Being eco-friendly is a way to show concern for the future of our planet. If we want a future of clean air, fresh water and sustainable wildlife, now is a critical time for all of us to do our part to protect the health of the planet. Look for everyday ways to be more environmentally friendly by caring for the air, water and wildlife in your own environment. When you see the environment being destroyed, speak up to support more environmentally friendly actions that benefit the earth and all its inhabitants.
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Method 1 of 4: Cleaning the Air
Step 1. Save electricity
Saving electricity at home is an easy way to start being more environmentally friendly right away. Electrically powered lamps, appliances, etc. require the use of energy produced by energy plants that emit air pollution. Most factories burn fossil fuels or coal and release emissions that pollute the air. Here are daily things you can do to help:
- Turn off lights when not in use.
- Turn off and unplug all appliances and electronics from electrical sockets when not in use.
- Use energy efficient lights and appliances.
- Lower the thermostat temperature in the winter, and reduce the use of the air conditioner in the summer. Insulating the house also helps make heating and cooling more efficient.
Step 2. Find other options than driving a car
Cars play a big role in air pollution. The process of making cars, using cars, and building roads for cars all contribute to air pollution in different ways. The best way you can help is to reduce your reliance on cars as your primary means of transportation. Here is what you can do:
- Use public transportation. Take the local bus, subway or train instead of driving to your destination.
- Try cycling. Many cities create bicycle lanes to make it easier and provide safety for people traveling by bicycle.
- Try walking to your destination. Walking takes more time, but is the most environmentally friendly option. All places that can be reached by car or bicycle within 5 or 10 minutes should also be accessible on foot.
- Use a car with friends to go to work or school.
Step 3. Eat locally produced food
Foodstuffs often have to travel a long way before they reach the supermarket shelves. Groceries may be on ships, planes, and trucks, not to mention your car, for a long time before they finally reach your plate. Buying locally produced food means reducing the amount of energy and emissions needed to feed you and your family.
- Browse farmer's markets for the most eco-friendly options. Most farmers can tell you exactly how far the food has to travel before it reaches you.
- Why not grow your own food? Explore the gardens around you, and consider starting your own vegetable garden.
Step 4. Understand the production process of the product you are buying
Every item you buy has a history. For example, jeans. Do you know what ingredients are needed to make jeans? Do you know how far a pair of jeans travel before they reach the nearest store? If you buy online (online), how do you think these pants got to your house? Often, the processes required to provide an object require ways that cause air pollution. Thinking more deeply about the history of each item can help you make greener choices.
- Check the label to see how far the product has traveled before it reaches your place. If it comes from another continent, it takes a lot of fuel to get the product to your place. So look for local options.
- Buy second hand. Whenever one can do without new stuff, it is always better to get a used version. Thus, no energy is used to produce new goods from scratch.
Step 5. Join a group working to stop air pollution
Many environmental groups are passionate about stopping air pollution by encouraging individuals, companies and governments to make more environmentally friendly decisions. Your personal actions are important, but if you want to make a bigger difference, join a group and make your voice heard.
- Find out if there are local groups working to stop air pollution in your community.
- Or join a national group focused on reducing carbon emissions and halting global warming.
Method 2 of 4: Save Water
Step 1. Save water at home
Water is a major resource that we often don't appreciate properly. The water coming out of the faucet must be pumped from a water source to a water treatment plant, filtered and treated with chemicals, then pumped to the housing. This process requires a lot of energy. By conserving water, you are doing your part in preserving local water sources. This is especially important if you live in an area prone to drought. To save water,
- Do not let the water run continuously while washing dishes. Use a water-saving dishwasher.
- Take a quick shower; instead of soaking, which requires much more water.
- Fix leaky pipes so you don't waste water.
- Do not water plants with fresh water. Let the rain water water the plants, or collect and use gray water (such as bath water).
Step 2. Do not use toxic chemicals
Cleaning chemicals are often made from toxic materials, which are then carried into the water supply, thereby polluting the water. This endangers and damages humans, wildlife and the environment. Use environmentally friendly substances at home. You can also try to make your own.
- Instead of using a commercial all-purpose cleaner, try a solution of white vinegar and water. The solution is as effective as commercial products, and is non-toxic.
- Baking soda is great for removing stains of any type.
- Use shampoos, conditioners, and other body care products made from natural ingredients.
- Use natural methods to get rid of insects and rodents in your home, instead of using poison.
Step 3. Never pour hazardous waste into waterways
Worse than that is pouring the waste into the yard, so it is absorbed into the ground water. Paint, motor oil, bleach, ammonia, and other strong solutions must be disposed of properly, according to guidelines from the local sanitation department. Most communities have a toxics disposal area for proper disposal.
Step 4. Find ways to fight local water pollution
Every community depends on natural sources of water to live. Whether it be rivers, lakes, groundwater, or other sources, it is important to protect the water that sustains community life. Find local groups working to protect water, and join them to help. Here are some ideas for what you can do:
- Participate in drain cleaning to clean up trash that litters local streams, rivers and beaches.
