The past few years have seen an increase in people wanting more eco-friendly options, whether to decrease their carbon footprint or to live a more sustainable lifestyle. But what does it mean to be eco-friendly, and can you easily master how to be more eco friendly this year?
The term “eco-friendly” means that something’s not harmful to the environment. Living an eco-friendly lifestyle means learning about how products or actions might harm the planet, then making conscious decisions to find more sustainable options to use instead. Fortunately, a number of eco-friendly tips can help you to achieve this lifestyle. Here is a rundown on how to be more eco friendly in 2022.
How to Be More Eco Friendly? Tip 1: Get Sustainable At Home
To adopt a more eco-friendly lifestyle, you need to make your home more sustainable. Being sustainable means you’re using resources, specifically natural resources, in a way that meets your needs without taking away from the needs of others or future generations. But to make positive environmental impacts, you need to measure the impact that your household currently has and how it can be improved to meet your eco-friendly goals.
Eco-Friendly Tips for the Kitchen
If you’re wondering how to be more eco friendly at home, one of the easiest places to upgrade your sustainability is in the kitchen. You can start with something simple, like swapping your older kitchenware items for those with more sustainable materials. Let go of single-use plastics and non-recyclable containers by switching to reusable straws, bottles, or storage containers made from recycled materials. As you go through your kitchen items, think of other ways you can create more eco-friendly habits.
You can also master how to be more eco friendly at meal time. Prioritizing your organization by creating a meal plan to map out your home’s grocery trips is a simple yet effective way to minimize your home’s impact on the environment. Other practical eco-friendly tips for the kitchen include monitoring your food waste. Instead of throwing away food scraps, like carrot tops and orange peels, consider starting a compost pile. Composting is a great way to keep food scraps out of the rubbish bin and out of your landfills.
Eco-Friendly Tips for Your Home Office
Working from home is becoming a more viable option for many people as we head into 2022. However, working from home in a messy, disorganized office is never a good trend to stick with. If you’re wondering how to be more efficient and eco-friendly while working remotely, make your office more sustainable (and organized) by using the resources and items you already have on hand to maximize your overall productivity. Redesign your space by taking advantage of natural light or passive energy resources that your office might have access to.
Other tips for remote workers who are wondering how to be more eco-friendly include opening a window to increase the airflow within your office space. Also, take advantage of the sun’s placement by using solar-powered or solar rechargeable devices. Replace plastics with materials that are non-toxic, sustainable, and ethically sourced, like meori’s line of desk organizers. These are great options if you need to organize your shelving, desk, office supplies, or important documents.
Whether you optimize your home by room or on a larger scale, making your home more sustainable is a great way to maximize your goals while also contributing to your overall home value and sustainability efforts. By following the above eco-friendly tips, your home’s sustainability will pay you back in comfort, style, and cost year after year.
How to Be More Eco Friendly? Tip 2: Lower Your Carbon Footprint
An article by the New York Times states that U.S. greenhouse gas emissions rebounded in 2021, rising 6 percent last year after a record 10 percent decline in 2020. Thankfully, making more eco-friendly decisions isn’t limited to the inside of your home. There are lots of ways to be more eco-conscious no matter where you go!
Eco–Friendly Tips for Traveling: Drive Less, Walk More & Shop Local
Toxic gasses are released into the air every time we use fossil fuels. Because cars are a major cause of global warming, make an impact by opting to walk or bike when possible, and consider using public transportation when you can’t. Other eco-friendly tips like combining errands and short grocery trips together will help to reduce your emissions rate. Plus, it’ll help you to create a more organized schedule!
However, when you are out and about in the car, keep things eco-friendly when hitting the drive-thru, going to the winery, or taking a road trip by ditching disposable cup carriers for reusable drink carriers. Using alternatives to single-use paper products helps to decrease gas emissions from warehouses and production plants, and, in turn, it will help you to reach your eco-friendly 2022 goals.
If you’re wondering how else to be more eco friendly, simply support your community and shop local! Keeping your carbon traffic low by patronizing small businesses and community services within your area is a win-win for everyone involved. Become a more conscientious consumer by being mindful of how your decisions impact the world.
Also, while you shop, make eco-sustainable choices by using reusable grocery bags, like this Shopper Bundle or our stylish shopping totes. Using meori’s line of grocery baskets, pocket shoppers, and carry bins, you’ll know that your groceries and items are safe and secure, and you’ll simultaneously be helping to reduce the amount of plastic bag and unnecessary paper use.
How to Be More Eco Friendly? Tip 3: Go Green When You Clean
The majority of household cleaners are full of toxic chemicals that are bad for the environment—not to mention unsafe for children and pets. They’re harsh on surfaces, and they degrade your indoor air quality. Next time you need to restock your cleaning supplies, forgo mainstream cleaners and find more eco-friendly alternatives that are both natural and effective options. If you want your kids to learn how to be more eco friendly, too, you can even get them involved in the cleaning process by making your own all-purpose cleaner using common household items, like baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, or coarse salt, to name a few. Build your green cleaning kit with the help of a medium storage container to keep all of your essentials in one organized place.
Wondering how else to be more eco friendly when you clean? Follow these eco-friendly tips:
- Use glass containers for your cleaners.
- Repurpose old clothes or scrap fabric for cleaning.
- Dry your clothes outside on a clothesline.
Eco-Friendly Tips for Organization and Planning Ahead
If you’re curious about how to be more eco friendly this year, getting your household organized is a great idea regardless of your other 2022 goals. We live in a fast-paced world, so instead of living in disorganized chaos, embrace it by planning ahead and deciding the best options as you move forward. To organize your home in an eco-friendly way, dedicate a bin for junk mail and old newspapers to keep out of your current bill pile. Recycle and reuse old clothing or fabric scraps for cleaning, and keep them handy with storage cubes in a nearby cabinet or countertop. Also, plan your schedule and trips out in advance; this will help you to make environmental considerations during your decision-making process and minimize your waste from the start.
Following these simple eco-friendly tips will help you to make more thoughtful choices about the environment and the impact you have on it. Starting your journey to mastering how to be more eco friendly at home in particular will help you to carry those eco-friendly habits into other aspects of your life, giving you a more sustainable future.