Spring is in the air and Earth Day is just around the corner, falling on April 22nd. In honor of Earth Day, make it your mission to become more mindful of the decisions you make, and to understand how your decisions have an impact on the planet. Have you ever tossed an empty water bottle in the garbage instead of the recycling bin? Are you guilty of taking excessively-long showers or leaving all of the lights on when you leave the house?
So this Earth Day, try to alter these habits and instead embrace a more sustainable, eco-friendly lifestyle. Below are just four resolutions you can make to help make the world a cleaner, safer and more environmentally-friendly place.
1.Use less water
It’s easy to take for granted the fact that water is so readily available everywhere we go. In reality, we actually have a limited water supply, where only 3% of water on Earth is freshwater, according to the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation. Did you know that one person can use anywhere from 80 to 100 gallons of water in one day?
Because water is necessary to sustain human life, it’s important to conserve wherever you can. Try taking shorter showers, turning off the tap while brushing your teeth, and only running the dishwasher or washing machine once they are full. Any way you can cut down on the amount of water you use, you’re making a difference!
2. Take up thrifting
Common get in and On like a Thrift Shop!
The fashion industry is one of the largest contributors to Earth’s pollution, where “fast fashion” has made a tremendous impact on the environment. Textiles are not 100% disposable, so most of the clothing we throw away piles up in landfills and can take up to 200 years to decompose. The next time you’re looking for a new T-shirt or pair of pants, skip out on a mall trip and instead hit up your local thrift store.
Shopping secondhand isn’t only a more eco-friendly route, but it can be significantly more affordable than shopping at big box stores. Interested in buying or donating clothing without even leaving your house? Online thrift shops like thredUP offer a wide variety of clothing and accessories, plus you can donate your old clothes right on their website. Do your part by shopping for pre-worn, pre-loved clothing in an effort to minimize the textile waste that is produced every day.
3. Keep your neighborhood clean
Mismanaged trash is especially impactful on the environment. We’ve all been witness to the plastic wrapper, water bottles and other debris that accumulate along roadways, in bodies of water and even around our own neighborhoods. This Earth Day, don’t just be a passerby when you notice garbage sitting on the side of the road. Take action by cleaning up the trash that you come across, even if it’s just around town. If you’re feeling super motivated, you might even gather together a few friends or family members to clean up the trash along a roadway or on a hiking trail.
Choose reusable over disposable
In order to minimize the waste products that end up in our oceans and along our highways, it’s important to think about the products that can be reused over and over again.
Single-use plastics like disposable water bottles and plastic bags are terrible for the planet and are two of the items that we dispose of the most. Instead, try using reusable canvas bags when you head to the farmer’s market or grocery store. You can also swap out a 30-pack of plastic water bottles with a single stainless steel bottle that can be refilled throughout the day. Little changes such as these can have a tremendous impact and can help reduce the amount of waste you produce.
Earth Day only comes once a year, but that doesn’t mean you should discontinue your efforts to make the world a better, more sustainable place. Keep up these resolutions throughout the year and feel confident that you’re doing your part in creating a more eco-friendly world for yourself, your family and future generations to come.