Ecological habits will save the earth. Our little eco-habits Eco habits for every day turning off appliances

You don’t have to go to Africa or Antarctica as a volunteer to contribute to saving the planet. We know just by making slight changes to our daily habits.

The editors of the site have compiled for you a list of eco-friendly habits that will help preserve not only the environment, but also your finances. Because thanks to them, you will pay less for electricity and water, refuse unnecessary goods and learn to do a lot with your own hands.

Try it right now, you will see how easy it is to become an eco-friendly mother and instill eco-friendly habits in the whole family.

How to preserve the Earth's ecology: 15 simple eco-friendly habits for every day

1. Wash your hands cold water, not warm or hot. A recent study from Vanderbilt University found that hand washing cold water has the same hygienic properties as hot. But washing your hands with cold water reduces costs and energy consumption.

2. Turn off the water when brushing your teeth (or shaving). Leaving the water on while brushing your teeth wastes about 500 liters of water per month. This also applies to those who like to shave while the water murmurs (attention dads). For cleaning your teeth, it is better to put water in a glass, and for shaving - in a bowl.

3. Replace the bathtub with a shower. In addition to the fact that a shower is more beneficial from a hygienic point of view, you will also save about 100 liters per day. Add another 50 liters of savings if you achieve perfection and turn off the water while soaping or washing your hair.

4. Wash dishes in a bowl or use the dishwasher. If you wash dishes under running water, you use 7-8 times more water than a dishwasher.

5. Don't ignore a leaky faucet or toilet tank. Even if the tap drips slightly, call a plumber, because in a day he can drip 20 liters of water, and the current tank will “pump” all 400 liters of water.

6. Turn off the lights. Yes, this is so banal that one could not write it. However, for some reason this boring rule has not yet become part of our habits. AND we're talking about It’s not just about turning off the lights when leaving home. Why, for example, is the light on in the hallway or in the kitchen if you are sitting in the room? And why don’t you all get together in one room in the evening, turning off the electricity in others? This will also benefit family relationships.

7. Unplug electrical appliances. Even in sleep mode they consume electricity. If you forget to do this yourself, purchase special devices with a timer that regulate the supply of electricity. You can read more about energy-saving appliances in our article.

8. Defrost your refrigerator regularly. H eat more ice formed in the freezer, the more energy the refrigerator will need to maintain the desired temperature.

9. Only run a completely filled washing machine. You should not use it for two or three things or one pair of jeans. Wash items at a temperature no higher than 40 degrees; many of them can even be washed in cold water. And don’t forget that the most environmentally friendly way to dry clothes is on a dryer or a regular line.

10. Replace regular light bulbs with energy-saving ones. It's hard to believe, but if every family heeds this advice and replaces at least one light bulb with an energy-saving one, the level of reduction in environmental pollution will be as if a million cars had disappeared from the roads.

11. Avoid plastic bags. Every year, between 500 million and 1 billion plastic bags are used worldwide. It will take 100-200 years for them to decompose. Is it any wonder that entire plastic islands have already appeared in the ocean? Every time you are offered a bag in the supermarket, remember that it can cause the death of whales, turtles and other animals that mistake them for food. Therefore, when going shopping, it is better to take a canvas bag with you.

12. Don't buy bottled water. Plastic bottles cause the same environmental damage as plastic bags. Better get a water filter. When it comes to bottles for milk or other liquid products, then give preference to glass containers.

14. Use diapers too. Disposable diapers are good for everyone, except for what they cause irreparable harm environment. As with polyethylene and plastic, disposable diapers take a very long time to decompose. Therefore, if you don’t want to wake up one day in a world of dirty diapers, give preference to reusable diapers and nappies.

15. Give new life to old things. Reusing things will not only help save the environment, but will also save you from having to buy new things. Plus, making crafts with your own hands is such an exciting activity! And we will suggest creative ways. More ideas You can find reusing things in our section.

Saving energy, shopping smarter, making small sacrifices and being creative - short list everyday habits that will help save the planet.

At home

1. Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth. This saves 10,000 liters of water per year.

2. Instead of a bath, which requires 150 - 200 liters of water, it is better to take a shower (30 - 50 liters). This will be better for both the environment and your circulation.

3. To avoid buying plastic bottles, purchase a filter to purify tap water.

4. Do not overheat your home. Install a thermostat to maintain the normal temperature: 16°C in living rooms, 19°C in other rooms. Reducing the temperature by 1 degree can reduce energy consumption by 7%.

