Going green can sound like a big undertaking that you may be wary of signing up for. You may have images of a family that lives off the land and is completely self-sufficient. While that is definitely one way to go green, your measures do not have to be that extreme. Going green is less about living off the land and more about learning to reduce your carbon footprint. It is the change in simple habits that allows you to take care of the environment. You do not have to adopt all of these measures at one time, but slowly implementing them into your way of life can save the earth and save money for your household.

Install Solar Panels

Electricity is a major expense for many households, and finding ways to reduce that expense is worth it for many families. While installing in massachusetts solar panels requires an initial investment, it can save in electricity costs over time. It is also better for the environment, so you and your family members can feel like you are doing your part to reduce your carbon footprint. 

Set up Recycling Bins

If you are not already recycling, your family throws away things every day that could easily be reused or repurposed. To encourage less wasteful habits, set up recycling bins for your home. You can get a few small garbage cans and label them with things such as paper, plastic and glass. This helps keep trash out of landfills and can be a great learning experience for your family about reducing waste and thinking of ways to reuse things. 

Reduce Plastic Waste

When you make a conscious effort to reduce waste, you may be surprised at the things you could have eliminated buying all this time. For example, everyone in your home can use a reusable water bottle instead of single-use plastic ones. This not only greatly reduces plastic waste, it saves you money as you no longer have to buy overpriced water. 

Reuse Towels 

You only use a towel to dry off after you have cleaned up in the shower, so you can easily hang it back up to dry and use it again. This saves electricity because you have less laundry to do every week. It also helps reduce water as well. Your clothes dryer eats up a ton of electricity, so doing even one less load of a laundry a week may show up as savings on your next utility bill.

Conserve Water and Electricity

Most people know to switch off the light when leaving a room, to turn off water while brushing their teeth and to reduce their time in the shower. However, it is easy to forget to do these things, so you and your family members must make a conscious effort to do so. Brag on each other when you see a family member conserving water and electricity, and the rest of the family will soon follow the example. 

Use Transportation Wisely

Vehicles are a huge source of carbon emissions, so learning to use transportation more wisely is a great way to go green. Use public transportation when possible, but if this is not an option for you, consider carpooling to and from work and school. Fewer vehicles on the road equals fewer carbon emissions which benefits everyone involved. It can also be a great way to save money; if you are only driving your car half as much as you were before, you are saving a lot of money on gasoline and oil changes.

Going green does not happen overnight, but it does not have to be a difficult process. Just by making a few key changes in daily habits, you can be the leader in your family in your efforts to go green. Discuss with your children why it is important to care about the environment and encourage them to reduce their carbon footprint.