You’ve more than likely heard the phrase “going green” before, right? If you haven’t, it basically means that you’re consciously implementing eco-friendly habits to better the environment, whether at home or work. Now, this green lifestyle has levels to it… But if you’re looking to get your start in the lifestyle, it’s best to start at home where you can get your footing and start at your own pace.

Because this is a lifestyle change, you want to start small and advance to bigger ventures as you get more comfortable with the lifestyle. To get your start in creating a greener living space at home, follow this beginner’s guide.

The Beginner’s Guide to Going Green (At Home)

Get Energy-Efficient

Getting “energy-efficient” is a very broad term, but it also means that you have several different options to choose from to get energy efficient. Here are some of the top ways to do that:

• Visit the PowerSetter site to sign up for electricity generated from renewable resources like the sun. This is not only far better for the environment but will also lower your monthly electric bill as well.
• Invest in energy-efficient appliances. Energy-efficient appliances include but are not limited to:
  • Washer/dryer
  • Dishwasher
  • Stove/oven
  • Faucet/toilet
• Invest in LED lightbulbs. LED light bulbs are more expensive to purchase but they use 90% less power than incandescent light bulbs, making the energy usage in your home much more efficient.

Eliminate Bottled Water in Your Home

When your tap water is gross (to say the least), that prompts you to buy bottled water for drinking in your home. It’s understandable… you don’t want to drink water that tastes like pennies have been marinating in it! But just because you don’t want that taste doesn’t mean you have to buy bottled water every week.

There are reusable water pitchers designed to filter your tap water into fresh, clean tasting water. There are also faucet attachments that filter your tap water as well, eliminating the need for bottled water Which one’s better? There is no definite answer to this question. Both pitcher and faucet filters have their pros and cons. See more here: https://www.best-osmosis-systems.com/water-filter-pitcher-vs-faucet-filter/ 

Incorporate Plants in Your Home

What better way to “go green” than to bring green plants into your home? Bringing plants into your home purifies your air in addition to what your air filters do. Plus, an added perk is that there are different plants for different seasons too! The plants you would have for the holidays are much different from what you would have as an everyday plant. But the beauty in either type of plant is that they’re all beautiful and bring life into whatever space you place them in.

Waste Less Food

Food is probably one of the biggest ways we are most wasteful in our everyday lives. When there’s food we no longer want, what do we do? Throw it away… We don’t think about the homeless shelters that have families who would be happy to have our leftovers or the elderly neighbor across the street who would be happy to partake in the meals you make, especially when you know you’re not going to eat all of it.

Ideally, you want to cook what you know you’re going to eat or do your part in spreading the gift of food. According to feedingamerica.org, there are over 35 million people in the US that are struggling with hunger… So before you throw out a perfectly good batch of chili, because you’re tired of eating it, call around to your local homeless or women’s shelters to see if they could use the extra food.

There are many different ways to “go green” in your everyday life, but the best way to start is at home. Whether you switch electricity providers or consciously make an effort to waste less food, every little bit counts. By getting your footing at home, you’ll be able to go green in much bigger ways that will have an even bigger impact on the environment.