A recent study shows that each year, the average American household produces 45 to 50 pounds of chemical hazard waste. Nationwide, that accounts for millions of gallons of harsh chemicals and other biohazards consumed and dumped down our drains or in landfills each year. For this new year, let’s resolve to help reduce this amount of toxic buildup in our ecosystem by trying to eliminate harsh chemical cleaners and use more green, natural, and eco-friendly options. In today’s article, we have put together a basic guide on going green for the New Year and every year after that!
Replace Chemical-Based Cleaners With Green Alternatives
First thing’s first, let’s start at the heart of the problem: harsh chemical cleaners. For years, we have been sold by vast marketing campaigns the idea that the only way for the modern home owner could tackle tough stains or cleaning chores was to go at them with powerful lab-made chemical compounds that would supposedly make our lives easier. Well, it looks like that fancy marketing was not in our best interests and was just a bunch of empty promises designed to sell us harsh chemicals that we don’t really need.
It’s time to ditch the harsh cleaners and adopt a more eco-friendly and human-friendly cleaning product suite. Here are some suggestions for green cleaning supplies:
If you are purchasing a pre-packaged bottle of cleaner, look for labels that say it is biodegradable, or non-toxic, or natural.
Stock up on natural cleaning products like:
White vinegar
Lemons and lemon essential oils
Baking soda
Castile soap
Lavender essential oils
Check out this video for how to make your own all natural dish soap, hand soap, laundry detergent, glass cleaner, all purpose cleaner, and more!
Invest In Reusable Cleaning Tools
While it’s one thing to replace the chemicals altogether, it’s another to replace certain items that also contribute to landfill buildup in ways we may not have imagined. Go green this next year by ditching the disposable cleaning wipes (like bleach wipes and others) as well as the paper towels. Instead, buy a few microfiber towels to always have on hand to help you clean everyday messes and replace costly wipes and paper towels. You can also upcycle an old t-shirt into various rags as well that can be used a few times and then composted or thrown away. Switch out your plastic sponges for biodegradable materials like biodegradable cellulose.
Use Less Energy When Washing Clothes
Another huge contributor to climate change that we may not think about is how we wash and dry our clothes. To cut down on wasted energy and help your clothes last longer, try washing everything on cold whenever possible. This cuts down on the energy used to heat the water and reduces the amount of hot water that is flushed down sewer pipes each year. When drying, try to skip the dryer for a more natural air drying rack. Even if you just air dry one load a week, that is 52 fewer hot dryer cycles that you have to pay for each year that contributes to more heat put out into the atmosphere and requires less energy that needs to be generated through the power grid.
In Conclusion
We hope that today’s New Year’s Resolutions guide was useful to you. Remember, no matter the time of year, there is always something fun to do around Boise and Meridian. I am happy to help with any questions about home and garden, buying, selling, real estate, and beyond! Give me a call today, I’d love to hear from you.
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