Categories: Gardening

5 Simple Ways You Can Reduce Pollution, Live Healthier, and Save Money

Studies and reports seem to come in everyday talking about the state of the world. Global warming and pollution are threatening the delicate balance of life on Earth. Meanwhile our own bodies are being attacked by cancers, diseases, and a flurry of health problems that seem to increase in number every year. It can cause anyone to feel overwhelmed and confused about what they can do. The vast amount of troubles in the world can make any thing we do seem insignificant. But if we can do just a few things to help, the joined efforts can create a huge difference in both the world and in our lives. If you are not sure where to begin here are five simple things that can create a big change.

1. Grow your own garden. Whether you have a large yard, a small patch of land, or just enough room for a few potted plants growing your own garden can create a tremendous difference. Having fresh fruits and vegetables at your finger tips can not only improve your health, it can also save you money. A packet of seeds only costs a few cents but can produce several times the amount of food than you would expect to pay in a grocery store, and without the added hassle of driving to the store and creating more garbage from the packaging and bags. Spending time each day working in your garden is wonderful exorcise and a great way to get plenty of sunshine.

2. Start composting. For many composting seems disgusting. Often when people think of composting they imagine an open pile of rotting foods, foul odors, and an array of animals digging through it. Modern composting, however, is nothing like that. Today you can buy or create several different kinds of containers and storage devices from small ones that fit under your kitchen sink to large ones that sit in your yard. These containers not only prevent rodents and other animals from creating a mess they also look neater and more attractive than an open heap or pile. Smell is also something that does not have to be a worry. Ideally composting should not have a strong odor, an odor usually is a sign of an imbalance in what you are adding to the mix. Adding more fallen leaves or cut grass can help reduce the smell. Having a compost bin is a great way to get rid of common kitchen scraps without creating more garbage and waste. And once cultivated you have an excellent source of fertilizer and mulch for plants to grow from.

3. Stop buying chemical cleaners. Check under your sink or in your kitchen cabinets. Are there bottle after bottle of cleaners, degreasers, and disinfectants? Most people think that they need to spend money buying special formulas to clean their house, what they don’t think about is what effect those chemicals can have on your health and the environment. Instead of buying more bottles of chemicals and creating more waste try some of the simple cleaner ideas that you can make yourself. Vinegar and baking soda is one of the simplest, most effective, and cheapest cleaning solutions available. You can clean everything from a dirty stove top to a load of laundry with that mixture, and not worry about the effects it could have on your health and home. Lemon juice is another safe and effective cleaner that can remove soap scum and whiten clothes as well as many other uses.

4. Change your light bulbs. Replacing your ordinary light bulbs with low energy bulbs can both save you money and help the environment. These long lasting bulbs reduce your energy bill and do not need to be replaced as often as conventional bulbs. There are a variety of styles available, even low energy holiday lights are being sold. Though the initial price can be higher for these than ordinary bulbs, over time these bulbs can save you up to $50 during the lifetime of a bulb.

5. Recycle. The tried and true method of helping the environment is recycling. Most cities have recycling centers or recycling pick-up available for people. Plastic, glass, paper, even old phonebooks can be recycled and used for other things. Using recycled items can also help the environment and save you money. Old tires and newspapers are used for insulation in homes, paper is recycled into new paper for notebooks and envelopes, even the rubber souls on shoes can come from recycled products. Many stores now offer a wide variety of recycled items, simply look for the recycled symbol to know if you are buying something that came from recycled products.