The rise of the pandemic in early 2020 hit everyone hard. From being forced to stay inside during lockdown, to millions of businesses and jobs at stake, the entire world has battled through a crisis that many of us have never had to experience. Understandably, being inside all day and unable to see friends and family has taken a toll on many people, and if you feel like your overall well being has dipped, you may be looking at how you can make positive changes in your life. Well, you’ve come to the right place! The idea of change in life can be daunting, but small changes can make the world of difference! Take a look at how these small changes could have a huge effect on your overall well being.
Take a social media break
Social media, especially at the moment, can be an extremely toxic place to be. With fake news and different opinions being shared here, there and everywhere, it can be difficult to differentiate what’s worth reading and the things you need to ignore. Give your mind time to heal by taking a break from social media. That doesn’t mean shutting off from the world completely, but simply allowing yourself time away from the millions of opinions and clickbait titles you see on social media every day.
Go vegan for one day a week
Eating well is essential at the moment, and many people are using this time in lockdown to improve their eating habits. However, the eating habits of the general public are extremely harmful to the environment, not to mention the additives that are in many food items. Choosing to go vegan for at least one day a week will give you an enormous sense of satisfaction, as well as doing your part to reduce your impact on the environment. You can read here about how No Evil Foods have taken the initiative to become a completely plastic-free company, and how you can do your bit to support the vegan community in creating a greener earth.
Utilise online video conferencing
Being away from your loved ones is difficult, but we’re lucky enough to live in an age where a total blackout from one and other is a thing of the past. There are hundreds of free choices you could use to chat to your friends and family such as FaceTime, What’s App, Teams, Zoom, or even Google Hangouts. Video your loved ones on a regular basis to keep your social levels, and your mental well being intact.
Do some home improvements
Finally, with all of this time on your hands that can’t be filled how you normally would, it’s no wonder you’re feeling a bit lackluster! Spend your free time making improvements to your home with a lick of paint here and there, or even an upcycling project to get your teeth into. Not only will it fill your time wisely, but it will help raise your well being and leave you with a fabulous looking home!
When temperatures drop, your chief concern as a homeowner might be to make sure your pipes don’t freeze. While the plumbing industry made more than $107 billion in revenue during 2018, you’ll probably want to avoid paying top dollar for a plumbing emergency this winter. But aside from insulating your plumbing to prevent a burst pipe, there may be other ways to save money in this realm. And in many cases, the cost-saving choice is also the sustainable choice.
Despite the fact that nearly half of American homeowners live in the first home they ever purchased, there are a number of ways to upgrade your home’s plumbing system to prioritize environmental responsibility. If you’re looking to lead a greener lifestyle by reducing water waste and save some green in the process, here are just five ideas that will help you create a more eco-friendly plumbing system at home.
Install Low-Flow and High-Efficiency Appliances
It’s amazing what a few household upgrades can do when you want to reduce water waste. Low-flow toilets and showerheads can reduce how much water is used during daily activities without sacrificing performance. You might also consider installing a high-efficiency faucet, which reduces water flow while maintaining pressure, or high-efficiency dishwashers and washing machines. These options are better for the environment (and for your water bill!), though you’ll probably never notice a difference when you’re using them.
Consider a Tankless Water Heater
Your home’s water heater performs a vital function, but relying on an outdated model can be expensive and wasteful. If you want to prioritize energy efficiency and make sure you aren’t heating water you don’t actually need to heat, you may want to switch to a demand-style heater or a tankless water heater, which tend to be more efficient and can save a lot of space in your home. If you plan on selling your house down the line, these water heaters can add some value to your property, as well.
Opt For Energy-Efficient Pipes
If you own an older home, chances are that your home’s plumbing is on the older side, too. Switching to steel or PEX pipes will naturally retain heat and can allow you to reduce the amount you spend on heating your water. But if you’re sticking with plastic or copper pipes, you may want to insulate them for the sake of energy efficiency. This is a good idea in the winter anyway, but it can actually help you save money and reduce energy waste year-round.
Be Careful About What You Flush
While this doesn’t involve any equipment upgrades, adopting this habit can prevent you from ruining your plumbing system and spending money on expensive repairs or replacement while prioritizing the protection of your local water system. Even if you think certain household products — like sanitizing wipes or cotton balls — are technically flushable, that doesn’t mean they should go down the drain. These products often won’t break down and can actually clog your toilet. Worse yet, they can end up in the water supply. Make it a point to use biodegradable or compostable products whenever possible to avoid this scenario and reduce waste altogether.
