20 Easy Ways I Help the Environment

Although do not consider myself a tree hugger, I try to do things that help the environment.  These things usually help my pocketbook, as well. 

Some of the ways I try to help are:

1.  I bring my own reusable bags to the grocery store.  Yes, sometimes I encounter some rolled-eyes from the baggers or heavy sighs, but I like bringing in my own bags.  I can’t stand all of those plastic ones filling up my house.  Besides, the reusable ones hold more and don’t break.

2.  I reuse the plastic bags. If I happen to forget my plastic bags or didn’t bring in enough reusable ones, I try to find a use for the plastic ones.  I don’t bring home many of them, so it doesn’t take much effort to find other uses.  Typically I use them for trash bags for my bathroom or for cleaning up nasty messes.  We no longer have a garbage disposal, so sometimes I wrap food in them before throwing the food into the trash.  This keeps the house from getting smelly.

3.  I try not to buy prepackaged foods.  Prepackaged foods are too expensive anyway.  I am too cheap to buy them and this frugalness inside me is good for the environment.

4.  I pay my bills online and over the phone.  I pay the majority of my bills this way and only have to write a few checks each month. 

5.  I recycle.  I keep a small box in my pantry that I put recyclables in.  When it fills up, the items go into a big blue tote on my back porch which gets hauled off to the recycling bins each week. 

6.  I teach my family to recycle.  I’ve been known to pull things out of the trash and say, “This is recyclable, you know!”. 

7.  I shop for used clothing and graciously accept hand-me-downs that others offer.

8.  I use a lot of vinegar for cleaning.  Vinegar has become my new family friendly, inexpensive, environmentally safe cleaner.  At all times, I keep a bottle filled with 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 water.  I use it to clean the kitchen table, the kitchen counters, mirrors, bathroom counters, the floor, and more.  I also use vinegar as a laundry softener. 

9.  I use worn out washcloths and towels for rags. 

10.  I wash out the plastic peanut butter jars and frosting containers and use them for crayons, loose change, or other little items.

11.  The kids ride the school bus home from school. 

12.  We live close to my husband’s work.  When we were searching for a place to live, we intentionally chose one very close to his work.

13.  I combine errands and I don’t do a whole lot of driving.  I try to combine my errands so that I’m only out riding around one day each week.

14.  Most of the time I wash our clothes in cold water instead of hot or warm.

15.  I bought an energy efficient and water saving washing machine.  I couldn’t see paying the outrageous price of a new one, so I bought one that was only two years old (for a great price).

16.  I shop at yard sales and thrift stores for household items, toys, books, and clothing.

17.  We plant some vegetables.  Last year,we planted tomatoes and peppers.  The tomatoes did pretty well.  This year, I’m going to try some other vegetables and see how they do.  It rained more this year, so hopefully they’ll do better.

18.  I use gray water to water my plants.  Last year, we did some landscaping to our yard and the new plants and bushes needed to be watered each night.  To help conserve water, I would save my children’s bath water or water that I had used when cooking to water those plants.

19.  I teach my children to conserve.  Just tonight I was explaining why we don’t leave the refrigerator hanging open and how it wastes electricity.  We’ve also had several conversations about wasting water.

20.  I have cut back on the amount of paper towels that I use.  I used to clean with paper towels.  Now I am more aware of how many I am using and most of the time, I use cleaning rags.

Those are the easy ways that I help the environment (and my budget).  What ways do you contribute?

image by Karen Weideman