27% of Americans’ daily water use comes from flushing the toilet. This is a crazy one trillion gallons annually in America. Take two empty cans of Whalebird and place them upright in the tank of your toilet to displace water and save around a quarter gallon per flush. This can add up to almost ten thousand gallons per year for a household family of four!
Household leaks can account for around 1 trillion gallons of water wasted annually in the US! A quarter of US household water use is from the toilet. To help save one of our most precious resources, check your toilet for a leak! It’s as simple as putting a drop of food coloring in your toilet tank – if any color seeps into the bowl within ten minutes, you have a leak!
Household leaks can account for around 1 trillion gallons of water wasted annually in the US! A quarter of US household water use is from the toilet. To help save one of our most precious resources, check your toilet for a leak! It’s as simple as putting a drop of food coloring in your toilet tank – if any color seeps into the bowl within ten minutes, you have a leak!
Tip 1: Look for aerators with the EPA WaterSense label on them. These limit flow to less than 1.5 gallons / minute.
Tip 2: Clean your aerators once a month by removing them and scrubbing them with a small brush.
The production of denim is an extremely water-intensive process. One pair of jeans can take up to 2500 gallons of water to manufacture, and up to 2 billion pounds of chemicals are used annually to produce the world’s denim supply. Purchasing for quality over quantity can help reduce your waste associated with denim, and save you money in the long run!
On average, American households use 50 gallons of water a day just showering. Water is one of the most precious human resources, and every minute you shave off your shower time can save 1,200 gallons of water a year!
Choosing poultry instead of beef from concentrated animal feed operations (CAFO’s) can reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of a meal by 90%. And that number will only increase when fish, eggs, and plant-based alternatives are swapped in, hot damn!
Global food waste produces more greenhouse gases (GHG’s) than every nation combined except China and the US ～ 4.8 billion tons annually! When you put food into your trash can it goes to the landfill where it decomposes and makes GHG’s. Avoid the trash can by buying less food and composting… its the new sexy!
67% of all agriculture-related deforestation comes from growing feed for livestock – including cows that make milk! Switching to a plant-based alternative to milk can help reduce global deforestation! Experts say that soy milk and oat milk are two of the best alternatives from a sustainability aspect!
Chewing gum, an American staple, is mostly made from synthetic, rubber-like ingredients that can take up to 1500 years to decompose in landfill. Consider cutting chewing gum out of your daily schedule to help mitigate this strain on the planet!
44% of the tea consumed in the United States comes from tea bags – which include plastic in their composition, and upon steeping, can release over 11 billion particles of microplastics into a single cup! Manufacturing these tea bags also uses plastics, increasing demand for fossil fuels. Loose-leaf tea is more efficient in terms of packaging, health, and environmental impact – consider switching today!
Many devices, like phone and laptop chargers, TVs, and even coffee pots draw electricity from the wall even when powered off or not connected to anything. This spooky Vampire Electricity accounts for up to 10% of home energy use, $3billion/year in the US, and 1% of global greenhouse emissions!
NOTE: “New standby power targets” shared with expressed, written permission from original author, to be used for educational purposes.
17% of average home’s entire energy bill comes from the energy used to heat water in the clothes washer. Up to 90% of the energy cost associated with each load of the washer comes from heating the water! Consider choosing to use cold water when possible.
Traditional lightbulbs can waste anywhere from 80-95% of their energy as heat. These hotheads add up to a huge waste of money across the world. Not chill! Furthermore, fluorescent lights contain chemicals toxic to the environment. By switching your light bulbs to LEDs, you can use 75% less energy, your lights can last 25x longer, and the waste generated will not harm the environment!
Heating and cooling homes accounts for just under half of all home energy use in the United State, adding high levels of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere through the electricity and gas used. You can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling and decrease your carbon footprint by turning the thermostat back 7°-10°F from your normal setting!
Almost half of the energy used to power personal computers in the United States is wasted in desktop versions. The greenhouse gas emissions from this wasted energy is the equivalent of 3 million cars on the road! Set your personal computer to energy saving settings to help cut down on this problem!