Cut Down on Water Use
Hydration and access to clean water is a must, considering that 71% of Americans drink tap water (and no one wants you to get dehydrated!). However, you might want to take some steps to reduce the amount of water you’re unknowingly consuming. For example, taking a shorter shower or limiting the number of times you shower each week can help your family be more eco-friendly. You can also remember to shut off the faucet when you’re brushing your teeth or when you’re washing the dishes. You’re most likely wasting a ton of water without realizing it, which might also mean you’re paying to heat that water. By reducing the amount of water you unintentionally waste, you’ll inherently have a more eco-friendly home.
No matter the season, there’s always a reason to be conscious of our water usage. With these tips in mind, you can curb wasteful habits and save all kinds of resources.
For a lot of people, getting into the right workout routine is challenging. Let alone ensure that it is eco-friendly. However, creating an eco-friendly workout routine can be done with less trouble. There are various daily changes that can be made to our workout routine to make sure that we are keeping the earth fit too.
From enjoying the magnificence of the outdoors to working out at home, here are other ways to improve the environment with your exercise:
Cardio Outdoors
Utilizing the right equipment for weight training can be challenging for some people, however, missing your gym sessions for a cardio session can help lower the electricity usage every day. It is completely harmless to power up the treadmill, however, have you considered hitting the pavement to walk, run while enjoying the outdoors?
Additionally, you can consider compound exercises; do a 3-day push-pull routine to target various muscle groups simultaneously. The good news is that you definitely won’t need to power up any gym equipment for that.
Utilize Reusable Water Bottles
Every day, more than 60 million plastic bottles are thrown away in the US, and most of them end up in landfills, waterways, and parks. Picking up a plastic bottle of water or using a disposable cup when in the gym can be very easy. However, did you know that you can significantly reduce your footprint by using reusable water bottles?
Carry a reusable water bottle and refill it anytime you need more fluid. Besides, it is always advisable to have a bottle of water with you always.
Rethink your Trip to the Gym
How do you get to your gym or studio? Do you walk, ride a bike or take public transport? Or do you drive to the gym? Finding alternative ways to the gym can greatly help reduce carbon emissions. You can consider how to lose fat with Coolsculpting fast. Â If you can walk or ride a bike to your gym or studio, then you should probably do that.
Reduce your Shopping Footprint
Your diet is a significant part of staying fit. But, it is advisable to be more eco-friendly when shopping to lower the wastage of food. Doing your shopping, while putting the environmental effects in mind is an excellent way to save money.
Consider using reusable shopping bags, and also avoid buying foods packaged in plastic. You can also reduce the amount of food wasted by freezing the leftovers and preparing foods that are close to their expiry dates.
Be Sustainable in Style
Various brands utilize eco-friendly mindful and sustainable manufacturing processes. You can opt for those gears. Additionally, try to clean out your closet. Many companies can recycle your old sneakers.
Instead of disposing of your old sneakers, consider giving them out as donations. Take, for instance, a company like Nike that has reprocessing programs that reuse old shoes and turn them into playground equipment. Besides, you can consider buying old shoes and other gym accessories.
Bottom Line
With the world’s population growing at a fast rate, there is a need to adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle. Being eco-friendly with your workout routine is easy. Add the above tips to your routine and make your workouts better not only for you but also for the environment.
Moving creates a lot of waste. From cardboard boxes to tape to the gas mileage of transporting things to your new home, there are many non-eco-friendly practices that are common in moving. You can take steps to make sure that your move is more environmentally conscious, and below are a few examples of what you can do.
Think About Location
When you’re thinking about your future home’s location, you’ll want to take into account more than just what your neighbors are going to be like. If you’re moving somewhere where you’ll have to drive everywhere, you’ll have to make sure that you’re within a reasonable distance to places like your job, a grocery store, or another place you go regularly, like a gym. If you have a loved one over 65, they may be part of the 52% of people in their age range that need long-term care services. If you know you’ll want to routinely go visit them, you should try to look for a place that allows you to do that without wasting a lot of gas. If your ideal location is near public transport, that’s the best possible option.
Reduce the Number of Cardboard Boxes You Use
When you’re moving, you may envision a large number of cardboard boxes will be what carries your things to your new home. However, you can easily swap out many of your cardboard boxes for reusable alternatives. You can use suitcases for heavier objects like books since the wheels make them easier to move. You can also use things like duffle bags, reusable shopping bags, and large plastic totes or bins for any other items you have. Try to pack as much as you can into these types of reusable bins before you start using disposable containers. You can also ask friends and family if they have anything you can borrow to pack your things into — you never know who secretly has a stash of 20 plastic totes in their basement.
Or Use Recycled Boxes
If you run out of reusable packing containers, you can still use cardboard boxes. However, try to avoid buying boxes for your move. Instead, you can save up any boxes you get from packages or go to your local grocery store to ask if they have any. Many times grocery stores have a large stock of boxes that they receive their inventory in, and you’ll be delaying the recycling of the boxes by using them to move. Reusing is preferable to recycling since it means the object is being used in generally its original form, so this is a more eco-friendly option than just buying boxes. Plus it’s much more cost-effective.