5. Replace conventional light bulbs with energy-saving ones that consume 5 times less electricity. Such lamps are more expensive, but will last you longer.

6. Don't forget to turn off the lights when you leave the room. The same applies to electrical equipment - TV, computer, CD/DVD player. Even in standby mode they consume about 10% of electricity.

7. Defrost your freezer regularly. A layer of ice only 4 mm thick increases energy consumption by 2 times.

8. Instead of liquid detergents, use washing powders phosphate-free or, better yet, soap nuts. This organic product Gently removes dirt and is suitable for repeated use.

9. Don’t be lazy to sort your garbage for subsequent recycling of household waste.

In the shop

10. Refuse plastic bags in favor of durable and spacious eco-bags. The process of biodegradation of plastic takes more than 400 years.

11. Buy seasonal products locally produced. This will help reduce environmental pollution caused by long-distance transportation of exotic fruits.

12. Reuse packaging such as dispensers with liquid soap and shower gel.

13. Buy reusable organic diapers. An average of 5,000 regular diapers are used per child, and they take 300 years to decompose.

14. Buy organic products marked with special labels - Ecocert, EU Ecolabel, AB, Grüne Punkt, Green Seal, etc.

At work

15. Try to print documents less. Use reverse side printed sheets as a draft or for internal communications.

16. Invite your company to switch to “green” operating methods - wisely use air conditioning and heating systems, recycle paper, donate old computer equipment V charity organisations, purchase rechargeable stationery, cartridges and batteries.

17. Give up plastic cups. Let each employee drink coffee from their own personal mug.

In transport

18. Take long train rides. This type of transport emits tens of times less into the atmosphere carbon dioxide than an airplane or a car.

19. The most environmentally friendly means for covering short distances is your own feet. Walking is good for both the planet and your health.

20. Switch to the car pool method - car sharing for trips around the city. You can collaborate with relatives, friends or work colleagues. Today there is an average of 1.2 people per car.

Anna Gogoleva

As you know, the more you know (about environmental problems), the less... ordinary things appear in your everyday life. Shopping turns into a treasure hunt, your makeup bag is half empty, and bright plastic colors almost completely disappear from your apartment.

I can't call myself a great role model. Whatever the image of the ideal “eco-person” (like, perhaps, this girl Lauren, about whom we wrote, and who produces almost no waste), I am, unfortunately, far from it. I produce a lot more than a couple of grams of garbage, I fly on airplanes, I can turn on the air conditioning, and I theorize more than I do.

But I acquired some habits. And many of them took root and became part of my life because they were convenient and pleasant, and not just because they brought me environmental satisfaction (although that, of course, too).

So: my 15 eco-items. And one bonus. Post with pictures.

Chemical dishwashing detergents were one of the first to leave my kitchen. I clean almost everything with baking soda and lemon. One day, an acquaintance bought me something at the supermarket, and they gave him a mini bottle of stove cleaner. “Well, don’t throw it away,” I thought and sprinkled it on the stove. I spent the next half hour airing the kitchen and couldn’t stop rubbing my nose. Once you get used to the chemical smell of these liquids, it is very difficult to return to them.

A similar story with cosmetics. I do it myself simple creams, lip balms, scrubs, and I wipe my face with rose water. Somehow I ran out of rose water, and I used regular tonic, which remained in the closet. The face turned red and began to sting. In just a few months, many of the ingredients in this toner became too strong for the skin. I even have a special application installed on my phone (“SkinDeep”). It scans creams, shampoos, lipsticks and tells about carcinogenic components.

Without going away from the topic of cosmetics. Not using plastic, or even using less plastic, is a surprisingly difficult task. Everything is packed, bagged and wrapped. So the next three items are my “package free” products that I found at Lush (but I think other companies around the world have them). For example, dry shampoo.

Dry deodorant. But I want to learn how to make deodorants myself. None of the ready-made ones particularly suited me.

Dry toothpaste. She always raises the most questions. I really like these tablets and the simple cardboard box. Especially when traveling.

Soon the bamboo toothbrushes came for the toothpaste. They decompose, along with the bristles, the box and even the cellophane in which they were wrapped. When I discovered them, I had a forgotten shopping itch. That's why I bought them for myself a year in advance.

