Just Do It! Easy Changes That Make a Big Difference

We know.. you may already be making some of these easy eco -shifts, but we thought they were worth repeating.  Here are the easiest ways to make simple changes. Choosing just a few will not only help the environment, but your pocketbook too.

Say No To Paper Towels
Do it! Trade in paper towels for reusable cleaning cloths. You’ll conserve as much as 30 pounds of tissue-grade paper and keep paper waste from entering landfills.
You’ll save: Up to $150 a year if you use two rolls per week.

Install a Water Filter
Do it! Install a water filter on your kitchen faucet for unlimited access to filtered water. Replace plastic bottles with reusable and refillable glass, steel or aluminum ones. You’ll be conserving fossil fuels, as well as about 30 pounds of plastic waste per year.
You’ll save: Up to $880 per year

Use Highly Concentrated Cleaners
Do it! Replace conventional cleaning products with natural, highly concentrated ones. They may cost more than traditional products, but they’re more concentrated; if you dilute them, the products will last longer, saving you money in the long run.
You’ll save: Up to $100 per year

Pack a Waste-Free Lunch
Do It! Pack your kids a waste-free lunch using a lunch box, thermos and sealable containers instead of buying individually wrapped snacks, disposable lunch bags and plastic baggies.
You’ll save: Up to $540 a year

Put Displacement Bags in Your Toilet Tanks
Do it! If you have an older toilet that uses more than 1.6 gallons of water per flush, buy a tank displacement bag (or fill a half-gallon plastic bottle with water) and place it in the tank away from the moving parts. The half-gallon of water you displace will be saved every time you flush, conserving 8,700 gallons of water per year.
You’ll Save: Roughly $35 per year

Replace Your Showerhead
Do it! Replace your current showerhead with a low-flow model, which uses 1.5 gallons of water per minute, compared with the standard 2.5 gallons per minute. You’ll conserve 12,000 gallons of water a year.
You’ll save: Up to $380 per year

Choose Canvas over Plastic
Do it! Use a reusable canvas bag when grocery shopping.??This one doesn’t save you cash, but it’s important! The average family takes home 600 plastic bags a year from the grocery store. Opt for a canvas tote and keep plastic out of landfills.
You’ll save: 600 bags per year

Make the Switch
Do it!: Replace your standard incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lights. You’ve heard it before, and there’s a reason. If every household switched to CFLs, we could prevent the release of 500 million tons of carbon dioxide per year.
You’ll save: $275 per year

Install Faucet Aerators
Do it! Install faucet aerators in your bathrooms to reduce water flow and increase water pressure. You’ll save up to 3,650 gallons of water per year.
You’ll save: $30 per year

Forget Paper Napkins
Do it! Trade in your paper napkins for washable cloth ones. If we all gave up just one napkin a day, we could prevent a billion pounds of paper waste from going onto landfills a year.
You’ll save: $50 per year

Use Rechargeable Batteries
Do it! Use rechargeable batteries instead of single-use ones. You’ll reduce battery waste, which can be a source of contamination.
You’ll save: $60 per year on battery costs

Shut Down Your Computer
Do it! Shut down your computer every night (at home and in the office) to conserve electricity.
You’ll save: $55 per year

Scrape Your Plates
Do it! Instead of pre-rinsing in hot water, scrape food remnants from dirty dishes into the trash or compost bin before loading the dishwasher.
You’ll save: $40 per year on water and water-heating costs

Wash Full Loads of Laundry
Do it! Always wash full loads of clothes in cold water. By doing bigger loads less often, you’ll conserve 1,700 gallons of water and save yourself some time. You’ll save: $150 per year

Go Paperless
Do it! Stop paper waste! Sign up for paperless billing and make online payments.
You’ll save: $60 per year in postage costs.?All together, these shifts will cost you less than $200 to implement. After that, it’s pure savings!