Conserving Natural Resources at Home

Natural resources are precious to our planet, many people have already made the first step in consuming less and conserving more, in an effort to leave behind a healthy planet for future generations. The average American uses around 2,000 gallons of water a day, while in other countries like those in Africa, families only use about 5 gallons of water a day. It’s our duty to ensure our planet is here for years to come, and will be ‘healthy’ enough to support our future generations.

Take a look below at some steps you can take to conserve natural resources at home”

Conserving Water

Taking these steps to conserve water can make a big difference. Remember you will not only be conserving, but saving money on your water bill!

• Only wash full loads of laundry.
• Fill a bucket while showering and use it to water plants.
• Run the dishwasher only when full.
• Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth.
• Create a lawn watering schedule using a watering calculator.
• Harvest rainwater.
• Install water-efficient appliances and shower heads.

Cut Down On Food Packaging and Waste

Between production and distribution, food takes up a lot of natural resources before it even makes its way to your home. Once eaten, the leftover plastic wrappers, cardboard boxes and uneaten scraps find a permanent home in your local landfill, emitting greenhouses gasses as they slowly decompose. Below are some tips for eco-friendly eating:

• Plan your weekly meals to waste less food.
• Only buy food on your shopping list.
• Start a compost pile.
• Cut down on processed foods in your cupboards.
• Pack your lunch with reusable containers.
• Skip fast food.
• Reuse water bottles and plastic bags.
• Use less straws, plastic silverware and paper plates.
• Start a community garden.

Save Fuel

We all know by now that fuel emissions pollute the air, it’s important to conserve fuel and try to cut back on your fuel intake as much as possible. Whether you choose to buy a hybrid vehicle, carpool, ride your bike to the store, or any other way you find you can cut back on driving. Making changes to your driving habits can make a huge impact on the environment, not only will you spend less money on gas, you will also significantly reduce your carbon footprint.

• Turn your engine off when idling longer than 15 minutes.
• Use ride-sharing services like Uber or Lyft.
• Take public transportation like buses or trains.
• Carpool to work.
• Consider buying an electric vehicle if your budget allows.
• Walk or ride your bike.
• Pump regular fuel, unless your vehicle requires premium.
• Avoid idling in fast-food lanes.
• Keep tires fully inflated for better fuel economy.
• Only use A/C in your car when necessary.

Use Less Paper

Between the piles of mail at home, stacks of paper at work, and junk magazines you definitely have more paper waste than you realize. Unread mail, old phonebooks and magazines, and other paper products sit in landfills and continue to pile up, while more and more forests are cut down each year to produce these paper products. Here’s some ways you can limit your paper use:

• Switch to online bill pay.
• Opt out of junk mail subscriptions.
• Think before you print.
• Recycle according to your local guidelines.
• Subscribe to digital magazine subscriptions.
• Donate boxes from online shopping or after moving.

Use Less Electricity at Home

Using less electricity at home will not only have a positive impact on the environment, but it will also save you money! Limiting your home’s electric use can make a huge difference, take a look at some ways you can conserve electricity:

• Unplug chargers and appliances when not in use.
• Open your windows instead of running the A/C.
• Close shades during sunny hours.
• Turn lights off before leaving your home.
• Install timers or motion detectors on indoor and outdoor lighting.
• Replace your lightbulbs with LEDs.

There are tons of ways to conserve natural resources at home, many of which will not only help our planet but will help out your pockets! If you have items in your home that need to be disposed of properly or recycled let us know at Waste Solutions 123! We can help you take care of any recyclable materials, and will make sure they are properly dealt with, call us today for more information!