Single-use plastics account for 60-95% of global marine plastic pollution and only about 2% of it can be effectively recycled. This includes 40 billion plastic utensils and 180 billion plastic straws per year. Ordering takeout has become a normal part of life, now more than ever. Next time, request the bare minimum packaging necessary to hold your food, and skip the extra bags and cutlery.
NOTE: “Reducing marine pollution from single-use plastics (SUPs): A review” shared with expressed, written permission from original author, to be used for educational purposes.
There are well over 8 million tons of plastic pollution entering Earth’s oceans every year, damaging aquatic ecosystems and disrupting nature’s balance. You can do your part by reducing your bottled water usage and electing to drink from the tap and purchasing a reusable water bottle on the go!
Microplastics are microscopic pieces of plastic that have broken down from plastics all over the world. They are toxic to nature and the human bloodstream, but US water samples showed up to 9.24 particles of microplastic per liter of tap water! You can do your part to slow the spread of microplastics by cutting down on your plastic use wherever possible.
Most plastic garbage liner bags are actually not recyclable curbside. Using garbage bags can actually cause an entire bag’s worth of recyclable goods to not be recycled at all! Talk about one spoiled apple! To minimize this risk, put your recycling in an open paper bag when you put it in the blue bin.
Single-use coffee pods generate over 350 million pounds of waste annually, and are unlikely to be recycled. These plastic, single-use pods are extremely slow to decompose in landfill, and the coffee grounds inside them decompose anaerobically, producing methane, the worst of greenhouse gasses. If you have a single-use brewing system, consider buying a reusable pod and measuring out your fresh coffee to cut down on waste!
Red plastic party cups are typically made from #6 polystyrene, which is very rarely accepted by municipal recycling programs. Americans use billions of plastic party cups annually – this type of plastic can take 500 years to decompose in landfill. 500 years ago, the Aztec Empire was still around – imagine what the world will look like 500 years from now! Next time you reach for plastic cups to play booch pong with your friends, consider using reusable cups instead.
Americans use over 170 million plastic straws every single day! Plastic straws are non-recyclable, and continue to add to the growing problem of marine plastic pollution. Consider cutting out your use of plastic straws! You can go further by starting to cut your use of other single-use plastics as well.
Most toothbrushes are typically made from polypropylene and other mixed plastics, making them non-recyclable. Over 1 billion toothbrushes are discarded annually in the United States alone, taking up valuable landfill space and adding to the global plastics pollution issue. Consider switching to a bamboo toothbrush or reusable handle to minimize the amount of waste you generate!
Disposable lighters account for over 7,000 tons of plastic waste annually in the United States. The unlabeled plastic is rarely accepted by recycling programs, and most of the waste sits in landfill or is littered directly into the environment. Consider investing in a refillable or rechargeable electric lighter to cut down on your plastic waste, or look for environmentally-sourced matches!
Cotton swabs are made from water-intensive cotton and (usually) plastic. Almost 400 million pounds of cotton swabs are manufactured annually, consuming over 250 billion gallons of water per year, and the plastic waste adds to the 80 million tons entering Earth’s oceans each year. Consider replacing your purchases of cotton swabs with reusable makeup removers or reusable cotton swabs!
2 billion disposable razors are produced every year in the United States. Oftentimes made of mixed plastics, disposable razors are usually non-recyclable, and end up in landfill or the environment. Straight-edge razors, on the other hand, are made of steel or aluminum – much more likely to be accepted by recycling programs. And, they are usually cheaper! Consider making the switch today.
One gallon of gasoline burned in a passenger vehicle can emit 20 lbs of Co2 into the atmosphere. Emissions like these are contributors to global climate change. Split up your carbon footprint by picking up a coworker and carpooling to work! If one in every 100 cars adds a carpooler, we can save over 7 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually!
Inflating your car tires to the manufacturer recommended PSI will save gas and reduce over 1 ton of greenhouse gas emissions annually through increased efficiency. This also saves money!
Completing all your shopping stops in the same trip from home can reduce your GHG emissions if you are driving a car! Adding even one trip on your way to/from work rather than saving it for the weekend can reduce the miles driven for that errand by up to 30%!
