10 Gives That Help Our Planet At Work, At Home And At School

Woo hoo! 10 Gives that help our planet and ourselves! We all have busy lives and it can be hard to give back. With these simple daily gives, it is possible to help ourselves and the planet every day. Below are some simple ways to be a little more environmentally friendly and increase your own happiness, one day at a time.

Visit Your Local Library and Reuse Literary Resources

Personally, I don’t think there’s anything more enjoyable than getting lost in a good book. Books can take us to new lands and transport us through time and space. Reading books have been shown to increase our empathic skills. Help the environment by using your local library and used book stores. These literary sanctuaries are also a great way to connect with your community and find others who are just as interested in ready as you are.

Plogging – Exercise and Daily Giving In One Outing

This exercise trend has been popular for years in Sweden. The word plogging combines the word jogging with the Swedish term “plocka upp”, that means pick up. Runners add picking up garbage to their work outs. You can do good and have a good work out. There are community plogging groups popping up in communities around the globe, so seek out a group that you can join.

Shop Mindfully And Create Happiness

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to update your style. Thankfully there are many ways to look chic and follow our consciences. There are brands like Patagonia that consider their environmental impact in their supply chain. We can also buy gently used goods on sites like Etsy or Instagram. For the thrifty there are second hand shops and for the label conscious, consignment stores that specialize in second hand couture labels and designs.

Donate Old Clothes

Do you have old clothes at the bottom of your closet? Think about giving to those in need. Yearly,  North Americans throw out about 81 pounds of clothes per year into landfills. Think about donating to shelters or selling your gently used goods at thrift shops. Those items brought you joy, now it is time to pass that joy onto others.

Community Gardening

For many of us bettering your health and meeting new people is a priority. You can tackle both by joining a community garden. A community garden is a way to get fresh, affordable produce, learn new recipes, meet new people and test your green thumb. By combining your gardening with others, you lower the greenhouse gas emissions made by trucks that transport food to our local grocery stores.

Go Digital and Use Less Paper

So many tasks have moved online and eliminated paper waste. Paying bills online have become common place for many. Using online fliers and digital coupons mean instant access to great deals. Even some future newlyweds have opted for digital wedding cards to cut down on paper waste.

Carpool to Work

We can easily lessen our carbon footprint on our way to work. Some workplaces have car pool groups that get updated as employees come and go. To start one yourself, chart where the majority of your coworkers commute from and search for volunteer drivers by region. Track the info in a shared Google docs. This is a great way for people to make friends at work who may not be in the same department.

Compost Your Kitchen Scraps and Yard Waste

Sometimes Wednesday night’s lasagna become leftovers and end up in the garbage. A third of waste in North American landfills are compostable. You can cut down your kitchen waste by 30 % with compositing. Home made compost is a way to fertilize your garden without chemicals. There are different types of composting: hot, cold and even worm based. Read up on what to compost as not everything is good for the greenery.

Cut Back on Paper Towels

Say goodbye to paper towels and hello to reusable rags. Take an old shirt and cut it up to make multiple rags that can be washed and reused. You can get crafty and sew them together in a patch work. Clever companies are also finding this new market of dish rag use a fun way to put an eco -conscious mindset back into the kitchen with fun colorful clothes that last for months.

Use A Thermos for Your Daily Coffee

Caffeine carries many of us through our working days. Store bought coffee is an easy fix. Making our own coffee or tea is ideal but sometimes convenience overrides our best intentions.  Take a thermos into your favourite coffee spot. Most business are happy to accommodate and some even give a discount.

Inspired to do more? Check out more giving ideas from us here in 4 wasys to make your picnic a planet give.