Due to the rapidly deteriorating health of our planet, we are now more and more willing to act for positive change, but do not always know how. Becoming greener is one thing we all know we should try to do in our daily lives, but this may seem like a daunting task for a beginner.
The reality is that there are small habits we can adopt, and the transition is not as difficult as we think. There is no need to be an environmental warrior or sacrifice all modern equipment to help save the planet.
Today It is possible to consume differently, by consuming less, in a sustainable way, and even to save money! In this article, I have explored some ways that, in the long run, can save you money by respecting the environment.
Save on heating
The thermostat is a device that optimizes energy consumption. Its connected version wants to be even more efficient. Such a thermostat allows the user to choose the room temperature he wants within his home. The radiators will heat up until this temperature is reached, then cut off once reached this goal. In this way, the radiators do not continue to heat unnecessarily. They will allow you, in winter, savings on your bills!
Save energy
Small gestures and habits can be changed to reduce bad impacts on the environment. Our energy consumption is a perfect example, whether through heating or electrical appliances.
To reduce our consumption, several solutions are possible and complementary: to improve the insulation of the housing, to use clean sources of energy (solar panels ...), to optimize the use of appliances running on gas or with electricity, or to use "hi-tech gadgets" to consume less.
Save water
Take shorter showers or install a low-flow showerhead. Drink tap water, bottled water adds more than a million tons of plastic each year to the waste stream. If you do not trust the tap water of your city, consider purchasing a soda machine, it will purify it to your standards for bottled water, and it will make you save money in the long run.
⇨ See my article on filter water bottles
Buy refurbished devices
A real alternative to planned obsolescence, the purchase of refurbished or used equipment. Indeed, every year, hundreds of millions of electronic devices still in working order are discarded or forgotten in a drawer.
Today it is possible to buy smartphones and other second-hand electronics, like new with warranty and 30% cheaper on average.
Avoid single-use products
Like forks, razors, cups and disposable plastic bags. Nowadays, there is a sustainable alternative for everything you need! Moreover, despite a larger investment at the beginning, what is reusable turns out to be more economical. For example, washable diapers are much more economical than disposable diapers. Count between 300 and 1500 euros of savings over two and a half years!
Drive less
An effective way to lead an eco-friendly lifestyle is to use public transports for your daily commute or try to share trips with your colleagues to save on gas and reduce your carbon footprint. If you're lucky enough to live not too far from your workplace, go for a bike, walk or scooter ride.
The scooter does not release pollutants into the air, even if the manufacture of its lithium battery still leads to a carbon footprint. It is especially an alternative to the bike and the classic scooter. Compared to the latter, the advantage is obvious since the electric model makes it possible to circulate more quickly while reducing to the strict minimum the efforts.
Eat differently
Eat less meat, fish, and consume local and seasonal products. When you buy locally grown products, you reduce your carbon footprint, the transportation of food and other products to conventional stores requires huge amounts of fossil fuel! You will also use less plastic bags, buying less packaged goods.