Reduce packaging for food on the go
When treating yourself to a snack on the go, opt for food items that are minimally packaged. Avoid packaged foods that come with utensils, which usually means a lot of single-use plastic that ends up in the trash. Think ice cream served in a cone, a sandwich wrapped in waxed paper, a soft pretzel in a napkin or, for a healthier option, choose whole fruit like apples, pears and bananas.
OYSTER RECYCLING
If you love fresh oysters, you might think you can just toss the shells into the ocean or bay. But it’s not that simple. Unclean oyster shells can spread harmful bacteria into the water. Plus, if the oyster shells aren’t placed near active beds where living oysters are, the chances they’ll be used are slim to none. There are active oyster shell recycling programs, and many restaurants do participate, so ask about them the next time you dine out.
REMOTE VOLUNTEERING
If you think donating your time to a charity means you need to be physically present to help, think again. The rise in people working from home has led to charities coming up with ways to let people donate time virtually. The Smithsonian, for example, has a digital volunteer program that allows people to help transcribe documents and edit Wikipedia articles related to their work. Amnesty International looks to volunteers to help flag abusive tweets against women politicians in countries like India. There’s so much you can do to help in just a few minutes a day.
EXPENSIVE DRYING
Did you know according to the Natural Resources Defense Council, Americans spend more than $9 billion a year on electricity simply to dry our clothes? While hanging all our laundry to air-dry probably isn’t realistic for most of us, we can make an effort to air-dry some items. Think about air-drying pieces that tend to shrink, like sweaters and T-shirts, or towels that can take a long time to dry in the dryer. Every little bit counts.
HOTEL ENERGY
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, of the 47,000 hotels and motels in the United States, about $2,196 is spent per room each year on energy costs. That equals about 6% of all operating costs for a hotel. When staying at a hotel, follow the same mindful habits you do at home: When you leave a room or check out, turn off the thermostat or significantly lower or raise it, based on the time of year, to save energy. If you notice a leak in the bathroom, report it to the front desk. The more we all do to lower energy usage, the lower hotel rates will become — a win-win for everyone.
CLEANER DOWNLOAD
With nearly everything streaming now, the energy used to maintain servers and deliver data to your TV, phone or streaming device can be quite extensive. One easy way to help conserve energy is to think about what shows, movies or music you think you’ll be watching or listening to over and over. For those types of media, download it vs. streaming. When it’s permanently downloaded to your devices, it uses less energy than streaming it every time.
WALKABLE VACATION
If you’re thinking about moving or planning a place to vacation, choosing a city that’s walkable is one of the greenest ways to make your move or visit eco-friendly. Turns out walking in your new destination has more benefits than just removing gas-guzzling rental cars from the equation. Walkable cities minimize land use and create a more beautiful place, mixing parks, sidewalks and businesses together. With more trees planted, these cities are literally cooler temperaturewise, and they significantly offset CO2 emissions. Plus, walkable cities are quieter; slower-driving cars mean less noise.