For girls. In fact, it always scares me how much I throw away every month. And the world, it turns out, has been using mooncap for a long time.

Without packaging, I try to look beyond cosmetics. But I’m also going. It turns out that a lot of things are sold by weight. The second option is to buy large bags and bottles “in reserve”.

Let’s continue the fascinating topic of “not plastic, but wood.” This is how my favorite wooden glasses came to me...

Wooden comb…

And wooden (before the question: certified) toys. I also have a wooden flash drive. My friends often roll their eyes when they see it, knowing my anti-plastic quest, but I really like it.

Everyone has already read about plastic bottles. But the more I learn about them, the more this whole bottled thing scares me.

In fact, my biggest problem is with the mass market. I no longer buy clothes from huge retailers after reading a little more about where and how they make inexpensive synthetic sweaters. That’s why I go almost exclusively to second-hand stores (and stores like Humana in Berlin help me out for years to come)…

Or I’m looking for rare, unusual things made from recycled materials, from garbage, from eco-leather, and so on. In the picture are your favorite paper sneakers, which became “famous” after the EcoCup in St. Petersburg.

They gave me a solar charger for my phone. It works just fine. But the gift set me up to look for home Tesla generators or home solar panels. Let's see what comes of this.

And finally. Bonus. Bicycle photo. But I really just love bicycles, without any eco-consciousness.

What eco-friendly habits do you have?

The list was compiled by Anastasia Laukkanen.

We have all heard that the environment is getting worse every year, a huge number of forests are being cut down, the world's oceans are polluted, some territories have been turned into huge landfills, and some cities are drowning in persistent toxic smog... It would seem that the problem is so huge, that one person is not able to somehow influence her decision. Yes, perhaps one person’s eco-habits are a drop in the ocean, but if there are many such people, if each of us makes it a rule to adhere to one or two eco-habits, then helping nature and our Earth will become significant and obvious. So, let's talk today about eco-friendly habits that are available to each of us, regardless of whether you live outside the city or in the center of a metropolis.

Where to begin?

Since you are reading this article, it means that you are already mentally ready to change your life and try to cause minimal harm to nature and the environment around us. Do you think it's difficult? Not at all, here are simple things you can start doing today:

Refusal to use disposable tableware and plastic food containers

Of course, we are not suggesting that you immediately and suddenly stop using plastic grocery bags, but you can significantly reduce your consumption now: for example, take bags to the store when shopping from home or replace them with large cloth bags. The latter, by the way, take up very little space when folded and easily fit even into a modest-sized handbag.

It is not so easy to give up plastic containers for food and ready-made food, but it is also possible: just buy berries, vegetables and fruits in bulk, and refuse to buy ready-made salads; it is better to cook them at home. Such habits will make your life healthier and also save some money, because ready food often costs more than the same dish prepared independently (we generally keep quiet about freshness), and plastic bags in most stores they cost extra money. As for, try to use it only when absolutely necessary.

Save water!

It's easier than it seems at first glance: just turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving, and wash the dishes in stages (first soaping all the dishes with the tap closed, and then rinsing them with running water). Also, you should not start the washing machine for 2-3 items, wait until more laundry accumulates.

Reducing the number of batteries used

We need them, because there are a lot of devices and equipment in the house that won’t work without them. At the same time, improperly disposed batteries (in other words, thrown into a bag with regular household waste) cause very serious harm to the environment. What to do?

First: replace regular batteries with rechargeable ones, they ultimately come out more affordable and, by the way, are quite durable.

Second: when the batteries reach the end of their service life, do not throw them away, but put them in a separate box: when you have enough, take the batteries to the hazardous waste terminal, which is available in many cities.

Buy less unnecessary things

Research shows that every year people buy more and more goods, many of them not even used. Before your next spontaneous purchase, think: do you really need this thing?

Does not help? Then, based on your monthly salary, calculate how much you get for one hour of work and divide the price of the item by this amount. You will find out how many hours of work, hours of life you are now ready to exchange for the next dress. Is it worth it?

But, of course, it is impossible to completely refuse to buy clothes. To spend less, buy clothes at second-hand stores or swap clothes at specialized forums or meetings. By the way, there are a number of stores that offer such a service as exchanging old clothes for new ones.

Choose drinks in glass or aluminum cans rather than plastic

Firstly, any plastic is harmful to health, and secondly, plastic bottles natural conditions take a thousand years to decompose! But glass and aluminum cans can be taken to a collection point for recycling and even receive a small compensation.

