Eco-Friendly Living: Simple Changes for a More Sustainable Lifestyle
Living sustainably doesn’t mean overhauling your entire lifestyle overnight. Small, intentional changes can have a big impact on reducing waste, conserving energy, and minimizing your environmental footprint. It doesn’t involve getting rid of all of the harmful cleaners all at once. If you’re looking to make your home more eco-friendly, here are some simple swaps to get you started.
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Table of Contents
What Does Eco-friendly Mean?
Before we dive into all of the swaps, what exactly is eco-friendly and why should you care? Eco-friendly is something – a company, product, etc that is designed to have little to no impact on the environment. Introducing eco-friendly products into the home can have many benefits. These products tend to also have little to no impact on the body as well. For example, there are tons of household cleaning products on the market that have been found to cause all kinds of havoc on the body. From cancer causing to hormone disrupting chemicals, these can all build up in the body and have long term affects. This is definitely not something to start panicking about, but these are topics to take into serious consideration and think of making swaps.
What are some swaps you can easily make starting today?
Eco-Friendly Living Swaps
1. Swap Paper Towels for Reusable Cloths
Paper towels are convenient but contribute to significant waste. Any time I’m using paper towels, there are always a lot being used! Instead, use reusable cloth towels, microfiber cloths, or old cut-up T-shirts for cleaning. They’re washable, durable, and a great alternative to single-use paper products.
2. Replace Plastic Wrap with Beeswax Wraps
Ditch the plastic wrap and opt for beeswax wraps to cover food. These wraps are reusable, biodegradable, and a great way to keep produce fresh without adding plastic waste to landfills. Silicone stretch lids are another excellent option. Another great swap instead of just wrapping the food is to use glass containers with lids.
3. Use Refillable Cleaning Products
Instead of buying single-use plastic bottles of cleaning products, switch to refillable or DIY natural cleaners. Vinegar, baking soda, and essential oils make fantastic, non-toxic cleaning solutions that are better for your health and the environment. Many brands also offer concentrated refills to reduce packaging waste. I personally love using baking soda as a scrub for my things like my kitchen sink. It’s a great solution along with vinegar in the event it’s stinky too!
Essential oils, like lemon, are great for degreasing, help easily clean the microwave, and can even help you remove paint from hardwood floors.
4. Opt for Glass or Stainless Steel Water Bottles
Say goodbye to plastic water bottles and invest in a high-quality reusable glass or stainless steel bottle. This not only reduces plastic waste but also keeps your water free from potential toxins found in plastic bottles. Not only are there toxins leech from plastic bottles into the water, but you wouldn’t believe how much actual plastic we ingest. Studies have found that on average, people consume up to a credit card’s worth of plastic each year. That’s 250 grams of plastic! Not only that, but scientists and doctors are finding plastic in the body in arteries and even our brains!
“Microplastics have been detected in fruits and vegetables, plastic water bottles, the air, cosmetics, and household dust. Now, researchers are finding them in almost every part of the human body, including in breast milk, the placenta, testicles, hearts, livers, and kidneys.
Despite these findings, experts say that little is known and understood about what impact these microplastics have on human health. A few studies have drawn associations between microplastics and poor health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease and low male fertility. And chemicals often found in plastics are known to cause a variety of health problems, including cancers, metabolic disorders, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and fertility issues.”
Balch, B. (n.d.) Microplastics are inside us all. What does that mean for our health? AAMC. https://www.aamc.org/news/microplastics-are-inside-us-all-what-does-mean-our-health#:~:text=Microplastics%20have%20been%20detected%20in%20fruits%20and,%2C%20hearts%20%2C%20livers%2C%20and%20kidneys%20.
5. Swap Plastic Bags for Reusable Shopping Bags
Bring your own reusable shopping bags made of canvas, cotton, or recycled materials when grocery shopping. Keep a few in your car or by your front door to make it easy to remember.
6. Switch to Bamboo Toothbrushes
Plastic toothbrushes won’t ever fully decompose. Bamboo toothbrushes are biodegradable and just as effective. They’re a simple, sustainable switch that makes a difference over time.
7. Upgrade to Energy-Efficient LED Bulbs
LED light bulbs use significantly less energy and last much longer than traditional incandescent bulbs. Making the switch can reduce your electricity bill while being kinder to the planet.
As a side note, I hate those glaring bright white LED lights. So when you’re on the search for LED light bulbs, look for soft white bulbs.
8. Use Wool Dryer Balls Instead of Dryer Sheets
Traditional dryer sheets contain synthetic chemicals and contribute to waste. Wool dryer balls naturally soften clothes, reduce static, and help cut drying time—saving energy and money. They last for such a long time too!
9. Choose Reusable Coffee Filters and Pods
If you’re a coffee lover, consider using a French press, a refillable coffee pod, or a reusable coffee filter instead of disposable pods or paper filters. This reduces waste and often enhances the flavor of your coffee.
Instead of using reusable coffee filters and pods, we have Breville coffee machine. This was definitely an investment, but we use it every single day, multiple times a day. It’s a great way to save money since we’re not running out to buy coffee from a coffee shop. We opted for no grinder on our Breville and got a separate grinder for beans, but also buy either Kirkland Medium Roast or Illy.
10. Invest in Sustainable Kitchenware
Replace plastic utensils, storage containers, and dishes with eco-friendly alternatives like bamboo, glass, or stainless steel. Swapping plastic cutting boards for wooden ones and using silicone baking mats instead of parchment paper can also make a significant impact.
I still use parchment paper for baking occasionally but also use silicone mats.
Tip: look for high quality, food-grade silicone baking mats that are free of BPA. Good quality mats should be able to withstand up to 446F. Just like parchment paper, they allow for a really quick clean up.
Final Thoughts
Making eco-friendly living swaps in your home doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By gradually replacing wasteful habits with sustainable alternatives, you’ll create a healthier home and contribute to a greener planet. Start small, be consistent, and enjoy the positive impact of your sustainable lifestyle!
Have you made any eco-friendly home swaps? Share your favorite tips in the comments!
This post was all about eco-friendly-living.
