What are some simple ways to adopt an eco friendly lifestyle?

Introduction

I know that when I was growing up, my mom would always tell me to turn off the lights and shut off the TV when I wasn't using it. Now that I’m a mom myself, I understand why these seemingly simple actions make such an impact on our planet. The truth is that there are so many simple ways to adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle without having to give up everything you love or spending all of your time trying to do so. Here are some easy ways we can all help our planet be better for future generations:

Recycle.

Recycling is a great way to save energy, water and reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. Through recycling we can also help preserve natural resources for future generations and reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.

Recycle your electronics by dropping them off at one of many electronics recycling centres located throughout Canada or you can mail them in using TerraCycle's mail-back program. For more information on how you can recycle some common household items, please see the Waste Reduction section under the Environmental Issues tab above.

Don't leave the lights on.

• Turn off the lights when you leave a room
• Turn off the lights when you leave the house
• Turn off the lights when you leave the office (or building)

I'll let you in on a little secret: If you need to do this every time, it can feel like a lot of work. But once it becomes second nature, and your brain has rewired itself to expect that turning off all indoor lights when leaving areas will be automatic and habitual, it will become much easier to do. This practice also extends outside into our community—so don't forget about exterior lamps and streetlights! We're trying to make an impact here!

Turn off things that are on standby.

• Turn off things that are on standby.
• Turn the TV and computer off when you're not using them. This is a little thing, but if everyone did this it would save a lot of energy!
• When you leave a room, turn off the lights as well. This can make it so that your house uses less electricity over time and helps reduce pollution in our environment.

Switch to energy-efficient appliances and light bulbs.

If you're looking to make a big difference, consider replacing your old appliances with more energy-efficient ones. You can find out the energy efficiency of different appliances on the ENERGY STAR website. Light bulbs are another easy upgrade: CFLs use about 75% less electricity than incandescent bulbs. Plus, they last 10 times longer!

To do this right, go over all of your recent bills and add up what each appliance costs in electricity per year (this will be listed on your bill). Then pick an appliance that uses at least 50% less electricity than what you see there—you'll save enough money in five years to buy yourself another new one!

Buy local food.

• Buy local food.
• Buy local, seasonal produce, and don't be afraid to experiment with new varieties of fruits and vegetables you've never eaten before. You'll be surprised at how much better they taste than what you buy at the grocery store! Local produce is also fresher, which means it will spoil faster than something that's been shipped across the country. That makes it more likely that you'll use everything you buy instead of letting half of your haul wilt away before you can use it all up—and more waste is an obvious no-no when we're talking about minimizing your carbon footprint.

Give new life to existing items.

• Donate. There are many charities that accept gently-used clothing, like Goodwill and Salvation Army. Check your local area for other options as well.
• Sell on eBay or Craigslist. There's a market for almost everything, even if it isn't in pristine condition. If you have the time and energy to fix up old items, this can be a great way to get some extra cash from things you would have thrown away otherwise!
• Recycle (aka: trash). When something breaks beyond repair or usefulness, recycle it at a nearby center instead of throwing it in the garbage bin—you'll be helping out our planet while also saving yourself some money on trash collection services!
• Repair/Reuse what you can't recycle or sell off immediately after buying new stuff (like shoes) because they're broken but not ruined enough not worth fixing up yourself; then donate these repaired items instead since they've been restored back into useful shape by YOU!

Reduce consumption and waste in general.

Reduce consumption and waste in general. The first step to adopting an eco-friendly lifestyle is not buying things you don’t need. This means replacing your old, worn-out clothes with new ones only when necessary, and opting for secondhand whenever possible. If you do need to buy something new, choose items made from sustainable materials (see the next section for more details).

Also avoid overpackaging when you purchase food and other consumer goods—for instance, don’t buy pre-cut fruit or vegetables that are individually wrapped in plastic or cardboard. Instead, opt for loose produce sold at farmers markets or grocery stores that use less packaging material than traditional supermarkets do.

Eat less meat. (Not a big one, but it's true)

If you're looking for ways to reduce your carbon footprint, eating less meat is a great place to start. According to the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), livestock production accounts for 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions—more than all of transportation combined. In fact, if humans were able to eliminate meat consumption entirely, one study estimates that we could reduce our carbon footprint by nearly two-thirds!

So how can you reduce your meat consumption? The trick is simple: eat more plant-based foods and less or no animal products at all. You can even go as far as adopting a vegan lifestyle if it's something that resonates with your values and lifestyle goals!

It's easy to take action for the environment when you start thinking about the consequences of your actions.

It's easy to take action for the environment when you start thinking about the consequences of your actions. The first step is understanding what environmental issues are important to you, and then figuring out how they affect your everyday life.

Once you've done that, it's time to take action! There are lots of simple things that anyone can do to make a difference in their day-to-day lives. If you're worried about the environment, don't feel like doing everything at once—start small and work your way up!

Conclusion

It's easy to take action for the environment when you start thinking about the consequences of your actions. There are many ways to be green, and these simple tips can help get you started on a greener lifestyle!