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20 Ideas to Help You Go Green

25 Sep 2019

Wanna make a positive change for the planet and yourself? We've got 20 super easy ideas to help you go green in your everyday life. No fancy stuff, just simple actions to make a big difference.

So here is our short list of 20 ideas that can help you go green:

1. Unplug things

Don’t leave the power brink plugged in after you’re done charging your phone, laptop, etc. Even when not actively providing power to your device, chargers still draw a current. Either unplug it or use a power strip and flip the switch to “off” after you’re done.

2. Plastic bags

How can a world wide 4 trillion plastic bags each year be wrong? Easy. One use plastic is a terrible idea. Rarely recycled and a waste of energy. Used for a second, around for millennia. What if Donald Trump was around for 996 more years? Maybe use some cloth bags instead?

3. Nix plastic bottles

It's convenient to hit a vending machine when you’re thirsty. But those single use plastic bottles? Here’s a live stream of a plastic bottle decomposing. Is your temporary thirst worth waiting 450 years for it to disappear?

4. Get a reusable bottle

We make a stainless steel bottle that will probably last you a decade. It’s fully insulated and will keep drinks piping hot for a day and ice cold for twice that. By choosing this reusable bottle, you not only reduce waste but also enjoy the perks of a trusty, eco-friendly hydration sidekick. And for every bottle sold, we donate 500 liters of safe, fresh and clean water through - charity: water.

agood company red in the basket
agood company bottles

5. Use cloth napkins

In your home, replacing paper napkins with cloth makes sense. They are just as hygienic and don’t require harsh chemicals to make. Try to find some 100% organic cotton ones but most reusable napkins are an improvement over disposables, such as these reusable organic cotton tissues.

6. Use cold water for washing

When laundering those cloth napkins or clothes save some money and lower your energy needs by using washing machines and detergents optimized for cold or “eco-warm” settings. You probably have access to one or both. All you need to do is follow the directions.

7. Take shorter (and cooler) showers

Don’t scrimp on scrubbing but water is a precious resource. Take a page from the folks in drought prone Cape Town, South Africa who decided to time their showers with a song.

8. Fix leaks

Faucets shouldn’t drip and, while good for you, excessive running is bad for toilets. Check out that dripping faucet. Maybe it just needs a new rubber gasket. Maybe only the float in the tank needs some fine adjustment. Both are easy and cheap to fix while putting a stop on water waste. Contribute to the global effort in combating water scarcity.

9. Walk more

Even if it’s just to get outside. Turning off the TV or peeling yourself away from the internet (this list will still be here when you return) means you won’t be using electricity. You’ll also be improving your health!

Walking a Dog

10. Eat less (meat)

We know you like how it tastes but that burger comes with HUGE interest payments. Pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, animal cruelty, bacterial contamination, increased risk of heart disease . . . there are plenty of reasons to not eat meat.

11. Eat slow meat

If you are going to get some animal protein, why not save up and splurge on the good stuff? Support your local food co-op’s, farmers, and restaurateurs who serve slow food (i.e., locally grown and raised foodstuffs cooked by people you can meet).

12. Slow down

Your food isn’t the only thing that could benefit from a change of pace. Drive at a reasonable speed. Plan ahead so you’re not driving stop and go. Many newer automobiles have an eco setting that incentivizes driving this way. Make it a game that you play with your kids. Try to beat your high score of low impact driving.

13. Meditate

You should to slow down too. We all need moments to find our center. With all the pushing and pulling in every direction, slowing down and thinking about what’s truly important is, well, important. Sit in a quiet room or go to a local church (even if you aren’t a member) or sit under a tree - which worked for the Buddha. You can meditate in many ways in many places and it will benefit you and the planet.

Meditation is One of the Ideas to Go Green

14. Turn off the lights

Your Dad was right. Remember to switch off the lights when you’re meditating or if you’re leaving a room. Why waste the electricity? It's a simple habit that not only conserves energy but also puts a little extra jingle in your pocket.

15. Use the sun!

Open the blinds and get some natural light in your home. Why pay for fake light when you can get the real thing for free? Throw those curtains wide open, invite the sun to the party, and brighten up your space in more ways than one!

16. Plant a tree

Or a flower, or a shrub, or some herbs. Both or either fresh basil on your windowsill or a beautiful cedar growing in your backyard would be nice right? Plants are great to have around so plant some. We plant a tree every time someone places an order in our marketplace. Join us by planting something yourself.

Planting a Tree

17. Buy organic

There’s nothing wrong with choosing conventional carrots over organic varieties. Any kind of vegetable is better than a factory farmed piece of meat. But organic options are increasingly on par with conventional ones. Why is organic considered better? Because there’s next to no exposure of the land or crop to synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. If you can afford organic it’s worth it, especially for your kids' developing minds and bodies.

18. Buy less

He who dies with the most toys certainly doesn’t win. Stamp collections, antiquarian books, vinyl records and the like are one thing. But novelty garbage wrapped in plastic is another. There’s plenty in the middle - just think for a few more moments before you buy something. Ask, “Do I have an actual need for x.”

19. Borrow more

Use your local library. Instead of owning a pickup truck whose payload capacity you only use once or twice a year, borrow one on Touro. You can even try out an electric car and see if that might be for you.

Electric Car

20. Appreciate what you have

New things don’t make you happy. Advertisers are paid to convince you of the opposite. About the only thing you can buy that truly brings you happiness is a dog. And even then, you can probably find a swell rescue who’d love to snug with you.

We’re sure you could come up with 20 more. If you do, email us. We take suggestions too! Small actions can lead to big results, and together, we can create a sustainable and vibrant future. So, let's commit to these green habits and inspire others to join the journey towards a more environmentally friendly lifestyle.

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Anders Ankarlid

Anders Ankarlid

Co-founder & Product Development Lead

Co-founder of agood company and product development lead. A serial e-commerce entrepreneur, and a father of three. Have worked in e-commerce for more than a decade. Mindless consumption activist.

"I want to be able to look into my kids’ eyes and honestly say: "I did everything I could to hinder climate-change”

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