- Raise a protest against those who cause local water pollution. Loose government regulations have resulted in many water sources being polluted by industrial waste. Find out if there are local groups working to improve and keep water clean in your area.
Method 3 of 4: Protecting the Land and Wildlife
Step 1. Reduce waste
Excess waste causes the landfill (TPA) to overflow. Garbage pollutes soil, water, and air, thus worsening the lives of local residents. When it comes to waste, there are many ways to make your habits more environmentally friendly. Here are some ideas:
- Buy items without a lot of packaging. For example, buy large packaged foods, rather than per serving.
- Recycle and reuse as much as possible. You'll quickly realize how many packs come into your home when it comes to recycling and reusing them all.
- Turn food waste into compost. Food waste can be decomposed, so it does not need to go to the Final Disposal Site.
Step 2. Make your home page plant and animal friendly
This is an easy and very helpful way to be eco-friendly. Many wild areas have been destroyed by humans, so plants and animals need all available help to survive. Make your yard a safe haven for all the wildlife that needs a home. You will find that it doesn't take long for your yard to become full of wildlife.
- Do not use pesticides or herbicides on your home page.
- Leave the grass in one part of the yard unmolested. Let the natural grass and shrubs grow as tall as possible. The area will invite wild life.
- Plant butterfly bushes and other plants that attract butterflies and bees.
- Install a bird's feeding and drinking area. You can also install squirrel feeders and bat houses.
- Make a small pond as a water source for the animals.
- Don't kill, trap, or chase away snakes, frogs, lizards, moles, raccoons, opossums, or other animals that want to live in your yard.
Step 3. Plant lots of trees
In most climates, the soil is more fertile when it has lots of trees. Trees prevent soil erosion, clean the air, and provide shelter for wildlife. Trees also help fight global warming by shading the soil and keeping temperatures low. Planting trees is one of the best ways to be truly eco-friendly.
- Find tree species that are native to your area. Plant trees in tree-scarce areas.
- Join local groups trying to stop local logging activities for expansion of development.
Step 4. Protect the sustainability of animals
More and more animals are becoming extinct every day, and it is our responsibility to save the animals that are still alive. One way to do this is to start thinking of animals as precious living beings who have a right to live and thrive on earth, just like we do. No matter whether you consider yourself an animal lover or not, take the steps below to become more eco-friendly:
- Preserve wild areas, such as beaches and forests, which are the habitat of many animals.
- Choose foods that are sustainable in terms of fish and meat consumption.
- Protect animals. For example, if a development company in your area wants to build a cell phone tower right in the flight path of an endangered bird species, find a way to protest the project.
Step 5. Join a local environmental group to protect your land
Depending on the location, your community may face threats such as mountaintop removal, hydraulic fracking, clear cutting, strip mining, etc.. Learn about environmental threats in your area, so you know how best to help. Remember that the best way to be eco-friendly is to do more than just take personal action, and make your voice heard.
Method 4 of 4: Making Personal Changes
Step 1. Consider becoming a vegetarian or vegan
Since commercially processed meats are produced in environmentally harmful ways, going vegetarian or vegan is an eco-friendly option. Industrial-scale meat production treats animals cruelly and causes air and water pollution. In addition, mass-produced meat is often loaded with hormones that are detrimental to both animal and human health.
- A vegetarian diet means not eating meat and fish, while a vegan diet, which is more restrictive, means eating no animal products at all. Decide which lifestyle suits you best.
- Ethically produced meat is a great alternative to commercially produced meat, if you don't want to stop eating meat. Try to eat meat only from good farms you've reviewed.
Step 2. Try growing your own food
Growing vegetables, fruits and herbs is a satisfying experience. Completely eliminating the processes required to make commercially available foodstuffs in your home is a very eco-friendly option. If you've never gardened before, start small. You don't need a lot of space to grow enough vegetables and herbs to last all summer. Try these easy plants to get started:
- Tomatoes
- Pumpkin
- Lettuce
- Potato
- Onion
- Garlic
- Strawberry
- Basil
- Fennel Sowa
Step 3. Make your own cleaners and other products
Most cleaning products can be made at home, and are as effective as commercial products. Apart from cleansers, you can also make your own body care products. You no longer have to throw away plastic bottles or think about the chemicals you put on your body. Try these recipes:
- Disinfectant
- Detergent
- Dish soap
- Shampoo
- Bath soap
- Toothpaste
Step 4. Donate or sell items, instead of throwing them away
If you have too many things buried at home, don't just throw them away. Get in the habit of donating or selling items that still work. You can also trade things you no longer need for something you want.
- Consider swapping clothes with friends. You can all get great clothes without spending a dime.
- Or donate items to an item exchange community like Freecycle. Vow not to let any items that are still useful end up in the Final Disposal Site.
