According to a Yale study conducted in 2018, about 70 percent of Americans believe that protecting the environment is more important to the U.S. than economic growth.
That stat proves that most people in this country want to see changes made that benefit the environment. But if we’re being honest with ourselves, how many of us are doing our own part to help save the environment?
If you feel like you should be doing more than you are now to care for the planet, it’s time for you to learn how to save the environment. By doing it, you can help make the Earth a better place to live.
Here are nine simple ways that you can make an impact on the well-being of the world.
1. Keep Your Car in the Driveway More Often
The average American pays more than $500 every month for their car. As a result, most people try to get their money’s worth when it comes to their car by driving, well, everywhere.
If you’re taking a road trip or even just driving 10 miles across town, it’s perfectly acceptable to use your car to do it. As long as you take some of the steps to make your car more eco-friendly, it won’t be a problem.
But if you just have to make a quick run up to the corner store? Try walking instead.
You should also consider riding a bike or using public transportation a little more often than you are now. Your car will produce less pollution when you keep it parked in your driveway or garage the majority of the time.
2. Stop Throwing Out So Much Food
Did you know that roughly 40 percent of the food that’s produced in America ends up getting thrown out? That’s way too much wasted food!
If your family is throwing out a lot of food day in and day out, try to change that. Here are some ways you can do it:
- Plan out your meals better to avoid making too much food
- Donate any food that you’re not going to eat to a local food bank
- Fall in love with the idea of eating leftovers for lunch
You can also create a compost in your backyard for any food that needs to get tossed. This is a much better way to discard food and make sure it doesn’t land in your local landfill.
3. Create Less Waste in Your Home
The U.S. is only home to about 4 percent of the global population. Yet, we produce more than 30 percent of all the waste produced in the world every year.
What can you do to turn this trend around? You can:
- Invest in a reusable coffee mug that you carry to work every morning instead of relying on paper coffee cups
- Buy foods that contain the least packaging possible (or better yet, no packaging at all!)
- Use regular utensils as opposed to plastic forks and knives at home
Take a look at what’s in your trash can the next time you take the garbage out and consider what other steps you can take to limit the amount of waste your household is producing.
4. Recycle as Much as You Can
The good news is that the recycling rate in America has gone up dramatically over the last 50 years. It was right around 6 percent back in the 1960s and now sits at over 30 percent.
But there is still a lot of work to do with regards to recycling. Americans need to get into the habit of recycling plastics, metals, paper, and more.
If you don’t use a recycling bin at home already, start doing it now. It’s one easy way to cut down on the amount of waste your family produces with very little effort on your part.
5. Buy Used Products Instead of New Ones
Do you need a new:
- Computer?
- Car?
- TV?
- Xbox?
- Lawnmower?
You could run right out to the store and buy any of these things. Stores would be more than happy to find you a brand-new product to take home.
But you can save yourself some money and make a small difference in the world by purchasing used products rather than new ones.
6. Bring Reusable Bags to the Grocery Store
Plastic bags like the ones you find in most grocery stores kill more than 100,000 sea turtles and other marine animals every year. They also cause a lot of pollution in the world’s oceans and can take forever (about 1,000 years!) to break down.
The next time you go to the grocery store, opt to use reusable bags instead. Or if you absolutely have to use plastic bags, make sure you find ways to reuse them around your house so that they don’t go to waste.
7. Use Non-Toxic Cleaning Products
Most cleaning products are filled with tons of toxic chemicals that can hurt your family’s health while also hurting the environment in the process. You’re much better off making your own non-toxic cleaning products at home. They’ll get the job done when you’re cleaning—without putting the planet at risk.
8. Clean Up Your Community
Are there certain parts of your community that look a lot worse than others?
Take part in or even schedule a community clean-up day to beautify your neighborhood. You can pick up cans, plastic bags, and other garbage from the streets and improve the appearance of your city.
9. Volunteer
If you’re thinking about how to save the environment and you really want to go above and beyond, consider volunteering for a good cause.
Learn more about the different volunteering opportunities in places like Asia, Africa, and Australia and get out there and make a difference.
Use What You Know About How to Save the Environment to Make a Difference
One person can’t change the future of the world on their own. But if enough people get together and commit to learning how to save the environment, we can make a real impact.
Start today by using some of the suggestions listed here. You’ll feel better about the way you’re treating the planet when you’re making an effort to minimize the impact you’re having on it.
Read our blog for more tips on living a greener lifestyle.
