At Real Purity, many of our posts are about why natural, organic cosmetics and skin care are important for your body’s health. But now that it’s Earth Week, we want to broaden this post to a larger topic – how can you use natural living not just for yourself, but for our planet too?
For easy tips on green living this Earth Week, check out our ideas below.

Update Your Lightbulbs: Did you know that just by updating all of the existing lightbulbs in your house to their energy-efficient, CFL counterparts, you could save hundreds of dollars during their lifetime? Bonus points – CFL bulbs use up to 75% less electricity, which means you’re saving both dollars and the planet. Check out your potential cost savings by visiting this online calculator at Bulbs.com.

Ditch the Junk Mail: Okay, here are some quick facts on why we hate junk mail. Did you know that creating and shipping junk mail produces more greenhouse gas emissions than 9 MILLION CARS – and to make the problem even worse, the trees that could offset that production of carbon are usually destroyed in order to produce the junk mail in the first place? Yeah, we agree – it’s terrible. Join us and become junk mail haters by visiting Catalog Choice, a .org website that steps your flow of unwanted mail.

Don’t Mow, Let It Grow: Here’s a fancy fact for you. When you spend less time tending your lawn, you’re actually allowing it to become greener, healthier and more beautiful. Most types of grass do best when they’re at least 2 ½ inches tall, because the added surface area allows the grass to absorb sunlight, creating thicker turf and deeper roots. There’s also no need to clean up those grass clippings on your lawn – they add nitrogen the soil, make it difficult for weeds to grow, and minimize your need for fertilizer and herbicide.

Use Your Water Wisely: We have all sorts of tips when it comes to smart water usage. For instance, you could save up to 5 gallons of water per day by turning off the water while you brush your teeth. You can save even more by visiting a car wash instead of hand washing your car – if everyone made that switch, we could save up to 8.7 BILLION gallons of water globally. You can also make the switch in your laundry room. Switch to a detergent that protects colors from bleeding, and between running only hot-cold cycles (versus hot-hot) and filling up your washer with only full loads, instead of sorted colors, you’ll be able to save the amount of energy comparable to up to 100,000 barrels of oil.

Don’t Go Stir Crazy: It’s the little things in life that add up quickly – like the 138 billion straws and stirrers thrown away each year that end up in landfills. Here’s a tip – skip the stirrer by adding items like milk and cream first, and then adding the coffee (the end result should be well-mixed). You can also try out paper straws, available in all kinds of cute patterns from places like JoAnn Fabrics and Michaels, that you can recycle after using.

Buy Local: There are all kinds of reasons to buy local products, and they range from supporting your local economy to getting fresher items cheaper. But another reason to shop from local vendors and farmers markers is that it takes a lot less effort to get those items onto your plate. For example, typical grocery store produce travels nearly 1,500 miles before it ends up on your plate, burning all kinds of fossil fuels and stinking up the lovely city in which the food ends up. But not sure where to shop? Check out sources like localharvest.org, sustainabletable.org, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture at www.ams.usda.govfarmersmarkets/map.htm for ideas.
Surprisingly, green living doesn’t just mean using less toxic chemicals. “Green” efforts can span from changing a lightbulb and using less plastic to shortening your daily shower by a minute or two. In fact, many of the tips we’ve found could save your household hundreds of dollars annually, while minimizing its impact on the environment.
For more trips on green living (and shrinking your household’s spending) check out these sources below.
 
Sources:
http://money.usnews.com/money/the-frugal-shopper/2014/03/28/11-easy-ways-to-go-green-and-save-cash
http://www.50waystohelp.com/
http://www.bhg.com/home-improvement/remodeling/eco-friendly/easy-ways-to-go-green/