Earth Day is a yearly celebration of our planet Earth. This year, it is being celebrated on Saturday 22nd April, with the theme of Invest in our Planet.
Here are some easy eco-friendly green living tips to celebrate Earth Day (and every day!) that won’t cost you a penny, but do help protect the planet!
Natural Light
Eco-friendly living is as easy as opening those curtains and letting the sun shine in. Take advantage of the spring’s brighter mornings and lighter evenings with natural light pouring in through your windows.
Heat Loss
It might be brighter outside, but in true British fashion we may not get any warmer temperatures. An eco-friendly way to keep your home at a comfortable temperature is to avoid heat loss through gaps and cracks by using insulating materials.
TOP TIP: get creative and make a draft excluder with old socks and other unused fabrics.
Rain Water
Sticking with the theme of weather, switch to an eco-friendly water source by collecting and using rain water.
You can buy water butts that collect a lot of water, but your big bowls, pans and containers will do the job of collecting water for an eco-friendly way of watering houseplants, cleaning, washing the car, or even flushing the toilet! With each flush costing between 1-4p it soon adds up…
Organic
Okay, this one might require spending a few extra pence, but with the other eco-friendly living savings it’ll be easy to find the spare change to swap one food item to organic.
Be selective with which you choose. Fruits and vegetables without skins (e.g. berries and broccoli) are best choices to swap, as foods with skins have less direct contact with pesticides and other nasties.
TOP TIP: now is a great time to grow your own! Even the smallest gardens have space for yummy homegrown vegetables.
Compost Heap
Starting a compost heap is a perfect eco-friendly way to reduce food waste going to the environmentally-damaging landfill.
Whether you have acres of land or a balcony garden – you can compost!
You can create an eco-friendly nutrient-rich compost for plants indoors or outdoors without spending a penny.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
An easy way to live an eco-friendly lifestyle is to reduce what you buy by reusing what you already have. A great example of this is reusing water bottles. The average bottle of water costs over £1, whereas reusing a bottle costs nothing!
Recycling properly is so important. Look up how your local council requires you to separate materials and dispose of them correctly to feel eco-smug!
Appliances
Unplug appliances that are not in use, as even on standby-mode they are using energy! Eco-friendly living habits like this will also save you money on your energy bills.
Repair appliances that need fixing before buying a new machine. If buying a new gadget is the only option, look for the energy efficiency stars to make an eco-friendly choice, and consider buying secondhand.
LED Lightbulbs
Switching your traditional lightbulbs to the eco-friendly option of LED light bulbs means you’ll be using much less energy. Energy-saving bulbs last up to 50% longer than traditional lightbulbs.
You could save £153.40 by upgrading just one lightbulb in your home. Technically this tip isn’t free, but it’ll save you money in the long run.
Low Flow Water
Attaching a low flow water fixture to your shower, toilet and taps is a ideal eco-friendly way to reduce the amount of water you’re using by allowing only a low flow of water. Some showers come with this setting already!
Perfect for those houses like mine where the teenagers stay in the shower for a little too long!
Houseplants
Houseplants are essential for eco-friendly living as they naturally improve air quality and eliminate toxins from inside your home and, lets face it, they are pretty to look at!
Houseplants are proven to improve your mood and productivity, and can even speed up your recovery from illness.
Cleaning Products
Green your cleaning routine with non-toxic cleaning products. There are eco-friendly cleaning products for every inch of your home from bathroom to kitchen, carpets to laundry. You can even make your own by using cupboard essentials like Bicarbonate of Soda and Vinegar mixed with essential oils. You can read more about essential oils and their many uses here.
Non-toxic cleaning products are not only better for the planet but also better for you. Eco-friendly cleaning products don’t contain toxic chemicals such as ammonia or chlorine so you’ll find you’re less likely to suffer from headaches, breathing difficulties and skin irritation.
Reusable Bags
Don’t forget your reusable bags! I’ve started carrying one around with me all the time so I don’t get caught short.
Reuse your carrier bags and ditch single-use plastic produce bags in favour of eco-friendly fabric reusable bags. This will also encourage choosing loose produce rather than those pre-packaged in plastic, which cost more than their loose equivalents.
Between Green Boxes
The easiest way to go green is subscribe to the Between Green Susbcription Boxes. We send you a letterbox-friendly box filled with sustainable goodies each month, allowing you to go green hassle-free. Find out more here.
