Clear air, soothe burns with aloe vera
Did you know in the late 1980s NASA did a study of common houseplants to see which varieties were best at purifying air inside space facilities? The study was a success and found very specific types of plants that cleaned the air of volatile organic compounds, or airborne chemicals. One of the plants is also one of the easiest to grow: aloe vera. Scientists found this succulent sucked up chemicals like formaldehyde and benzene. And one bonus benefit of aloe vera? The inner gel of the plant can help heal cuts and soothe burns.
BRING YOUR OWN BAGS
This isn’t a radically new eco-tip, but it’s one worth repeating: Never take throwaway disposable plastic shopping bags. Did you know plastic bags are one of the worst offenders when it comes to litter? It’s believed over 4 billion (yes, billion) bags are strewn in storm drains, beaches, oceans and forests. These bags are more than just ugly, too. They kill hundreds of millions of animals including birds, whales and other marine mammals annually. Production of these bags uses about 12 million barrels of oil each year, and the bags are rarely recycled. This year, skip the bags and bring your own.
10,000 STEPS
Did you know many fitness and health experts say walking 10,000 steps a day is the “magic number” to lose weight and feel more energized? If you don’t have time to go to the gym, you can try to reach that number in your day-to-day life and go green, too. Skip taxis in major cities and walk instead (or use public transport, which requires some walking to and from stations). When running errands, choose a shopping center that has several stores and walk between stores rather than driving to several. Experts say downloading a long podcast to your phone can help you walk more without realizing it, too.
WRAP OPTIONS
Sure, if you have a small gift to give, a piece of scrap paper makes an easy gift wrap. But what about something larger? Consider wrapping it in something useful by using a double-duty gift. Take two pillow cases and double-wrap a gift; just tie a knot with the excess fabric, and voila! A beautifully wrapped gift. Tea towels and bath towels are also easy to use in lieu of paper to wrap a present; use safety pins to tuck them neatly into a wrapped gift. And you can upcycle the fabric bags that shoes or bedding sets come packaged in; they often have a zip closure that makes wrapping a breeze.
COFFEE SLEEVES
If you forget to bring a reusable coffee cup to the shop, at least do this: Ditch the cardboard sleeve. It’s estimated over 58 billion cardboard sleeves are added to cups every year and instantly tossed into the trash when the hot cup of java is finished. The reality is, a hot cup only stays hot for a short period of time. So eliminating the sleeve is at least one tiny way to reduce your footprint when you forget to bring your reusable thermos to your favorite coffee shop.
WASH THE DISHWASHER
Using a dishwasher is one of the most waterand energy-efficient ways to get your dishes clean. It’s greener than washing by hand, and it also usually delivers a more sanitized finish on cups, utensils and plates. But did you know your dishwasher needs to be cleaned every few months, too? To keep your appliance in its best shape, simply fill a large bowl with white vinegar and place it inside, right side up. The mild acid will help neutralize odors and germs as it is dispensed. Then sprinkle baking soda all over the bottom of the dishwasher and run it empty; this will give the interior one last clean. These two steps will leave your dishwasher sanitized and ready for your next load of dirty dishes.