before purchasing here!
It’s definitely more convenient to toss out your unwanted clothes and products into the bin instead of finding ways to repurpose and recycle them. However, clothing that sits in landfills releases toxic greenhouse gases into the environment when they break down. Next time before you toss out an old item, consider donating them instead!
Donating things like used clothes, books, shoes and many more will not only reduce waste but also help those in need. Donating is simple and fuss-free! Besides the Salvation Army, check out this list of places where you can donate your old items to specialised areas so they can reach the specific people in need.
Go digital instead of paper
Instead of using planners and post-it notes, go digital by using your laptop or phone’s calendar and reminders to replace them. With the rise of technology, most of us have our phones with us no matter where we go. Therefore, it’s much more convenient to make use of apps and reminders that are easy to refer to whenever we need. This will help to reduce the amount of paper that you’re using. Though post-it notes are tiny, less than 10% of it contains any recycled content and barely qualifies as an eco-friendly product. Cut down on your daily waste and check out more ways you can become a zero-waste hero here!
Reusing rainwater
Whenever there’s a huge storm approaching, it’s your chance to recycle some water! Rainwater can be used to water your houseplants, flush toilets, or even filtered and used inside the house as a secondary water supply if you have the proper equipment. Set up buckets and pails outside your home, sit back, and let mother nature do her thing! Reusing rainwater is one of the easiest ways you can save water.
Air-dry your laundry
Did you know that air-drying is much easier on your clothes as compared to using an electric dryer? The combo of heat and tumbling from dryers wears away at the strength of fabric fibres. This causes tiny bits to break away- creating that fuzzy stuff in your dryer’s lint trap. Air-drying your clothes will save energy and electricity, as you can reduce your home’s carbon footprint by 2,400 pounds a year. Save the earth and your clothes- cut down on using the clothes dryer as much as you can!
Walk as often as you can
As simple as this sounds, walk! Walking plays a vital role in improving our quality of life because it helps protect and enhance the environment and its natural resources. Communities that support walking and walking paths have the potential to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gases which motor cars emit into the air. The less we consume, the less damage we do the environment. Minimalism deals with waste-less concepts that are in line with green living. Check out these reasons why being an eco-friendly minimalist can benefit the earth!
Say no to plastic straws and coffee stirrers
Always forgetting to bring your metal straws out with you? You can still make a difference by saying no to plastic straws or coffee stirrers whenever you can! Disposable straws and coffee stirrers are only used for a short while before they are tossed into the bin. Most of the time, you don’t need that straw when you can simply drink from the cup. You can also replace coffee stirrers with raw spaghetti sticks which are just as useful and biodegradable!
Through introducing these simple tips, we hope that you’ll be inspired to embark on your eco-friendly journey from the comforts of your home. It is a step by step process into making the world a better and more sustainable place for everyone. Every small effort counts, and we should all strive to become more conscious about reducing waste products and preserving the environment.
The Virtual Green Christmas Market
This Christmas, we’re on a mission to reduce our waste and carbon footprint. Join us at The Virtual Green Christmas Market from 27 – 29 Nov 2020 to discover eco-friendly gift ideas for your loved ones! Shop sustainable businesses across 5 categories, enjoy hourly upsized cashback and win prizes during the event. RSVP to the Virtual Green Christmas Market now!