Save energy!

Turn off the lights in the room where you are not currently located, use it, choose equipment that consumes less electricity. Also, if you are not using any device or household appliances, make it a rule to unplug it from the outlet.

All these eco-friendly habits will not only help save nature, but will also significantly save your budget! Are you afraid you won't be able to? The main thing is to start, and then things will go “automatically”!

Depositphotos/WDGPhoto

Many have seen reports in the press and on the Internet about the deteriorating state of the ecology of our planet. Every year there is more and more such information: forests are disappearing, deserts are conquering everything large areas, rivers and lakes are drying up, the ocean is losing its biological capabilities, landfills are multiplying around our cities, and the air is spoiled by car exhaust and emissions from factory chimneys. How can one inhabitant of the planet influence this global problem?

The environmental efforts of one individual may seem insignificant, but if the number of people adhering to the ecological concept continues to increase, then over time the situation may turn around and improve. Today we will try to give some general instructions that will help in acquiring eco-friendly habits.

Let's start with the basics

If you are interested in the problem and are reading these lines, then you are not indifferent to the fate of the Earth. You can change this world with your little efforts, make nature a little better. Eco-friendly habits consist of simple things that are easy to do but will provide great benefits.

Eliminate plastic

Do not use disposable plastic products for personal purposes: bags, dishes, food storage containers. Not everyone can immediately give up familiar items, but reducing their number to a minimum is possible now. To do this, you can take bags from home to the store for packaging and carrying, or take a fabric bag with you. These bags are convenient and do not take up much space. They can even be folded into women's handbag.

It is a little more difficult to get rid of plastic containers in which food products are sold or stored. To reduce your plastic consumption, you should buy food in bulk. This concerns raw vegetables, fruits, berries. Instead of ready-made preserves and salads, it is better to buy products and prepare them yourself at home. These habits will not only improve the environment, but also reduce shopping costs. Prepared packaged foods tend to be more expensive. Don’t forget about shelf life and the possibility of tricks from the trade, so it’s better to purchase products in bulk. By the way, packages often also cost money. Disposable dishes can be completely replaced with regular ones, which you just have to wash and not throw away.

Save water

In order to consume less water, you need to adhere to simple rules:

When brushing your teeth and shaving, turn off the water;

The dishes should be washed in several passes: pour water into the sink or basin, add detergent, wash the dishes, rinse with running water;

It is better to wash with a machine when a certain number of items have accumulated.

Getting rid of disposable batteries

When there are many devices in the house that require AA batteries, it is difficult to do without them. If you don’t buy them, they will simply sit idle. Do not forget about the harm that batteries thrown into the trash cause to the environment. What to do?
The first thing you need to do is replace regular disposable batteries with rechargeable ones. They are more expensive, but after a while they will recoup their costs.

If you have already purchased simple batteries, then after their expiration date you do not need to throw them in the trash, but rather collect them in a separate box. Once a sufficient amount has been collected, they must be taken to a hazardous waste terminal. Today there are such places in almost every city.

No need to buy extra things

Sociological surveys show an increase in the intensity of purchases of things for various purposes by our citizens, many of which then lie idle. Before going to the store, you should think about the feasibility of a future purchase and not make purchases at random.

In order to realize the uselessness of a new dress or shoes, it is worth dividing its cost by an hourly salary. Thus, you can see how much life on the robot is spent on the purchase. Is it worth your time?

If you want to constantly have new things, then you should pay attention to second-hand stores. There are options for exchanging finished clothes through communication on forums or meetings. There are already shops that exchange old things for new ones and you can use their services.

No need to buy drinks in plastic containers

In addition to harming one's own health, plastic pollutes environment. Even after a thousand years, future archaeologists will be able to admire plastic bottles. Glass or metal containers can be returned at collection points and will be recycled.

We save electricity

Everything is very simple here. It is necessary to replace the old, familiar light bulbs with modern, energy-saving ones. If you plan to purchase appliances or other equipment that consume electricity, then you need to choose among the economical ones. They differ in energy saving class. If in this moment When no one is using the electrical appliance, you need to unplug it from the outlet. The same goes for lighting in rooms.

If you use our advice for a long time, and also involve your friends, relatives, and neighbors in it, then through joint efforts you can make our planet cleaner and the world a better place. To begin with, you should start with yourself and try.