At The Earthling Co., we believe strongly in the power of the collective. We value progress over perfection and know how impactful small changes can be when added up. In honor of Earth Day, we want to share all the no-cost ways you can be more sustainable in your daily life.
Many feel a barrier to a low-waste lifestyle because they think you have to buy all these new things in order to get started. While there may be some truth to that, there are still countless ways you can bring sustainability into your life without spending any money. In fact, many of these tips will actually save you money! Let’s get into it.
No-cost sustainability tips
Here are some of our favorite, free ways to be more eco-friendly in daily life.
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Turn appliances off when not in use. Leaving your TV on in the background probably uses more energy than you might think. Be sure to turn appliances to the “off” setting when you’re not using them.
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Unplug appliances. Even when appliances aren’t on, if they’re plugged in, they’re still drawing some energy (called phantom loads). Unplugging things you aren’t using will help save on even more energy. Appliances to unplug after use include: computers, chargers, gaming consoles, and printers.
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Put your thermostat on a schedule. The HVAC uses a ton of energy (as you probably know from your monthly energy bill). If you’re able to put it on a schedule, this can save a significant amount of energy and money. It should be set lower for times you’re not in the house and higher when you need it. For example, you can coordinate the schedule with your work schedule so that the house is comfortable when you’re home but the HVAC isn’t running as high when you’re not there.
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Adjust your blinds. Using your blinds during the day can make a big difference in your HVAC use, too. If the sun is glaring in your house during the height of summer, that’s adding unnecessary heat that your AC will have to work harder to fight. Use your blinds or curtains to block the sun and reduce your HVAC’s use.
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Only run the wash when full. Both dishwashers and washing machines use overall less water if they’re run when full. However, know that hand washing dishes is likely to use more water than a dishwasher. Dishwashers have limits on how much water they can use, per the Department of Energy.
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Use cold water for washing. It also saves on energy to use cold water for washing because the machine doesn’t have to heat the water up.
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Line dry your clothes. Did you know that American households own far more clothes dryers than the rest of the world? Line drying is more common than you might realize. Cutting out this step saves significant energy (and money!), as dryers are the third-highest energy consumer in a household.
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Compost. Up to 30% of the food supply in the US is wasted. Compost is incredibly powerful for soil health, and it helps cut down on food waste. We know compost is more accessible in some places than others, but if it’s available to you, it’s a simple way to reduce your waste.
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Use alternative methods of transportation. While public transportation is generally not free, it is often cheaper than owning/leasing and driving a car. And biking is free! Both bikes and public transportation help save a lot on emissions.
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Get a library card. Library cards are always free! Borrowing books instead of always buying them new saves both money and resources.
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Go paperless. Pretty much all bills are available paperless nowadays. Whenever you’re setting up a new account, be sure to select the paperless option to cut down on paper usage.
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Make your own cleaning supplies. This will require a little kitchen chemistry, but making your own cleaning supplies reduces plastic usage and is definitely cheaper.
When you’re ready to invest in your low-waste lifestyle, we offer a number of bundles that help save on our plastic-free products.
Our Starter Kit saves you over 15% on our core products – shampoo and conditioner bars, Body Wash Bar, a soap dish, and a Sisal Soap Saver Bag – all of which are formulated to last longer than their traditional counterparts.
Get our Bestsellers Bundle to cover both your personal care and kitchen essentials with shampoo, conditioner, body soap, and kitchen soap, plus a dish scrubber. Or, opt for the Kitchen Essentials Bundle if you prefer to start there.
Want to start with skin? The Skincare Bundle is just what you need for a plastic-free, moisturizing skincare routine.
