5 At-Home Eco-Friendly Changes to Make in 2015

When it comes to living a greener life it is important to be mindful that every conscious choice makes a difference, from the big to the small. For many of us we look at the big picture, but do not fully encompass this mindset. Yes you recycle, but do you remember to turn off the lights when you leave a room? Probably not.

Here are 5 ways we can promote at-home Eco-change in 2015:

1. Driving everywhere: Yes it is nice to have a car, but remember every time you turn on that ignition you are impacting the environment. Next time you are planning to run an errand, reconsider the car. A good alternative is investing in a bicycle. It not only helps keep the Earth green, but it is also a good habit for your physical health-and a great way to get in a quick workout.
2. Plastic Water Bottles: Rather then buying a plastic water bottle every time you are thirsty, invest in a reusable bottle that you can refill. This is also a great way to learn how much water you are drinking each day (or should be drinking).
3. Newspapers: Still reading the paper each day? It may be time to start looking into alternatives to your daily news. With the digital world not going anywhere, there are literally millions of resources for you to turn to online to find out valuable information. Most papers also offer a digital edition, that you can access directly from an iPad or iPhone.
4. Utilizing Your Trash: This one isn’t so obvious, but there are many items we all have in our homes that have multiple uses-that most people would just consider rubbish after consuming. This includes: lemon peels, coffee grounds, eggshells, and tea bags. Here are a few of my favorite uses for some of these items:Lemon Peels:
   -Sanitize cutting boards
   -Removing rust stains
   -Teeth Whitner
   -Clean soap scum and hard water stains in your showerCoffee Grounds:
   -Fertilizer for your garden
   -Absorb food odors
   -Exfoliate skin
   -Homemade candles

   Eggshells: 
   -Pulverize into a nourishing face mask
   -Crushed egg shells added to ground coffee can help make it taste less bitter
   -Crafting and DIYs
   -Laundry whitener

   Tea Bags:
   -Add flavor to pasta and grains
   -Clean carpet and rugs
   -Degreaser for dirty dishes
   -Hair conditioner
   -Helps draw out infections

5. Create Simpler Meals: Rather then playing the part of Julia Childs every night, try to utilize your time spent in the kitchen, so you use less energy to prep your dinner. Every now and again it is okay to cook larger meals, but keep in mind the amount of energy that goes into your creations.