Earth Day is fast approaching. Whether your family wears only personally-sheared, handspun wool or your best effort is ensuring the recycling gets done, there are always opportunities to expand your initiatives. While it feels like a cliché, there is truth in the sentiment that our kids are the future. Staying Eco-friendly starts with habits at home and teaching it to our children. Here are some of the methods we have compiled at Eco Plumbers. for you to use to make environmental responsibility a family affair:
Conserve energy
Unplug the electronics. Appliances, charging cords, and computers left plugged in around the clock continually zaps small amounts of energy. Our technologically advanced society requires more than just the use of toasters and microwaves. Remind kids to unplug their chargers when their tablets and mp3 players are full.
Remember to turn off the PC for the night. Do whatever is possible to conserve energy. Some areas even give tax credits for energy-efficient home renovations. Energy-efficient lights last longer, saving you money over time on the direct purchase and energy costs.
Recycle
Some communities require recycling. Others only have recycling pickup for glass, cardboard, and #1/#2 plastics. Then there are the townships and less green communities that have no recycling services at all.
Whatever your town options are for recycling, consider it a priority. If you already recycle, are there ways to further conserve? Never throw out batteries or electronics: there are special places to safely dispose of these items. Paint is either acrylic or oil-based, and these often need disposed of in separate places. Kids can help sort items, learning what goes where. And if you do have to drive a few miles to dump your recycling, they’ll learn a valuable lesson.
Consider waste and chemicals
Admittedly, this is a pretty substantial category. But think back to when the ozone layer was a worldwide crisis because of CFCs and HCFCs. A single chlorine atom can destroy 100,000 ozone molecules. It took a worldwide push to reverse the damage to the earth. Many common cleaning products that are frequently used to remove carpet odors, clean dirty surfaces, and clean drains can be harmful to the environment.
There are plenty of good, clean alternatives. Cleaning with these is better for the health of your family, as well. Baking soda and vinegar are surprisingly effective at cleaning bathrooms, kitchens, and more. Consider using baking soda to clean and deodorize the carpet – and then thoroughly vacuum. Some stores do carry green drain cleaners, and the Internet is full of ideas for making your own cleaning supplies.
Conserve water
Energy-efficient toilets and washers save tons of water and energy by using less fluid to do the job with less energy. Due to high safety standards, tap water in the United States is very safe. Local water services carefully monitor all the water that flows into your home. Consider the damage bottled water causes. They are stored in plastic made from crude oil. The process is dirty, and too many bottles are thrown away instead of recycled.
With Earth Day around the corner, spend some time to practice environment-friendly decisions around your household with these tips from Eco Plumbers.
