Table of Content
This holiday season, we’re planting trees in areas around the world that have been severely affected by forest fires and aren't able to recover a healthy ecosystem on their own. The most common naturally-caused wildfires occur during droughts or dry weather, and under these circumstances, trees and other vegetation are converted to flammable fuel. Human-caused forest fires can be a result of various activities like unregulated slash and burn agriculture, equipment failure or engine sparks, and discarded cigarettes.
Buy an inexpensive reusable water bottle, and stop buying plastic disposable bottles. My favorite is the Kleen Kanteen with the sport cap for everyday use and the foldable Vapur for travel. Purchasing a showerhead that has a WaterSense Label ensures that your shower will not use more than 2 gallons of water per minute. WaterSense certified showerheads are also 20% more water efficient than their non-sustainable counterparts. Bring sustainability into your household with the help of recycled toilet paper. Make your life at home a little more sustainable and prevent unnecessary waste by upgrading your old toothbrush to an eco-friendlier alternative.
GREEN UP YOUR DIET
And that’s not necessarily a bad thing; manufacturing new cars takes a lot of resources too. But if you’re in the market for a new car, look for a fuel-efficient model — you’ll save thousands on gas money and reduce your carbon footprint over the years. If you’re buying a new refrigerator, washer or dryer, look for the Energy Star label to find the most efficient appliances. Learn more about fuel economy standards and then compare the gas mileage for new cars. With more than 7.5 billion people in the world, and more every day, our demands for food, water, land and fossil fuels are pushing other species to extinction. We can achieve an ecologically sustainable population in ways that promote human rights; decrease poverty and overcrowding; raise our standard of living; and allow plants, animals and ecosystems to thrive.
Just as keeping your car in shape improves your fuel efficiency, keeping your home in shape improves your energy efficiency. Many states now offer incentives to help you green your home or rental at low or no cost. Not everyone can run out and trade in their old gas-guzzling clunker for the latest planet-friendly hybrid car.
What is Treecember + How to Gift a Tree for the Holidays
Here are eight simple sustainable home improvements that can be made to any property to lower its energy consumption and reduce expenses. When it’s time, replace appliances to energy efficient models (look for the “energy star” label). Unfortunately, millions of trees are consumed each year to create toilet paper. This not only worsens our climate crisis, but also endangers wildlife habitats and indigenous communities worldwide. Partaking in a regular energy audit can help you save money in the long run, reduce unnecessary energy use, and improve the quality of your existing energy output.
We also want to enable people to make more sustainable choices and make it easy for them to reduce food waste, eat more plant-based food and to care for and pass on IKEA products. Bottled water companies try to give tap water a bad name, even though the water from your faucet is practically free and much city water has won quality tests and taste tests against name-brand water. And the extraction of water and production of all those plastic bottles is notoriously harmful to communities and wildlife.
Construction tips for building a sustainable house
This quick and simple addition to your home could give you a great return on investment through reduced heating costs. The technology is also suitable for external doors to a home which can help to retain even more heat. In fact, they can add up to 10-25% of your total heating bill! This translates to a major environmental cost, with 70% of greenhouse gases attributed to the energy usage of buildings, commercial or residential. “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” may feel retro, but it’s just as important today as when the phrase was first coined.
Water conservation is also critical, especially as our growing population puts increased demand on the nation’s water sources and we face unprecedented droughts. You can conserve water by taking shorter showers, fixing leaky toilets, and choosing low-flow and low-water appliance options. From coffee to fruit to clothing, the number of options out there can get overwhelming — but there are some clear leaders when it comes to minimizing your impact on wildlife and the planet. If you’re a coffee drinker, look for “shade-grown” coffee, which is grown while keeping forest habitats intact for migratory birds and other species. Choose Fair Trade certified goods when possible to support companies dedicated to sustainable production and paying laborers a fair wage.
Swap in Sustainable Toothbrushes
Also, some products harm endangered species by threatening their habitat, from cutting down old-growth forests to using up the water that riparian species need to survive. Join the Bluefin Boycott and learn more about Conflict Palm Oil. You can grow a lot of useful vegetables in a windowbox if that is all the space that you have to use.
With a little elbow grease, you’ll be able to tackle everything from your stinky garbage disposal to your mildew-y shower and grease-splattered cook top — all without any exposure to toxic chemicals. Allow you to turn your heating on and off and adjust the temperature from your smartphone. If you leave your home and you have left your heating system running, you can turn it off without turning around. You can also turn your heating on when you are on your way back, so your home is warm when you arrive. Support local restaurants that use food derived less than 100 miles away, and learn more about the benefits of eating locally. Put a stop to unsolicited mail—sign up to opt out of pre-screened credit card offers.
Fifteen years ago, it would have probably been hard to find a sustainable alternative to plastic trash bags. But today, there are several eco-friendly options available on the market. If you are not in the market for a low-flow showerhead, the Alliance for Water Efficiency has some shower water saving tips you can employ. First, they recommend paying attention to how much time you spend in the shower. Or, if you can’t part with your washer and dryer this year, consider washing clothes in cold water only. Only about 10% of the energy used to wash clothes comes from powering the washing machine, whereas the other 90% comes from heating the water used in the wash.
Meat production is one of the most environmentally destructive industries on the planet, responsible for massive amounts of water use, pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and habitat destruction. You have three chances a day to improve the health of the planet — by reducing your meat consumption you can reduce your environmental footprint. Also, nearly 40 percent of edible food in the United States goes to waste -- wasting all of the natural resources that went into producing it. Prevent food waste with smart, planned shopping and creative ways to consume what you purchase.Learn more about how to adopt an Earth-friendly dietand Beat Food Waste. One of the best things you can do for wildlife and the planet, today and for the future, is to get politically involved in your community and at the national level. Urge your representatives to pass stronger policies to limit greenhouse gases, fight climate change, protect our wildlife and public lands and support access to reproductive health services.
Growing and watering ingredients on an industrial scale require a huge amount of energy. Before many common foods, even vegetables, reach the shelves of a supermarket they have to consume a lot of energy. Growing your own food is not only fun and money-saving, but it is also good for the planet too. Their guide breaks down the advantages and disadvantages of dual pane windows, UPVC windows’ cost, and the typical energy savings they can make.
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