Even though the US has been recycling its waste for almost half a century, the rate still sits at around 32%, and plastics only get recycled 6% of the time, which can be extremely demoralizing if you’re striving to be eco-friendly.
However, there are more things you can do to ensure the plastic bottle you throw in the recycling bin finds a second use, although it’s much more complicated than one would imagine.
This is caused by a bundle of regulations around recycling that every state has in place, and it’s part of why finding what you can and can’t recycle can only be done online with a reputable source of information.
Save water
On average, American families tend to waste anywhere between 180 and 200 gallons of water every week.
This can amount to 800 gallons every month, and considering some regions of the planet barely get access to any, this is highly irresponsible handling of such an important resource.
Thankfully, the way to fix this is by implementing small but meaningful changes to how you use water in your daily life.
If you limit the number of toilet flushes you do in a day, you could drastically lower the amount of water that gets wasted.
Aside from this, you could also save up rainwater and use it for irrigating your garden, rather than hosing it down with tap water.
Water crises are common all across the world, especially in 3rd world countries, and doing your part to preserve this part of nature is extremely important.
Recycle your electronics
Electronic devices on their own are dangerous pollutants from the very start of their lifetime.
Production of motherboards, chips, and batteries takes a huge toll on the environment, and these devices continue to pollute our soil and water for decades after their use.
If you wish to help, you can employ your family to gather all the unnecessary devices in your home and set them aside for recycling.
In fact, you can turn this activity into a fun scavenger hunt for your children, who will have fun searching for the devices on the list while also learning about and contributing to the preservation of nature.
Some companies like Gizmogo can buy these electronics from you, making the process that much easier for you.
They offer free shipping and will give you a fair price for every device you send in.
Reduce energy when cooking
It’s no secret that slow cookers and microwaves are much more energy efficient when it comes to cooking food.
However, many overlook the fact that using less energy also means they’re contributing to the preservation of nature.
Recent research found that a slow cooker produces 5x fewer carbon emissions compared to a standard oven over a year-long period, and a microwave will be even more effective in decreasing your carbon footprint.
You can also opt for steaming instead of boiling your food, which can make your veggies even tastier, whereas batch cooking can help save electricity and give you a 2-for-1 approach to cooking your favorite meals.
Begin composting
If you’ve got a garden, it’s more than likely you’ve heard about compost and the benefits it can have for the products you’re growing.
However, you don’t have to buy it, and you can actually make your own by disposing of your kitchen waste in a bin that will be your composter.
By doing this, you’ll help your garden grow while keeping it completely natural and allowing your plants to grow without any artificial nutrients.
You can also implement this strategy at work by using a bag where you and your coworkers will dump unfinished snacks and used coffee grounds.
Once the bag’s filled up, you can use it to fertilize your garden or drop it off at your city’s pre-designated area for compost.
You can also teach your kids to dispose of scraps this way by including them in your gardening activities, and they’ll be directly involved with a process akin to recycling.
Clean traveling
Finally, if you’re looking to reduce or completely erase your carbon footprint, you can switch your transportation method for a much cleaner one.
If you live close to where you work, there’s no point in driving if it’s a sunny day outside and you’ve got access to a bike or an e-scooter.
Not only will this help you stay in shape, but it will also help you contribute to a much greater good without much effort.
If you’ve got enough time on your hands, you can even do the weekly shopping this way, or by taking a walk to the local market with your family, which can be a fun and educational activity for you and your children.
A single day when you’re not using your car is a massive contribution to the preservation of clean air, and you’ll be doing yourself and the future generations a huge service by choosing to pollute as little as possible.