Making your home as eco-friendly as possible is a great goal and one that can be achieved with mindfulness rather than sacrifice. Even if you can’t implement every change suggested, don’t get discouraged. Choose a few alterations to your lifestyle and commit to those.

Become Energy Efficient

Becoming energy efficient means making thoughtful choices to conserve your energy use in advance. In other words, don’t wait until you’re hot and sweaty to try to use fans rather than the A/C. Determine ways to keep the room cool beforehand. One often overlooked and easy solution is to install insulated curtains on the windows. Keep them closed during the morning and afternoon or whenever the sun shines directly on the window for a cooler room.

To make your whole household more energy efficient and eco-friendly, consider installing solar panels. Whether you live in Fort Worth or Albany solar homes can lower your energy costs and your carbon footprint. If your panels generate more energy than your household uses, you may be able to sell the excess back to the utility company.

You may not have the space or time to let mother nature dry your clothes on the line, but wool dryer balls are another eco-friendly option for two reasons: they reduce the amount of time clothes spend in the dryer and they eliminate the need for fabric softener. Using wool dryer balls replaces chemicals in your laundry routine with a non-toxic product.

Reduce Waste

Reducing waste can be difficult to do in our over- packaged world, but it is possible. Buying in bulk and cutting down on single-use items is the first step. Set yourself up for success by purchasing (at a garage sale or Goodwill store) glass containers or jars to hold your bulk purchases like flour, coffee, or snacks. In addition, pick up fabric napkins and other soft towels to use instead of paper products. Again, to be successful, plan ahead with your alternate products.

Low flow toilets and shower heads can help reduce water waste in your household. While low flow toilets have gotten a bad rap in the past for being inefficient, manufacturers of low flow shower heads claim you will never notice the difference with the oxygenated water flow that feels like a regular shower but uses up to 40% less water. Dual-flush toilets have also improved the eco-friendly toilet market by allowing the consumer to choose how much water is needed to flush based on need.

Reuse Products

Reusing products has grown up since you had to wear your older brother’s hand-me-down jeans. Popular reusables include cloth shopping bags and personal water bottles. There are other options for reusing items like ironing wrapping paper (on very low heat) or sending the same set of gift bags through the family numerous times until they disintegrate. Smaller shipping boxes can be saved and decorated and reused as gift wrap.

Even hand-me-downs have classed up their eco-friendly status with several online resale shops popping up for both buying and selling used clothes. Some websites even offer subscription services that send you a box of gently used clothing that you can try on at home before you buy, eliminating impulse purchases. If you need furniture or other household products, resale shops that benefit the community are a great place to start.

Recycle Efficiently

Everyone loves to think they recycle, but to be truly efficient, set up bins that help you sort effectively. First consult with your local recycling program, so you know exactly what they take. An organized, labeled bin system helps everyone in the house recycle successfully.

Becoming an eco-friendly household takes an effort from everyone, but it doesn’t have to be a burden. Plan on your family’s success by setting up the systems in place by which they can achieve their eco goals. For example, don’t stop buying paper towels until you have an alternative handy, and don’t turn up the A/C until you’ve established how comfortable the rooms are with the curtains drawn. Get a family commitment to be more mindful in your use of products and save money while doing your part to saving the world.