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With so much waste going on around us, more and more families are focusing on living an eco-friendly lifestyle to help preserve the planet for generations to come. They are looking at ways to teach their children how to conserve the limited resources we still have available to us whilst finding ways to replenish those that are being pillaged. Whether you have children in the family you are looking to instruct on eco-friendly living or are simply looking to do your part at home, here are a few suggestions that can help keep our world greener and cleaner along the way.
A New Look at Recycling
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the term recycling? Most of us think of taking glass, plastic and paper goods to the recycling bins, but recycling can also mean buying and using previously owned goods. For example, there are tons of household items you can find in second-hand charity shops that are still quite serviceable. Furniture is one area that you don’t necessarily need to spend a small fortune on. Any previously used items still in good repair can be purchased for a fraction of the original cost and this not only helps conserve resources but helps to save your pocketbook as well!
Refurbishing Household Items
One of the main areas in which you can focus your conservation on household items is by refurbishing those things which can still be used. Most people aren’t aware of the fact that they can buy duvet covers to completely give comforters and quilts a whole new look. Furniture can be refinished at much less the cost of buying new and just think of all the trees which don’t need to be cut if you can simply refinish tables, chairs and a whole host of other household furnishings.
Using Products Produced with Sustainable Materials
Most conservationists advise that it is always better to use items which are manufactured from sustainable materials. Yes, they want to preserve forests and save the ecology, but synthetic materials take literally thousands of years to decompose (if at all!) and the process of manufacturing synthetics is just not good for the atmosphere. Whenever possible, buy products that are organic. From clothing to linens to furniture, natural products are always preferable. When looking for such things as cotton bedding sets, shop from merchants who know the value of going green.
Of course it goes without saying that energy is a huge focus in going green at home. From solar panels to provide energy that is not produced from fossil fuels to biofuels for heating homes and water, there are so many ways in which to reduce your carbon footprint. More and more often, going green is a state of mind and one you can quickly learn to ‘automate.’ Once you have the habit of viewing household goods in terms of eco-friendly attributes, it becomes almost second-nature. Begin teaching your children early on the value of living an eco-friendly lifestyle and future generations won’t be as worried about our planet as we are today.