Climate change is an extremely serious issue, and when it comes to reversing the effects of global warming, we need to join together in a collective effort.
You might feel like a small fish in a big pond, but the reality is that if every person in the world made the effort to reduce their personal environmental impact, we’d see significant reductions in energy consumption, plastic waste, fossil fuel emission, and more.
If you’re looking to make simple eco-friendly switches to support the health of our planet, this article should be a helpful source of inspiration.
1. Use Shampoo/Conditioner Bars
If you’re still using shampoo and conditioner from the bottle, the environmentally friendly alternative is to buy shampoo and conditioner bars.
These bars are sold in cardboard containers, so they’re completely plastic-free. And because they’re generally sold by environmentally conscious manufacturers, they’re typically made from natural, non-toxic ingredients, with no animals involved in the lab testing process.
Wondering whether these are a good option practically? It might take a bit of adjusting first, but these bars are generally very easy to use, and you can store them between use in a stainless steel or bamboo container.
2. Buy Plastic-Free Fruit and Veg
Another easy eco-friendly switch is to buy fruit and veg with no plastic packaging.
Many fresh fruits and veggies are still packaged in plastic containers. Items like mushrooms, peppers, apples, and tomatoes are packaged in this manner, and they’re sold in the thousands every day – needlessly contributing to plastic pollution.
Make an effort to choose fruits and vegetables without unnecessary packaging. This might mean visiting your local farmer’s market or zero-waste store, or just shopping more consciously and choosing products without plastic packaging where possible.
3. Invest in Solar Power
Investing in solar power is one of the more expensive eco-friendly switch on this list, but it’s also one of the only ones that benefits you as well as the planet.
Solar panels might not mean you can live completely off the grid, but they can help you shave a chunk of money off your monthly electricity bill by taking advantage of renewable energy directly from the sun.
Buying solar panels for your home will help you reduce your reliance on energy from less environmentally friendly sources and save some money while you’re at it, making it a win-win move. Sites like Solar Power Now are helpful for accessing the most affordable solar power solutions.
4. Buy Second-Hand
Consumerism is a big problem in today’s society, and we’ve all become accustomed to spending $10 here and there on new clothes, home decor, and anything else that catches our eye without thinking twice. And with more purchases inevitably comes more waste, with major environmental repercussions.
There are two solutions to the consumerism problem: buy consciously, and when you do, try to buy second-hand as much as possible.
Buying consciously means considering whether you actually need a certain product in your life, or at least want it enough to use it regularly, making the purchase worthwhile. Shopping online can be helpful, here, allowing you to put something in your basket and return to it another day, when you’ve had time to get past the initial longing and view the purchase more rationally.
To buy secondhand, use platforms like eBay, Facebook Marketplace, and Depop, where you’ll find quality, like-new products for a fraction of the price. You get the satisfaction of saving money and knowing that you’re giving somebody else’s unwanted item a second life.
5. Commit to Using Reusable Bags and Bottles
If you’re still buying bottled water and getting single-use bags for your groceries, you have two perfect opportunities to switch to a more eco-friendly approach.
Buy (and use!) reusable bags for your shopping. Many of these bags are environmentally in themselves as they’re made from recycled materials. Buying several strong, sturdy bags will provide you with a durable long-term solution for grocery shopping.
And rather than drinking bottled water, buy yourself a reusable water bottle and fill it at drinking fountains when you’re out and about.
6. Upgrade to an Electric or Hybrid Car
Finally, another eco-friendly switch that requires more of a financial investment is upgrading to an electric or hybrid car.
While these vehicles still don’t score tens on the environmentally friendly scale, they’re much greener than cars with gas-powered engines, and there’s no arguing with the fact that they are the future.
The good news is that hybrid and electric cars are becoming much more affordable than they were just a couple of years ago, with the option to buy used cars for just a few thousand, without having to commit to a lengthy finance plan (unless you want to!). That means environmentally friendly driving is now a more accessible option for everyone.
7. Recycle Where Possible
Unfortunately, in today’s world, it’s very difficult to avoid plastics and similar materials entirely. But we can, at least, make an effort to recycle them.
Most plastics can be recycled with local services. Even the more difficult plastics can often be recycled with a bit more effort—for example, many grocery stores have recycling collection points for plastic bags and similar plastics, as well as glass, cans, and other materials.
Before you throw something away, ask yourself, “can this be recycled”? Many products today now have clear recycling instructions on the label. For example, the packaging may read: “Carton: widely recycled. Film: Recycle at local supermarket”. Making that extra effort to recycle your packaging means you’re doing your bit to reduce needless landfill buildup.
Final Word
So there you have it: 5 easy switches to reduce your environmental impact. Hopefully, this article has inspired you to make these changes yourself, if you haven’t already.
Some are easier and cheaper than others, so start small if you need to. Every little helps, and the satisfaction you’ll feel from knowing you’re doing your bit for the environment will fuel you on to making bigger and better changes across all areas of your life.
