As we move forward towards a more sustainable future, people are often looking at different ways to make their homes more eco friendly. Some are looking for various tips and tricks to save energy, while some are moving towards finding other ways to become more eco friendly during the pandemic. With the rise of sustainable practices, the market for eco friendly products has increased dramatically. However, are they really necessary? Shouldn’t sustainable practices be enough?
Turns out there are a number of ways how eco friendly products help the environment. Think of becoming more environmentally friendly similar to like working out; if you want to get leaner, you can simply cut calories and exercise more often, but if you really want to make an impact and build good muscle, you would definitely need to join the gym at some point. Although this example may not be a very good one, it does somewhat make a point on how eco friendly products help the environment.
There is always a better way to do something, and the same goes for becoming eco friendly. Although saving electricity at home, reusing your organic waste for compost, and saving water at home are great ways to get started, at some point, you will realize that in order to do more you need to start replacing your conventional products with more environmentally friendly alternatives.
That being said, I’m not talking about expensive items such as solar panels or wind turbines. Even something as simple as toilet paper has environmentally friendly alternatives. All it takes is a bit of research and you’ll find a sustainable alternative for almost anything in your household.
Here are just a few ways how eco friendly products help the environment
Reduce the amount of plastic
Take a moment and look around you before you read ahead. Notice how many things of plastic are lying around where you are right now. The small disposable food containers, the bottles of plastic you’ve recently bought from a convenience store, or even the trash bag in your kitchen; every other thing you have in your household is made from plastic! Plastic is one of the greatest pollutants on earth, with about 50 percent of the 380 million tons of plastic produced every year being single-use. Thankfully, most eco friendly products in the market are made and packaged with bioplastic or biodegradable plastic, helping lower the use of plastic both by manufacturers and consumers.
Are more energy efficient
Since the primary purpose of eco-friendly products is to reduce the carbon footprint, one of the traits they bring along is the efficiency with energy consumption. Most of the world’s energy is produced using fossil fuels, and to lower the consumption of fossil-fuel-based electricity, eco-friendly tech products such as smart thermostats are specifically made to save energy while performing better than conventional alternatives. If you’re looking to save energy at home, the addition of smart, eco friendly appliances can be a healthy investment that is bound to pay you off in the long run.
Save scarce resources
Another way how eco friendly products help the environment is that they are often made using only sustainable materials or responsibly sourced materials. Even if the product uses some non-renewable resources (such as metal), the companies make sure that the materials used to make the finished product are responsibly sourced and as efficiently used as possible throughout the manufacturing process. This way, the products contribute towards a greener environment even before being consumed by the public!
Often are recyclable or compostable
Almost all of the environmentally friendly products introduced in the market are either recyclable or compostable. This means that the materials being used by the product (including packaging) can always be disposed of properly. However, you might have to check on the product label to verify whether the product is recyclable or compostable, and if it is compostable, can it be composted at home or needs to be industrially composted. Either way, eco friendly products play a huge role in reducing the amount of scrap rotting away in the landfills.
Free of pesticides, herbicides, and other toxic chemicals
This benefit is specific to items that are organic. Organic products such as eco friendly soap or organic fertilizers are free from harmful chemicals that may get washed away in drains and into the ocean. Every year, tons of chemicals are washed away into the ocean from drains running below agricultural fields and urban communities. This has caused the water in the oceans and streams to become toxic and full of harmful metals such as arsenic, cadmium, selenium, and lead. In contrast, eco friendly organic products are made from ingredients that do not harm marine life when washed away, contributing to the mitigation of the effects of water pollution.
Promote health
Apart from being good for the environment, eco friendly products also help keep you healthy. But how is it possible? Sustainable products are usually made from materials that are not only responsibly sourced but are also often free from any potential allergens. A good example of this is bamboo, which is one of the most sustainable plants, as well as a constituent of numerous eco friendly products such as biodegradable garbage bags, toilet paper, and even furniture. Bamboo comes with a built-in antibacterial, which helps its products last longer and helps you stay away from harmful bacteria as a bonus.
There are numerous different ways how eco friendly products help the environment, and the above-mentioned ones are only the tip of the iceberg. As finding environmentally friendly alternatives for your daily-use products is no longer hassle or expensive, it all comes down to whether you are willing enough to make the switch.
If you’re not convinced by the manufacturer, you can always make your own organic eco friendly products and ensure that the ingredients used are free of any harmful substances (check out my tutorial on how to make biodegradable soap at home). With everything readily available on the internet, there really is no excuse for not choosing a more eco friendly lifestyle. So, take action now; pair your sustainable practices with environmentally friendly products to build a better future for yourself and your children.