Easy Ways to Green Your Life
We’ve compiled a list of the main environmental actions individuals can take, including some handy links for more information.
Principles
REFUSE
This is where it begins. Start noticing all the times someone tries to hand you something – a free t-shirt, a water bottle, a key chain, a single-use plastic bag. Smile and kindly refuse. Decline the “free gift with purchase or donation” and if you receive an unsolicited item, return it if you can. It makes a powerful statement.
REDUCE
Pay attention to your spending habits. What do you need? What do you buy that you simply want? You may be surprised how much you can eliminate. If you have trouble cutting your purchases try waiting a week to see if you still want/need the item.
REUSE
Challenge yourself to use what you have and waste less. One thing that helps is getting over perfect. Remind yourself that living spaces and wardrobes are much more interesting when they reflect our personality rather than looking like a page from the catalog.
RECYCLE
Make recycling as easy as you can. Think about where you generate recycling, and then find nearby places where you can organize and store the materials until they leave your home. Clear shelf or floor space, find some containers, and clearly label what goes where. It takes a little more time on the front end, but you’ll save time in the long run.
BUY USED BY DEFAULT
When you do need something try to find it used. It’s fun and you’ll save serious money as well as resources.
Buy Used links:
Backmarket for refurbished electronics.
Ebay for nearly everything.
Poshmark and other clothing sites.
Nextdoor and other social media marketplaces.
Thrift and vintage shops, garage sales
In Kansas City: Urban Mining, & First Friday openings in the West Bottoms.
MEND, FIX, SHARE, BORROW, RENT
Fixing things can be empowering. The next time something breaks, go on Youtube and find a video on how to fix, mend, or repair the item. If you can’t fix it, can you find a local repair shop that can? And if you don’t have a tool you need, borrow it from a neighbor or rent it from a local store.
IF YOU BUY, BUY WELL, ONCE and ETHICALLY
If you must buy a new product, do your research and purchase the highest-quality you can afford, and look for products that are ethically made and available locally.
GREEN YOUR TRANSPORTATION
Walk, ride a bike or a manual scooter, or take the bus whenever you can. It’s better for your health and the planet too.
DONATE RESPONSIBLY
Finding a good place for your unused items helps ensure the items will continue their useful life. Goodwill is a good choice – they have the capacity to manage a lot of different materials, and proceeds benefit the community and create jobs in the stores. If you’re tempted to throw your items into a curbside bin, be sure to verify that the donations benefit a charity. Some bins are run by for-profit companies.
Donate links:
Dress for Success takes donations of gently-used women’s career clothes.
ReUseFul connects donors with stuff to nonprofits that can put it to good use.
Habitat Restore accepts donations of furniture, appliances, housewares and building materials.
Specific Actions
DRINK TAP WATER
Bottled water is simply tap water, packaged and sent around the world. It’s an incredible waste of resources. Kansas City’s tap water is some of the best in the country so support the local water department, grab a reusable bottle, and fill up with tap!
DECREASE SINGLE-USE PLASTIC AND STYROFOAM
Take a refillable container to the coffee shop, and decline a plastic bag and plastic ware with your fast food order. Take your own container for leftovers or request a piece of foil. Keep reusable bags in the car for all your shopping.
Start noticing all the places you use single-use plastic bottles and identify alternatives. Replace liquid soap with bar, eliminate “body wash” and try coconut oil in a glass jar in place of body lotion. It’s great for hair too. Try toothpaste tablets or toothpowder instead of plastic tubes.
HANG YOUR CLOTHES TO DRY
Burning fuel and warming the planet to dry clothes when we have the sun and the wind makes no sense. Install a retractable clothesline for summer drying. In the winter hang your clothes up inside. If you have radiators, take advantage of that heat source. Lay out sweaters on a towel. For remaining wrinkles, steam the item by hanging it in the bathroom, and spritzing with water before you shower.
AIM FOR A ZERO-WASTE KITCHEN
We generate a lot of waste in our kitchen. Try these ideas:
Take reusable bags to the store.
Rethink produce bags – do you need to bag 3 limes? If so, use cloth.
Replace plastic wrap with a natural alternative made from cloth and beeswax.
Replace liquid dish soap with a dish soap bar and scrub brush.
Use dishwasher and laundry detergent without plastic packaging.
Use cloth napkins and reusable Swedish cloths instead of paper products.
GARDEN ORGANICALLY AND PLANT NATIVES
Planting native plants is one of the most important things you can do for the environment. These plants support the food web by feeding the insects, butterflies, moths and birds.
Planting natives is a good starting point but there are other important (and simple!) changes you can make in your yard. Learn about gardening in harmony with nature. You don’t have to transition your yard all at once, but get started.
BE A RESPONSIBLE PET OWNER
Outdoor cats kill millions of birds and little animals each year. If you’re unwilling to keep your cat inside, outfit it with a bright collar to give the animals a chance against the cat. Dog waste is becoming a major source of water pollution in urban areas. Do your part and pick up after your dog.
CLEAN GREEN – YOURSELF AND YOUR HOME
Vinegar and baking soda can do wonders in cleaning your house safely. Click here for easy recipes. And try natural body care products too – purchase or make your own.
Avoid synthetic chemical air fresheners. To make your own mix 1 C of filtered water, 4 T of vodka or rubbing alcohol and 10 drops of essential oil in a 12 oz spray bottle.
PAPER PRODUCTS – CHOOSE RECYCLED OR BAMBOO
Eliminate as many paper products as you can. If you do purchase paper items, look for recycled or a more sustainable choice like bamboo.
TURN OFF YOUR IDLING ENGINE
Idling your engine pollutes the outdoor air, and the air inside the vehicle. Turn off your vehicle if you’re waiting for more than 10 seconds. Learn more about why you shouldn’t idle, and then learn more about in-car air pollution.
