5 Easy Ways to Incorporate Eco-Friendly Practices at Home

• Make a habit of flipping the light switch when you leave a room
• Unplug your phone and tablet chargers when your devices are done charging
• Turn your tv and other electronic devices off when you aren’t actively using them

Remembering to hit the off switch will help you save the planet, and your wallet, without costing you a penny!

2. Change your laundry routine

The way you do your laundry can have a significant impact on the planet.

According to the American Cleaning Institute, 90% of the energy that washing machines use comes from heating up the water.

Washing your clothes with cold water reduces the amount of energy that your washing machine uses, allowing you to make a huge difference with the push of a button.

In addition to using cold water, you can try other green practices for your laundry:

• Switch to an environmentally-friendly laundry detergent
• Wait to run your washer until you have a full load of clothes to wash
• Replace fabric softener with reusable dryer balls

These seemingly small changes will make a lasting impact on the environment.

3. Reduce your plastic use

Plastic is everywhere! From our food packaging to our cars to our straws, plastic has infiltrated almost every area of our lives. However, while completely avoiding plastic might seem like a daunting or even impossible task, you can make a difference by consciously deciding to reduce your plastic use.

Here are a few simple ways to minimize your plastic use:

• Ditch the plastic water bottles for a reusable water bottle
• Replace Ziplocs and plastic bags by storing your fruits and veggies in reusable, washable produce bags 
• Bring strong, durable (and not to mention adorable!) reusable grocery bags to the grocery store

Roughly 8 million pieces of plastic enter our oceans each day. You can help lower this number and save the planet by opting for reusable plastics instead of single-use plastics.

4. Pay online

Between your water bill, energy bill, phone bill, and more, you are probably receiving dozens of pieces of paper every time you open your mailbox.

You can help minimize this paper use by switching to online payments for as many bills as possible. This small step could reduce the amount of unnecessary paper these companies use by hundreds of sheets each year!

Not only does paying online help your carbon footprint, but it can also help you save money! Many companies offer a small discount for switching to paperless billing in order to incentivize this eco-friendly practice.

A few minutes of switching your accounts to paperless billing now will make a major difference for the planet in the long run.

5. Turn off the tap

Conserving water saves energy, and it's one of the easiest ways to go green at home. Simply turn the water off whenever you're not actively using it:

• Turn off the water when you scrub in the shower so you're only using it to lather up and to rinse
• Don’t leave the water running when you brush your teeth
• Shut off the water when you're washing your dishes

You can also help conserve water by taking shorter showers, making sure you check your toilet for leaks, installing efficient shower-heads in your bathroom, and only running your dishwasher when you have a full load.

When you integrate these five steps, you'll be taking steps to protect the planet all while saving money and not even breaking a sweat!