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"So this is an area where we can all really step up, and you will actually save money," says Bonini. Mia Taylor is a journalist who has two decades of professional expertise. She specializes in writing about personal finance and travel topics. Her coverage often focuses on how to live a sustainable, eco-friendly, climate-conscious lifestyle. This includes coverage of how your money decisions and daily habits impact the planet, as well as how travel choices can be more eco-friendly.
Bringing the climate crisis into the limelight will help those around you become more aware and conscious about the current environmental problems we are facing. If COVID-19 can be a frequent topic of conversation, so can the climate crisis. You can save a lot of energy by simply opting for the right type of light bulbs. CFLs are energy-efficient bulbs that let you save considerably more energy than the incandescent bulbs.
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"Drinking tap water instead of plastic bottled water can really reduce the amount of microplastics you take in," says Baechler. "Folks who consume bottled water ingest 90,000 more microplastics every year then those who drink tap water." More than 800 marine species are impacted by plastics, from the tiniest zooplankton to the largest whales, according to a UN report on marine debris. What's more, according to the Marine Pollution Bulletin, more than 60 percent of fish studied globally contained microplastics.
If you’re ordering takeout at home, there’s no need to get plastic forks and knives. Also ask the restaurant to skip the napkins, utensils, or condiments with your order. Consider purchasing non-perishable foods in large quantities. One big bag of rice or pasta uses less plastic than five smaller ones.
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Picking up trash can make a big difference if you dedicate time to doing it consistently. In my sustainability and travel blog post I explain how picking up 5 pieces of trash today over time adds. I admit when I was less educated about animal tourism I participated in activities that were to the detriment of animals. Through the travel community I was shown the error in my ways and feel awful for my participation, but I cannot change the past.
If you must opt for plastic bags, make sure you’re able to squeeze at least a few uses out of them. You can reuse them to carry your lunch to work or even to pick up after your dog. You can also save delivery boxes for when friends need to move or reuse your old towels as cleaning rags instead of sending them off to the landfill. It turns out that when it comes to saving the planet, you don’t have to trade in your gas-powered car or even shell out a bunch of cash – you can do it right from the comfort of your own home. In fact, making a few small upgrades to your home and tweaking your everyday behaviors around the house can leave a bigger impact over time than you realize.
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I was already planning to write my column this week on making more planet-friendly choices at home, when, WHAM! Hurricane Ian walloped me, my house and my town, my state — sending a not-so-subtle reminder of how much we rely on our planet, and how too often we take her for granted. Climate activism is important; with greater support comes greater awareness. Organisations such as Extinction Rebellion and Friends of the Earth are prevalent across the globe and are very easy to join, as they have chapters in many cities around the world. Getting involved with organisations like these will benefit the environment through raising awareness, calling for government intervention, and ultimately, shifting towards greener practices. Recycling can help reduce the amount of new materials being produced, and upcycling is an innovative way of transforming old items into something valuable and ‘new’.
"If you're able to log what you collect, you will be contributing to a really large data set that allows scientists like me to monitor waste and push for a solution," says Baechler. The problem with plastic straws is nothing good can be done with a used straw, explains Baechler. Therefore the best solution is to stop using them altogether. In fact, borrowing words from Goodall again, the small changes we make each day can lead to the kind of world we want in the future. Join our exclusive community and get 15% off your first order.
Did you know that toilet leaks waste up to 3 liters of water per minute!? If it has, your tank’s flapper is leaking, either from mineral build-up or worn parts. Most people who destroy the environment don’t have facts or don’t know the ways to save our environment.
Or simply tell a friend or family member about one of the things listed here that could make a difference. Saving the planet, to us, includes sustainability, helping the environment, and doing better for humankind. One of the companies doing that is a chocolate company we discovered when we were eating our way through Amsterdam and The Netherlands. Educate yourself about the companies you buy from and what they stand for. We buy Seventh Generation products at home because they pledge they create products with the planet’s well-being at the forefront of innovation.
Our team is dedicated to finding and telling you more about the products and deals we love. If you love them too and decide to purchase through the links below, we may receive a commission. Welcome to Sometimes Home, a travel site by Mikkel and Dan. Our detailed articles and inspiring professional photography will quickly prove to be an invaluable resource for your trip planning and destination dreaming. Mikkel is co-owner and editor of Sometimes Home and Sometimes Sailing along with her husband, Dan. She is a professional photographer in addition to writing about their travel adventures to encourage and motivate others to book their next trip and explore the world.
Tackling the aisles armed with a planned list can avoid a cart overloaded with items that will ultimately end up in the trash. The most obvious ways to help the environment are to conserve energy and use less water. But if you put on your green thinking cap, you can come up with lots of less obvious, but no less important, earth-friendly habits. This might seem obvious but you will be surprised at how much money you can save by taking this small but conscious step.