Recycle or Donate What You Don’t Want
When you’re moving, you’ll likely come across a lot of things you were storing that you no longer need. If you’re part of the 40% to 50% of marriages that end in divorce and that’s why you’re moving, you’re probably going to have even more things you want to get rid of. However, instead of throwing things out, look for places to donate or resell them instead. Look for thrift stores or donation drop boxes that match your values and accept what you want to get rid of, and then drop all of your items there. You’re giving your things a chance to be reused and recycled now that you no longer have use for them.
Don’t Buy New Packing Materials
When you’re packing up your boxes, you may be tempted to buy bubble wrap at your local home improvement store to ensure that your items remain unbroken during the move. However, there are definitely more eco-friendly alternatives to buying plastic bubble wrap. First, you can use recycled paper from newspapers, magazines, and scrap paper to pad your boxes. Though this is still disposable, you’ll be reusing it, which makes it more eco-friendly.
You can also use non-disposable options to pack up your breakable items. You can use clothing like cotton t-shirts, sweatpants, and socks to wrap up your breakable items so that they have a cushioned ride t to your new home. Household linens like towels and sheets can also be used as a great way to pad your items without having to use disposable materials. As an added bonus for using these materials to pack your breakable belongings, you now don’t have to pack them somewhere else.
Limit Trips Back and Forth
If you’re moving things yourself, make sure that every trip you take is with your car or moving track packed completely to capacity. This will help reduce the number of trips you take between your old and new homes, therefore reducing the amount of gas that you’re using. If you hire a moving company to help you with the move, you should talk to them about the possibility of reducing the number of trips they’re taking as well.
After You Arrive
Once you’ve moved into your new place, you should make sure that you immediately take some eco-friendly measures. If you have the storage room, keep any reusable packing materials that you used. You can lend these out to friends or family or even go back to using them in your usual life, like for duffel bags or suitcases. The average 30-year-old person has already moved six times in their life, so you may want to hold onto your materials for any future move that you have.
If you used cardboard boxes or padded boxes with newspapers, make sure that you properly recycle your packing materials. Other things you can do once you move in include not using paint with VOCs in it, putting in LED lights to replace non-LED ones, and every upgrading to Energy Star rated appliances and windows.
Traditionally, moving isn’t the most eco-friendly activity. However, if you put effort into making your move more environmentally conscious, you can make a big difference. Try to use as many reusable materials as you can, and use recycled materials any time that reusable ones aren’t available.
How do you make moving more eco-friendly? Let us know in the comments!
Improving your health can seem daunting when there are a lot of steps involved like meal prepping and working out. Fortunately, there are a few easy ways you can improve your health right now without having to jump through any hoops or having to wait. Here are three evidence-based, natural ways you can boost your body’s health and well-being ASAP.
Change Your HVAC Filters
According to a study published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, indoor air quality can have a greater impact on your health than outdoor air. Indoor air pollutants such as cleaners, varnished, fungal spores, and smoke can create bigger problems for our health because we’re breathing them in more frequently in such a small space. With so many of us staying indoors more often due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s more important now than ever to monitor your indoor air quality.
One easy way to boost your indoor air quality is by changing out your HVAC filters at least twice a month, or three times if you have pets. Dirt, debris, and dander can build-up in your HVAC filters throughout the day. When the filters aren’t swapped out, your HVAC system can’t trap the grime and instead spits it out into the air you breathe. What’s more, HVAC systems typically last 12 years, but when they may fail sooner when they have to work harder to deliver warm or cool air.
Replace Your Toothbrush
Many people already know that the American Dental Association recommends brushing at least twice a day. But not many know that they’re meant to replace their toothbrush at least once every three months. In fact, not replacing your toothbrush frequently could actually be making you sick. According to researchers at England’s University of Manchester, toothbrushes can harbor over 100 million different bacteria including E. coli and staphylococci (“Staph”) bacteria. Consider buying a pack of toothbrushes to make changing them out easier than waiting for your next dentist appointment.
Stop Cold Drafts
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, drafts around your doors and windows can increase your heating bills by up to 10%. But drafts aren’t only problematic for your energy bills. They’re also problematic to your health. Research shows that when cold air from a draft comes in contact with your throat, the temperature of your body’s pharyngeal mucosa lowers. This causes the mucosa to dry out, which increases your risk of infection. To protect yourself against the common cold and other pesky pathogens, make sure to cover any gaps between your door and the floor and stuff any window gaps with spray-adhesive insulation.
When it comes to improving your health, sometimes taking the smallest steps can make the biggest difference. Try out some of the tips above to boost your well-being and get your body feeling great.
