Can you believe its almost April !?!!
I’ve decided to celebrate April with a sustainability challenge and I’d love for you to join in!
It is easy to put things like sustainable living on the back burner when there are so many other things to worry about. To get around that, why not start small, make it a game – and challenge yourself to do one thing to pay attention to sustainability and earth friendly decision-making for 10 minutes a day in April?
There is the only easy rule for this challenge:
😇 Spend 10 minutes every day in the month of April doing any one of the 10 tasks below (or come up with your own ideas for doing things in an eco-friendly way during those 10 precious minutes):
- Make your own eco-friendly home made cleaner
Consider choosing one or more options from the 8 suggestions in this article in Good Housekeeping. I’ve put off doing this although it’s been on the back of my mind. One simple one is an all purpose cleaner made with one part vinegar and one part water. Making your own eco-friendly cleaner will reduce the number of potentially harmful chemicals in your home. You will also be bringing less plastic into your environment by reusing the bottles each time you run out of a cleaner.
2. Make reusable containers for different things easily accessible
Fill reusable water bottles to take with you when you go out. Put reusable tote bags in a location where you can easily grab them before going shopping.
3. Purchase and then switch to energy saving light bulbs in your home wherever you can
If you haven’t already, figure out what type of bulb fits into your light fixtures and look for an energy saving version of the same to put onto your shopping list.
4. Prevent food waste
Look through your kitchen for anything that has been there for a while (and is not expired!). Cook your next meal with something that could otherwise end up being wasted.
5. Be intentional about your water use
Conserve water by taking a 5 minute or shorter shower instead of that longer shower. Remember to turn the tap off in between rinsing and putting things away at your kitchen sink.
6. Repair, launder, iron or take the time to sort through and maintain clothing you haven’t been wearing for one reason or another
Keep your clothes in well-maintained, excellent condition to prevent the temptation to continually buy something new. Go through your closet frequently to identify pieces you haven’t been wearing. Resolve any issues with the clothing yourself or go to a tailoring service that can assist. Donate the item if all else fails so someone else can enjoy it.
7. Be intentional about your electricity usage
Walk around all the rooms in your home and unplug any devices not in use. If you use heating or air conditioning, adjust your thermostat to 2 degrees lower than usual in winter and 2 degrees higher than usual in summer. Decrease the brightness on your device screens to save on energy and to provide a gentler viewing experience for your eyes.
8. Do some environmentally conscious research for any new purchase or service you’ve been considering
Try to find local companies or companies that have sustainability as an integral part of their mission statement when deciding to bring something new into your home. Also, research second hand options for your purchase so you’re reusing things whenever possible.
9. If you’re not vegetarian, make one meal that wouldn’t be vegetarian a quick vegetarian one
As an example, make an avocado and mushroom sandwich in a few minutes for lunch. This strategy is good for your health and saves on greenhouse gas emissions as well.
10. Comb through your email and unsubscribe from all the marketing emails
Remove all the temptations that entice you to purchase more than you need.
It can take a very small amount of effort to make changes that add up and have a much larger impact than you would have imagined.
What are some of your favorite eco-friendly strategies?
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This is a great challenge and wonderful post! What a great idea to try and do things to help the environment even if it is things that take only 10 minutes. I’ll try and join in and make April more aware. I can’t believe it’s almost April too!!! My main contribution is we do not buy any water bottles. We have purchased water bottles we wash and reuse so we are not contributing any of those plastic water bottles to the landfills or recycle can. I hope you have a wonderful week! 🤩👍
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Thank you for joining :)..I agree, those plastic water bottles can really add up. Replacing them with reusable ones can make a big difference. Have a great week as well!
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I do a lot of these things already. One thing I’ve recently started doing is reusing large bags like what the guinea pigs’ hay and bedding comes in as garbage bags.
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That’s a smart idea – I like to keep any extra plastic bags for garbage as well.
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Wonderful idea. Such great tips. I want to try some of them out soon.
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Thank you! Thanks for stopping by – have a great April 🙂
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Some great ideas there. One thing my household really need to work on is food wastage. That’s going to be my April target!
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Agree, it is easy to overlook leftovers and food in the pantry that is close to its “use by” date. I’m trying to be more intentional about this as well. Thank you for stopping by! Have a great April.
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Wow! Sustainability challenge is good. Thank you 😊🌍
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You’re welcome! Thank you for stopping by.
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You are welcome 😊🌍
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I already do most of this but I have bookmarked the Good Housekeeping site for future reference – thanks.
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You’re welcome! That article does have some excellent ideas for cleaners. Glad you’re already doing most of these. Have a great week.
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And you!
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What a great idea! 10 minutes a day is super accessible too.
Reducing food waste is one I’m super passionate about. It’s such a huge contributor to climate change and I feel like it’s an issue that flies under the radar. I love that it’s on the list! 🙂
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Thanks for stopping by! I agree, food waste does fly under the radar. I think making the idea of sustainability accessible helps with the “I don’t want to add another thing to my list” feeling..have a great week!
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