In recent years, there’s been a significant increase in the number of people and businesses making the shift toward greener living.
Maybe you’ve considered it yourself but haven’t started implementing changes yet. What are you waiting for? Now’s the perfect time to adopt a more eco-friendly lifestyle. Here’s why.
It’s Good for the Environment
One of the most well-known benefits of going green is that it benefits the environment. Instead of working against the environment, it’s time to work with it. Every step you take to limit your carbon emissions, reduce your waste, use fewer trees, recycle more, and incorporate more natural products reduces your overall carbon footprint.
An Eco-friendly lifestyle improves the Air Quality
Along with protecting our natural resources, making more eco-friendly choices helps to improve the overall air quality. Chemicals, burning fossil fuels, and many other activities pollute the air, which in turn affects your lungs. By reducing air pollution, you make the air cleaner and safer to breathe.
An Eco-friendly lifestyle saves you money
Making your home more eco-friendly helps you to reduce your monthly bills, allowing you to save more money. There are several changes or upgrades that you can make, such as replacing your light bulbs with LEDs or CFLs, unplugging electronics when they’re not in use, and updating old appliances. You can also buy solar panels and install them on your home to reduce your reliance on traditional electricity.
It Can Increase the Value of Your Home
Many homebuyers are looking for houses with energy-efficient features already incorporated. All of the changes and upgrades you make to your home can help to increase its value and its desirability. You can list your home (and likely sell it) for more than a similar home without those features.
ALSO READ: Home energy usage; here are some tips on reducing your bill
It Improves Your Health
You’ve likely seen at least a few news articles showing the dangers of different chemicals in conventional pesticides, cleaning products, and even body care and makeup. Studies are finding out that these chemicals are bad for the environment, bad for the water, and bad for your health. They can harm your lungs, irritate your eyes, and absorb into your skin. By consuming foods grown without conventional pesticides and using green cleaning and body care, you reduce your exposure to toxic chemicals, all of which can help to improve your health.
It Boosts Your Local Economy
Food purchased at the grocery store often travels thousands of miles before it gets there. All of that transportation contributes to carbon emissions. Supermarkets are also affecting smaller, local farms, running them out of business.
You can help to support your local farmers (and other businesses) by choosing to shop locally. Visit a nearby farmer’s market for seasonal produce that’s traveled a much shorter distance. Spending your money at local businesses doesn’t just support the business owners, but it can also help to improve your community.
It Reduces Waste
When you throw things away, they don’t magically disappear once the garbage trucks pick them up. They have to go somewhere, and those places are landfills. Many of the things that you throw away (including food waste) take a long time to break down. As they do, they create methane and other air pollutants.
Instead of throwing everything away, look to see what can be recycled. You can also compost much of your food waste. You can then use your compost to feed your gardens, whether you’re growing flowers or vegetables, rather than using conventional fertilizer.
It Preserves the Future for Your Children
Going green doesn’t just preserve the environment now. It helps to keep it safe for the future. By taking steps to reduce your carbon footprint and improve the world around you, you ensure a healthier, safer place to live for your children, grandchildren, and countless other future generations.
Going green offers so many incredible benefits. Not only do you help the environment, but you help yourself, your family, and your community. Making the change toward an eco-friendly lifestyle benefits everyone!
Author: Kevin Devoto
