How to “Go Green” As a Consumer

The phrase “going green” means something different to everyone. If this is something that interests you, then it’s important to understand what you can do as a consumer to move in this direction. When it comes to the environment every little bit helps, so there’s never a wrong time to take a more eco-conscious approach to the way you live.

Let’s examine five of the best ways to go green as a consumer in the new year. There’s a good chance that you’re able to work at least one of these into your daily life.

1. Buy Eco-Friendly Products

This is the best place to start your journey. Make a list of eco-friendly products and do your best to work them into your monthly budget. The more of these that you find, the more of these that you can buy. For example, some household cleaners are more eco-friendly (and safer for humans) than others. And you may be surprised to learn that they’re not nearly as expensive as you thought. 

2. Do Your Research

Before you buy anything, take the time to conduct extensive research. Even if you don’t think there’s a way to make a more environmentally friendly purchase, you’re probably wrong. Take for instance men’s luxury watches. It doesn’t sound like the environment would come into play, but that’s not always the case. Doing your research starts with reading reviews, learning how watches are manufactured, and focusing on the process of bringing them to market. 

3. Swap Out Your Light Bulbs

Do you still have those old light bulbs in your house? If so, look into making a change to eco-friendly light bulbs in the near future. While they cost a bit more money upfront, you’ll more than makeup for it in energy savings. And of course, you’re doing something positive for the environment. This is just one of the many ways to reduce the amount of electricity that you use in your home. 

4. Recycle

It’s not always easy to get into the habit of recycling. Yes, it’s a bit of extra work. But in the long run, it’s something that will benefit the environment. Once you have a system in place for recycling, it’s easy to fall in line. The key to success is knowing what you can and cannot recycle in the area you live. If you don’t follow the guidelines laid out by your local area, you could end up causing more harm than good by attempting to recycle items that should be put into the “regular” trash. 

5. Go Digital 

Do you remember the days when you printed everything? From school to work, you used quite a bit of paper. While paper is still a necessity in many industries, the digital world is changing this for the better. The more you rely on technology, the less paper you need. And the less paper you use, the better it is for the environment. 

Track Your Progress

Now that you have a few ideas of how you can go green as a consumer, it’s time to track your progress. This will help you understand where you’re having the biggest impact, thus allowing you to double down in the applicable areas. Maybe you’ve found that you can use more green products around the home. Knowing this will allow you to expand your purchases in the days, weeks, and months to come.

Tracking your progress is as simple as setting short and long-term goals and making note of the steps you’re taking. You may not reach all your goals on time, and that’s okay. As long as you’re moving in the right direction you’re doing your part to help the environment.

Final Thoughts

A growing number of people are ready to change their ways to help the environment. If this sounds familiar, it’s time for you to take action. Consider the five ways above to go green from here on out. Even if you only implement one of these tips into your daily life it’ll make a difference.

What steps have you taken to go green as a consumer? Do you have plans to make even more changes in the future? What do you plan on doing next?