How green are your habits? By making small adjustments to your daily, weekly, and monthly routines, you can make a big difference for the planet. We're sharing ten green habits you can easily copy and paste into your household.
#1 Pull out the plugs
Make it a habit to unplug a device or charging cord when you're finished using it. This will save you energy and money.
#2 Decluttering
Make a resolution to tidy a closet, drawer, or room every week. Sell what you no longer use—good for your savings!—or take it to the thrift store.
#3 Sustainable groceries
Plan your meals wisely for the week. By choosing ingredients you can use in a variety of dishes, you won't have to throw away any food at the end of the week. Plus, you'll save a lot of money on your weekly grocery shopping.
#4 Curtains closed
Draw the curtains when it's cold outside. Additional insulation tip: add draft excluders around doors and windows and hang a curtain over the front door in winter.
#5 Heating lower
It makes sense: don't leave your heating blaring when you leave the house. But also: set your thermostat to 19 degrees when you're home. You might need an extra sweater, but it will save you so much energy and money.
#6 Gardening
Make gardening your new hobby. Start a vegetable garden or grow your own food forest. No garden? Fill your house with sustainable plants and treat yourself to a weekly green moment by giving all your plants some attention.
#7 Waste separation
Set up a recycling center in your utility room or shed where you can separate your waste. Note: food scraps often end up in the residual waste, but they can also be composted into sustainable energy sources. Therefore, throw your potato peels, coffee grounds, tea bags, and more (check the waste guide from Milieu Centraal here ) in with your organic waste, or create your own compost heap to provide your green garden with nutrient-rich soil.
#8 Sustainable laundry routine
Wash as little as possible and only when the drum is full. And of course: use a detergent with a microplastic-free formula, such as our liquid detergent or our laundry capsules .
#9 Green cleaning routine
From a quick wipe down of the counter to a thorough cleaning session, we clean every day, every week, every month. By making your cleaning routine more sustainable, you'll make a big difference for the planet. So, here are a few tips:
Use an all-purpose cleaner spray or plant-based cleaning wipes for quick cleaning. This prevents water waste.
· Don't clean too often to avoid wasting (hot) water. It's better to do a thorough cleaning once a week than to use soapy water daily.
· Use refill packs for your cleaning and laundry products to reduce your waste.
· Use cleaning products with a microplastic-free formula and without harmful substances.
#10 Ban single-use plastics
Replace your daily sandwich bags with reusable containers, buy as much packaging-free as possible, use refills, and bring a reusable coffee-to-go cup for on-the-go use. In other words: banish single-use plastic and unnecessary packaging from your daily life. It's much easier than you think, and it really will make your life a lot more sustainable.
Finally, every green step counts. Don't obsess over living as green as possible, but see it as a challenge for you and your family to make your life more sustainable, step by step.
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