At Gaia Spices, our natural items have upheld the Earth and its occupants starting around 1987. It’s a relationship we view in a serious way, so consistently is Earth Day for us. In any case, every year we value the suggestion to celebrate with others and offer our adoration for Mother Earth. So to pay tribute to Mother Earth, today and consistently, we needed to share a portion of our number one methods for easing up our impressions and living minimal greener. In the expressions of Antoine de Holy person Exupéry from The Little Sovereign: “It’s an issue of discipline. At the point when you’ve completed the process of washing and dressing every morning, you should watch out for your planet.”
- Be mindful of your water usage. Turn off the faucet while you’re brushing your teeth or washing your face.
- Buy in bulk to avoid waste and reduce packaging. At some stores, you can even bring your own containers.
- If you are boiling water for tea, only heat up what you need. Most of us fill up the whole kettle for just one cup and let most of it go to waste.
- Place a brick in your toilet tank. It will still take care of business and flush as needed, only with a half-gallon less water.
- Chargers are notorious energy bandits. Unplug them and turn off power strips when not in use.
- Borrow before you buy. For books and movies, visit the library. For tools and equipment, share with your neighbors. This also helps foster a sense of connection and community.
- Go meatless, even if for one meal a week. It requires nearly 2,000 gallons of water to raise one pound of beef.
- Unless you’re baking cookies, bread, or a soufflé, don’t preheat the oven. It won’t affect the outcome of most dishes, and skipping that step will save energy.
- Lower your thermostat by one degree, which can cut energy bills significantly.
- Use vinegar to kill weeds instead of harmful chemicals.
- Make your own dish soap. Dilute liquid castile soap with water in a repurposed bottle (such as an old sports water bottle). Use baking soda and vinegar as needed to scour and cut grease.
- Host a clothing swap with friends each season. One person’s unwanted outfit becomes another’s new favorite look!
- Institute a 24-hour waiting period before buying new things. This cuts down on superfluous purchases, saving money and helping the planet.
- Choose organic or sustainable fabrics whenever possible, such as bamboo, recycled polyester, and organic cotton.
- In addition to being a great natural deodorizer and scouring powder in the kitchen and bathroom, you can use baking soda as a gentle exfoliant on your face and body.
- Switch to cloth napkins and reuse them if they are not soiled.
- Buy local. Not only do you support the economy where you live, but it also reduces the number of greenhouse gases required to truck or fly things in.
- Choose to be inconvenienced. Avoid single-use and disposable goods, which have excess packaging. Some common culprits: are bottled water, snacks, disposable plates, and coffee pods.
- Buy soaps and cleaning products that are biodegradable, with no phosphates. This protects plants, groundwater, soil, and the watershed.
- Opt out of mailing lists and switch to paperless billing.
- Remember to choose organic outside of the kitchen. Beyond organic food, look for organic and sustainable options for pet food, textiles (including sheets and towels), and beauty products.
- Swap perfumes for diluted organic essential oils to reduce exposure to chemicals.