Earth Day Swaps
You’ve all heard about how simple it is to make Earth-Friendly swaps like swapping out traditional light bulbs to more energy efficient LED light bulbs, but there are SO MANY MORE things you can do! The best part about these new swaps is, you might even enjoy some of them and some of them are just as good for YOU as they are for Mother Earth.
So in celebration of Earth Day, which happens this Sunday, April 22 here are our Easy Earth Day Swaps to Make
1. Hang your clothes to dry (seriously)!
You don't have to go the full 50s housewife with an apron full of wooden clothes pegs and a Hills Hoist in the backyard (although that would be cool, too). There are smaller, indoor options available that can be used in the tiniest studio apartment with ease. Bottom line? Skip the tumble dryer when you can and your clothes, your energy bill and the environment will benefit.
2. Change your toothbrush
It takes more than 1000 years for a toothbrush to break down. ONE THOUSAND YEARS. Plastic toothbrushes are one of the world’s worst offenders when it comes to environmental pollution. By swapping out your current plastic toothbrush for one made of bamboo, you’re doing an easy switch that makes a huge environmental impact. Yeah, if that doesn’t make you think twice about that cheap bumper pack of plastic toothbrushes at the supermarket, I don’t know what will. Cheap is expensive.
3. Drive slow & smooth
You know that Uber Driver who engages in hard acceleration and then abruptly stops? Don’t be that guy. That kind of driving isn’t just annoying, it’s terrible for your car, brakes and the environment! Turns out, you can conserve all three by driving more smoothly. Imagine an egg on your brake and accelerator. Tread gingerly and don’t break it! Once you drive mindfully like this for a few weeks, you’ll start to do it automatically (and save money, fuel and maintenance). It’s win-win-win!
4. BYOB
You know this one, but what have you done about it? Go and buy a Brita filter and a chic, refillable drink bottle and you’re done! Bottled water creates over 60,000 tons of greenhouse gasses a year in Australia alone. This is how you can help bring that number down.
5. Say NAH to Straws
Plastic straws are a perfect example of those things we mindlessly use once and then toss. Make it a point to ask for “no straws” when you eat out, skip the plastic lid on your takeaway coffee too (better still bring your own KeepCup!). If you have to have a straw, get yourself some great looking stainless steel ones that you can wash and reuse. Easy.
6. Re-Think what’s under your sink!
Of course, this is a shameless plug, but it’s legit. We use too many chemicals in our homes. Buying green cleaning products is one of the most effective ways you can lower the overall chemical count in your home. Beware of “eco-friendly” brands that only talk about what they don’t have. If they are all about “no synthetic fragrance” you’re probably buying a LOT of water and solubilizer (a chemical which makes oil mix with water). That’s not helping get your bench tops clean at all. Murchison-Hume products are glucosides; a sugarcane based soap that cleans just like the supermarket stuff, but does zero harm to the environment or aquatic life.
7. Bring a Better Lunch.
Take the hipster route and only eat leftovers in Mason jars. Of course they make last night’s dinner look great, but they’re also really effective at keeping food fresh and you can heat your lunch right inside. Save money, eat better, healthier food and skip the whole wasteful take-away packaging nightmare.
