From Guest Blogger Brooke Chaplan: Lifelong Eco-Friendly Habits – Making Changes for Life

Living an eco-friendly lifestyle doesn’t happen overnight, especially in today’s convenience-driven society. If you’re hoping to decrease your impact, green up your home, and make a difference for future generations, however, there are several things you can do to improve your chances of success.

Increase Your Reusable Habits

Choosing reusable products isn’t always the easy road. You’re going to be doing more laundry, washing more dishes, and spending a little more time cleaning. On the other hand, reusable products are far better for the environment than products that are used only once before taking up space in a landfill. As an added bonus, reusable products, from cloth diapers to kitchen rags instead of paper towels, are much easier on the wallet than constantly buying disposable products.

Get Green Outdoors

Have you ever thought about the amount of fuel that’s spent simply moving your food from one place to the next? If you have the space, consider creating your own garden plot. Even if you only have a small balcony of outdoor space to call your own, growing your own herbs, vegetables, and other plants can make a significant impact on both the environment and your wallet. Homegrown fruits and vegetables also taste much better than the commercial ones you can buy in bulk in a store. If you can’t grow your own, consider supporting a local farmer or visiting your farmer’s market.

Learn More

You can choose to go back to school and get a degree or develop your skills through online research. It all depends on what works for you. From earning a master’s degree in aging to help understand how the human body is impacted by chemicals and other things in the atmosphere to seeking a degree in biology, earth science, and more, the more you know, the better the choices you’ll be able to make.

Go Local

Have you ever gotten lost in a local shop, digging around for treasures in their unique merchandise? When you turn this from an occasional pursuit into a hobby, you’ll quickly discover that one of the advantages of shopping local is the unique selection of merchandise you’re able to explore. Develop a habit of checking out new local shops and learning what merchandise is available in your area.

Making small, simple changes to your everyday life can have a significant impact on the earth as a whole. One kitchen rag instead of a paper towel, for example, might not make a measurable difference. Over the course of your lifetime, however, choosing reusable can make a huge dent in a landfill.