*written by Molly Pass, 2021 Dietetic Intern through University of Minnesota - School of Public Health
1.Change your light bulbs to be LED. These lightbulbs use less energy than traditional incandescent light bulbs and they last much longer, so you aren’t needing to purchase lightbulbs as often.
2. Use a smart power strip in your house.By plugging electronics into smart power strips, you can save on electricity being used which can also save you money. Smart power strips shut off the power when you’re not using them which is beneficial so it’s not using power by simply being plugged in.
3. Clean out empty milk jugs for use of planters or watering cans.Although simply recycling milk jugs can be beneficial to the earth, why not get another use out of them? Rinse them out, cut the top off and use as a planter for some plants or herbs. Or, rinse it out, fill it up with water and use as a watering can instead of purchasing one.
4. Use paper bags at the grocery store or use reusable bags.Grab some of your favorite reusable bags and head to the grocery store to pack your items in it. Also, these reusable bags can also be used for packing on a trip or bringing snacks to school. If you don’t have one, there are some available for purchase at Mackenthun’s.
5. Recycle your plastic bags. Find an alternative use for these bags, or better yet, bring them back to Mackenthun’s to put in our plastic bag recycling bin.
6. Use reusable water bottles.Save money and the Earth by continually refilling your reusable water bottle when it’s time to go to work, the store, sports practice or anywhere. It is also way more fun to personalize a water bottle than using those plastic water bottles.
7. Compost your food and yard waste.Check out our recent blog post on composting to learn how you can get started today. Click here to read that post.
8. Grow your own herbs.Growing your own food or herbs is a great way to be sustainable. The easiest herbs to start with are basil, oregano, thyme, mint and parsley because they can be grown in pots and only require water a few times a week. You can also choose to get an herb keeper like this one to improve its shelf life in the refrigerator. Available on Amazon. Please note we are not endorsing this product and is used solely as an example for herb keepers.
9. Follow proper recycling.Recycling can be so complicated and hard to follow, especially because some recycling practices vary in different cities. Check out our recent blog post for some tips on how to properly recycle. Click here to read that post.
10. Shop at thrift stores.Shopping at local thrift stores can cut down on waste production from shopping new. You can find some awesome clothing, furniture, décor and houseware products at thrift stores.
11. Switch from paper towels to reusable towels and rags.Think of how many times you grab a paper towel to clean up a mess, so next time, reach for a reusable rag or an old shirt. Once you’re done, just toss it in your next load of laundry and you can reuse it again.
12. Go Plogging.Plogging is picking up litter while jogging. This concept started in Sweden, but give it a try on your next time out. You can be walking your dog or jogging while picking up a few pieces of litter. Each piece you pick up can make a difference.
13. Time your showers.Do you find yourself sitting in the shower longer than you need to simply because its warm or it feels good? Try setting a timer to quicken up your shower and save water.
14. Turn off the water when you brush your teeth or wash your face.Such a simple action can save so much water. Take a moment to turn off the sink in between uses.
15. Open up your blinds in your house.Opening your blinds in the house will allow the sunlight to brighten and warm up your space, allowing you to turn your lights off and your heat down some days to save on electricity.
16. Carpool or take public transportation.Next time you’re heading in the same direction as someone else, try carpooling to save on gas and energy, or even bike or walk somewhere if you’re close enough. 17. Reuse beer growlers.Are you a beer drinker and do you enjoy supporting local? Purchase a growler and then when its empty, take it back to get it refilled instead of purchasing another container each time.
18. Go paperless.When shopping at grocery stores or other stores, or paying bills, opt for digital letters, notices and receipts instead of printed ones to save on paper. Also, get an online newspaper subscription to eliminate the extra pages that you only read once.
19. Use paper scraps for note taking. Instead of grabbing a new notebook page every time you need to jot something down, write a few different things on a single page to reduce the amount of pages you use. Or, use the back pages of bills or junk mail instead of grabbing new piece of paper. 20. Repurpose glass jars. When you finish a glass jar, try finding another reason for its use. For example, you can use an empty spaghetti sauce container as a coin bank or a pencil holder. Get creative!
21. Reduce your food waste.Plan your meals ahead of when you go grocery shopping and only buy what you are actually planning to make to avoid having to throw food out.
22. Refuse plastic cutlery at restaurants.Since the covid-19 pandemic started, a lot of people have been getting take out from restaurants, so next time you order, try to decline the plastic silverware. You are most likely heading home and can use your own silverware instead of wasting the stuff you got from the restaurant.