Emily Chao
Here are four low effort ways that anybody can use to be just a little more environmentally friendly!
1. Wash your clothes on the cold setting
Did you know:
90% of the energy washing machines use is just for heating up the water!
Washing 4 out of 5 loads of laundry in cold water saves 864 pounds of CO2 emissions a year
Imagine a world where Americans switched to cold water washing, and 11 million tons of carbon emissions can be saved…
Washing with cold water also lowers your electricity bill, too! (Saving money never hurt anyone.)
What you can do: just switch the dial to cold (or cold/cold) next time you do a load of laundry!
If you’re unsure of whether your clothes can be washed in cold water, try reading the clothing label. It’ll probably say what temperature it washes best at.
Addressing Concerns:
Some of you may have the concern that cold water does not wash as well as hot water! With my own family bearing down on me with the same questions, I’ve done some research and listed out all the information you need to know.
What I found: Cold water washes just as well as warm or hot water. While this doesn’t seem to be true in the past, today’s modern washing machines are designed to work just as well with cold water, and laundry detergents work in temperatures as low as 60°F.
Benefits of cold water washing:
Removes stains just as effectively (grass stains, makeup stains, etc.)
Lace, silk, and dark and colorful fabrics actually wash the best in cold water.
Less likely to shrink
Less wrinkles
Cons of cold water washing:
Knits/synthetic fabrics wash better in hot water (spandex, nylon polyester, raylon brands)
If you live somewhere very cold and the water becomes 40°F, the detergent might not work as well with cold water in the washer.
Still Interested?
If you still have more questions, refer to these websites that I used as sources. I found the information on them really interesting!
2. Turn off the lights
Benefits: Turning off the lights when you leave the room saves energy and reduces carbon emissions and greenhouse gases produced.
Next time you leave your bedroom or house, don’t forget to hit that light switch!
3. Reuse!
Benefits: Creating a habit of reusing materials can make a great impact! Just a small action like using a reusable tupperware instead of a ziploc bag saves money, energy, and reduces the waste and carbon emissions that is created when producing new materials.
What you can do:
Instead of using plastic waterbottles, simply switch to a reusable water bottle - they’re useful to have and last a lot longer, too! (Stainless steel, plastic, whatever the material - as long as it’s reusable and works for you!)
(Look at these water bottles. Who wouldn’t want one?)
Try using reusable glass or plastic containers for food and materials instead of ziploc or plastic bags. These are so environmentally friendly and great for storing!
4. Use your own shopping bags
When you go shopping, it can be tempting to leave the checkout line with your food bundled in yet another plastic or paper grocery bag. BUT! Why have to buy your millionth grocery bag when you can just use a reusable one every time?
What to do:
Obtain a reusable bag! (If you don’t already have one.)
2. Slowly, over the years, gather an army of reusable bags… (this is an optional step.)
Extra tips:
- Keep some reusable bags in the car trunk if you always forget to leave the house with them.
- Those free plastic bags that you use for fruits can be reused too. What my family and I do is bundle them up into little knots and keep them inside the bigger reusable bags.
Overall, remember to just be aware! Look for the little things you can do that can bring big changes. They say no act of kindness is never too small, and this definitely applies to small habits like these that help protect the earth.
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