Sustainability and being Eco-friendly are two topics that are becoming increasingly popular. With Earth Day approaching quickly, most communities have events planned to help remind us that it is everyone’s responsibility to work together to sustain our planet.
While these events are fun to take part in and a helpful reminder, you may wonder what else you can do in your own home to celebrate Earth Day everyday. Read on for ideas to be more Eco-friendly in your home.
Plant a tree. A 10-year-old tree absorbs about 48 pounds of carbon dioxide per year, according to the Urban Forestry Network. It may take a while to reap the full rewards from planting a tree, but there is no better time then today!
Start a backyard compost pile. Composting is “the act of intentionally allowing organic matter, including coffee grounds, food waste, grass clippings and shredded newspapers, to decompose and turn into fertilizer or soil amendment.” Composting helps reduce landfill waste, improves the soil by adding nutrients and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
Fix something instead of purchasing new. Repairing something rather than replacing it is always better for the Earth and your wallet. By repairing something in your home you are saving resources and materials by not purchasing new.
If you’re not the handiest person, consider taking your broken item to a professional, or calling a handyman to help!
Spring Clean in an Eco-friendly way. Most aren’t aware that you 
can make almost every cleaning product that you use in your home. This makes for a natural, chemical-free product that doesn’t cost you anything. Check out this website for cleaning product recipes!
Conduct an energy audit of your home. Most people turn off lights when they leave a room or unplug things that aren’t in use, but do you really know how much energy your home uses? Check here for information on conducting an energy audit.
Switch to Energy Star-rated bulbs. Some options can use 75 percent less energy and last 10 times longer than your standard bulbs. on average you could cut $30 off of your electric bill.
Run a full dishwasher whenever possible. Doing this could use half of the water and energy of washing the same dishes by hand.
Have another? We’d love to hear about it in the comments!