Paper towels accounted for 2% of the total American landfill waste in 2018. As paper towels break down, they release methane, a potent greenhouse gas. They also add to global deforestation, which negatively impacts climate change. While reusable rags are our go-to, for messes that need paper towels, consider using recycled, bamboo, or sugarcane paper towels! These are sourced from ingredients that grow back much faster than trees. You can also find tissues, napkins, and toilet paper made from sustainable ingredients as well!
Electronics waste (e-waste) accounts for only 2% of the mass in landfills across America, but accounts for 70% of the toxic waste! Make sure to dispose of your e-waste at proper e-waste recycling centers to ensure that your items are properly recycled. Most Home Depots will take batteries and small e-waste!
The United States produces over 67 million tons of paper and cardboard waste annually! Billing statements constitute 43% of all mail sent and received in the US. While some of this is recycled, most of this paper goes to landfill, also contributing to climate change through the deforestation needed to produce the paper. One thing you can do to reduce your paper usage is switch to online billing wherever applicable!
Over 500,000 metric tons of batteries are produced annually, less than 5% of which are recycled in the United States! This is problematic, because batteries can leach toxic chemicals into the ground and start fires in landfill. Be sure to properly recycle your batteries – check your zip code on Call2Recycle or Earth911’s websites to know where to take them!
Each new book, on average, takes around 7.8 kg of Co2 to produce. Books in landfill also leach ink into the ground, which can be toxic as well. If you’re in college, consider renting textbooks, or finding online versions of them, when possible, to tangibly reduce your carbon footprint! Some online retailers also offer used options for physical books. If you’re the casual reader, the same still applies.
Over 300 million pounds of solid waste are created from paper receipts annually in the United States! While paper receipts can be extremely valuable, if you find yourself tossing them out as soon as you get home, start asking for no receipt to be printed at all! If a store offers a digital receipt, opt for that option.
Over 95,000 paper cups are thrown away every minute in the United States! These cups are rarely accepted by most recycling programs, instead going to landfill or incineration, where they each release .25 pounds of greenhouse gasses. Consider taking a reusable thermos to your favorite coffee shop to skip the disposable cups – some even offer discounts!
America uses over 65 billion sheets of paper every day, which is the equivalent use of 815,000 pine trees. Where possible, avoid printing, print on scrap paper, or print double-sided. Methods like this can help cut paper use down by 25% across the nation, saving valuable raw materials and helping mitigate deforestation.
Americans dispose of 151 million smartphones annually – most of which are not recycled properly. Many cite battery issues as a reason for upgrading – so, practice good battery-extending techniques to extend the life of your phone and reduce your waste. If your battery is dying, consider buying a repair kit rather than an entirely new phone to cut down on the amount of waste!
Almost half of the global use of synthetic fibers comes from the textile industry. Examples of synthetic fibers include polyester and nylon. These materials emit microplastics into the waterways when washed – around 500,000 particles per load! They can also take anywhere from 20-200 years to decompose. Consider buying organic cotton or hemp materials the next time you shop for athletic gear.
It’s no secret that money makes the world go ‘round (even though we wouldn’t mind kombucha as currency!). If you want to ensure that yours is not being used to invest in fossil fuels or other environmentally damaging fields, consider putting your money into a bank with a B-Corporation certification! These are banks that have agreed to focus on a “triple bottom line” – people, planet, and profit. Check out our list of B-Corp banks!
9.6 million tons of furniture are sent to landfill annually in the United States alone! Furniture with paint and other chemicals contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. Where possible, consider buying vintage, antique, or pre-owned furniture to help mitigate your emissions!
Over ⅔ of textiles consumed globally (including clothing) goes to landfill. These clothes take up valuable landfill space and contribute to global climate change. Try to shop second-hand where you can, and use your clothing for as long as is possible! Consider buying hemp or bamboo-based clothing where possible – these fibers use less water!
Over 9 million tons of clothing and footwear items were tossed into American landfills in 2018! Each cotton shirt can take over 500 gallons of water to manufacturer – donating shirts and other clothing for reuse can help conserve resources and reduce manufacturing emissions. Consider donating your old clothes once you notice you no longer wear them!
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