Making your family more eco-friendly

Do you want to start eco-friendly habits or changes to your family home to help the planet or reduce your bills? If so, there are so many ways to make a difference to the household carbon footprint. It’s probably easier than you think and even these small lifestyle changes can go on to have big effects. There is no better time to start the shift to make your family more eco-friendly, and here are some ways to do it.

Turn off

One of the biggest contributors to your carbon footprint will be the energy consumption in your house. It is also one of the areas you can make the biggest difference without much effort. For example, try to turn off the lights when not needed, such as when you leave the room.

Also, don’t leave anything on standby. Standby mode is convenient but it zaps the energy and increases your bills. If you can consider switching to a Smart heating or cooling system, you can turn off the usage from your phone and program your system to self-regulate.

That is a great way to ensure your house is not being heated or cooled excessively. All without wasting energy and money.

Eat less meat

Meat is a huge cause of three greenhouse gases. They are methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide. What? Yes. Meat production, from clearing land for livestock to processing and transporting emissions are all contributors.

Beef is one of the highest pollutants. To help make a difference, consider removing red meat from your household meal plan completely or just once or twice a week. If each person commits to doing so, it can make a difference to the planet.

More eco-friendly tips: Watch waste as a family

While on the topic of food, let’s talk about food waste. It is another serious contributor to the levels of CO2 being emitted into the atmosphere from landfills. Not to mention, it is a huge waste of food and money.

Take the steps to try to cut down the amount of food you waste on a family. A great way to do this is by planning your weekly meals in advance and only buying the items you need for those meals from your weekly grocery shop.

Also, get creative with leftovers, using them up in a different meal later on in the week. Or, freeze them. The garbage can should be the last resort.

Encourage the family to use more eco-friendly swaps

There are more and more companies producing ethical products for the home. Some organizations are making the switch to a more sustainable or environmentally-conscious brand.

Cleaning products are a great example of items you can switch out. Products that use less plastic, fewer chemicals, or that are sourced locally are other ways you can make eco-swaps around the home.

Recycle more for an eco-friendly family home

The concept of recycling is not new. The chances are that your household has been recycling for years, but are you doing enough of it, and are you doing it correctly? Almost anything can be recycled, from batteries to wine corks. You name it; the chances are that it, or parts of it, can be recycled.

So, before you go straight to the trash, ask yourself if any part of the item is recyclable. Remember, recycling is more than just putting it in the correct bin. It could be handing down clothes to younger siblings or relatives or donating toys, books, and household items your family no longer uses.

Someone may want and may benefit from it. The environment certainly will.