Five Alternative Household Products to Lower Your Impact on the Planet

While corporations make up most greenhouse gas emissions, we still support them by buying their products. You might throw up your hands and say forget it, you can’t do anything to change the world, but that’s not true. You vote for a better world every time you buy a sustainable product over a wasteful one. It’s possible to make a difference in your household by buying alternative products. Below are five that will help you lower your impact on the planet.

Bamboo Paper Products

Traditional paper products cut down trees that take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the air for us to breathe. Trees provide a natural way to combat climate change and decrease the temperature of the warming planet. Yet, we cut them down for our paper products. A great sustainable alternative to traditional paper products is bamboo. Bamboo is more plentiful and stronger, and it makes less of an impact to cut them down. There is everything from bamboo toilet paper to paper towels to hard stock paper. Bamboo is a durable tree that is a great alternative to most paper products. It might be more expensive, but you will also use less of it. Bamboo pays for itself.

Wool Dryer Balls

Something you might not think of that uses a lot of energy is drying your clothes. It uses a lot of power to put a load into the washer, but wool dryer balls can help. These eco-friendly dryer products enable you to cut down on how much time you are drying your clothes, lowering your energy bill and carbon footprint. Wool dryer balls are an eco-friendly alternative because they can be used about a thousand times before being replaced. In addition, they prevent static sticking on the clothes and increase how fast you can dry them. Next time you’re thinking about buying dryer sheets, switch to wool balls.

Smart Thermostat

The smart thermostat is a product that’s a game changer. With a smart thermostat, you can control the temperature of your home wherever you are from your phone. You don’t have to leave the thermostat on all day, so it’s a nice temperature when you get back. Then, on the way home, you can turn on the thermostat and set the temperature to whatever you want it to be. You might even be able to change the temperature in specific rooms. Whether you are using heat or air conditioning, a smart thermostat will enable you to conserve power and do what’s right for the planet.

Smart Appliances

Like the smart thermostat, there are plenty of other appliances that can help you save energy and water. For example, a smart dishwasher recycles water and uses less energy than your average washer. A smart refrigerator cuts down on power, allows you to see what’s inside, and will even help you cut back on food waste. It doesn’t matter what appliance you are looking for; there is typically an Energy Star alternative that saves resources. While these appliances are likely more expensive, they are an investment. Smart appliances provide savings and peace of mind that you are doing the right thing.

Reusable Bags

Whether you are going to the store or are filling the trash bin, you don’t have to use plastic bags. Instead, commit to buying and using reusable bags where you would typically use plastic. Plastic is so bad for the environment. It doesn’t get broken down very well. When in doubt, it is always good to avoid it. You use a lot of plastic bags every week. You could go through a bag a day on trash alone. Whether you eliminate trash bags completely or go for reusable ones, eliminating plastic use is the right thing to do.

In the household, we can all do a little better. At home, no one is watching. But when you do the right thing, you will feel better about it. Some of these products are still more expensive than the wasteful versions, but if you commit to sticking with them, the economics will change. We vote every time we make a purchase. Vote for sustainable, eco-friendly alternatives, and they will get cheaper all the time. If we demand sustainability, sustainability will become more affordable.