Setting up your Household for A Green Year

As we welcome in a new year, it’s the perfect time to change our surroundings to set us up for a successful new year. Take time to take charge of your home this year and make it more eco-friendly so that you can help the planet all year long. While it may seem too overwhelming to make your house eco-friendly all at once, you can take it one step at a time or even choose one specific way to improve it to make a difference.

Our kitchens are often the heart of the home which makes it the perfect place to start making a few greener changes. You can invest in a water filter pitcher o tap filter. If you drink bottled water, this can be one of the biggest changes you can make. You may want to grab your self a reusable bottle to go along with your filters. A tap filter is easier to remember because you do not have to reload it, but it is also typically more expensive and doesn’t keep your water as cold as a pitcher in the fridge can. You can also switch out your single-use items for reusable ones. There are plenty of reusable sandwich bags, containers, and produce bags made now so you can choose one that fits with your home’s décor style.

Many people set up their compost and recycling in the kitchen. Keep separate bins for your trash, compost, and recycling so you don’t have to do any extra sorting. Make sure you are aware of all the items you can recycle by visiting https://www.dwswa.org/recycling-101 online. You can even print out a guide that you can keep handy in the kitchen when you come across those tricky items like solo cups (not recyclable!) or plastic coffee tubs (recyclable!). Food waste makes up about thirty percent of a household’s waste. You can start composting to turn that food waste into valuable compost that can be used to create enriched, healthy soil instead of sending all of that waste to the landfill. This investment and habit will create a big difference in your impact on the environment this year.

We can make some changes in the bathroom now as well to give us a cleaner year. Consider changing out your showerheads and faucets for low-flow fixtures. These help reduce water usage and can save you money by reducing your water bill. Start using your phone or buy a timer to reduce your time in the shower. The general rule is to keep your shower under ten minutes to help conserve water. You can also buy easily installed bidets now that are widely available and can cut down on toilet paper usage or, if you aren’t ready for that step yet, invest in buying toilet paper made out of recycled paper.

There are some updates you can make to your entire house to give you an environmentally-conscious habitat. Change out all of your lightbulbs for energy-efficient options such as LED or CFL. This will reduce your energy usage and your carbon footprint. When purchasing new furniture or linens, look for items made from natural fibers such as cotton, linen, or wool. These fabrics are more sustainable than synthetic materials such as polyester or nylon because they are natural and biodegradable. These resources are also more easily grown and not made from non-renewable resources such as petroleum. 

If you are looking to make a big investment this year, consider a programable thermostat which allows you to set a schedule for your heating and cooling system so you’re not using energy when you’re not home. This saves a significant amount of energy and can even help reduce your power bill.

Whether you are making large changes or small to your home, you can make a big difference on the environment. Putting any of these recommendations into place will help you feel good about your choices in 2023 and help us celebrate many more new years to come!

Amy Hartline is the recycling and education program coordinator for the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority. Have a recycling question? Contact her at (706) 278-5001 or ahartline@dwswa.org.