Climate Hacks

It seems like there’s always a birthday party, baby shower or some other celebration. That means lots of fun gifts, and not-so-planet-friendly gift wrap that ends up in the trash. But there are several things you can do the next time you wrap a present that can help keep millions of pounds of paper out of the trash.

We all have to do it – take a shower. But have you ever stopped to think about how much water your shower uses? And how much gets wasted? There’s something simple you can do to help save thousands of gallons a year.

Dog lovers don’t have to think about this. But cat owners know all about litter boxes. But those kitty potties are big planet offenders, and so is the clay litter that goes inside. So let’s ditch both and swap them out for something that has a little less of an impact on the environment.

It helps protect our skin from the sun – rain or shine. The problem is, sunscreen is a real planet problem when it gets washed off. That’s because when you wash your face, take a shower or swim in the ocean, the chemicals in the sunscreen get into our waterways. But there are certain sunscreen products you can look for...

It seems like there’s always a mess around the house that needs to be cleaned up. But there are a couple of problems with most of our go-to cleaners and the bottles they come in. The good news? There are two easy swaps that can make your cleaning products more planet friendly.

Do you do a lot of baking? Things like cupcakes and muffins? You might not even realize, but a small, every day task like that can have a big impact on our Earth. But there’s an easy swap you can make in the kitchen that will make your next batch of baked goods more planet-friendly.

Have you ever considered the carbon footprint of your style and clothing choices? Shopping for clothing second hand on sites like www.ThredUp.com and www.shopgoodwill.com can drastically reduce your impact on the environment.

You’ve probably been told to turn off the lights in the house at least once in your life. The average American family uses enough energy each month to power a lightbulb for an entire year. And producing the energy needed to power that lightbulb puts a lot of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. But there are ways we can cut...

Laundry is one of those must-do chores, but most of us are actually washing our clothes too often. That isn’t great for your clothes. It also wastes a lot of water. But there are ways to cut back on how often you do your laundry that can really help the planet – and might even help your clothes last longer,...

This last year, most of us turned our homes into everything from offices to classrooms to gyms. And our kitchens are getting a lot more use, too. But have you ever noticed how much food you’re tossing out of the fridge at the end of the week. Each of us tosses approximately 220 pounds of food a year. Check out...

They’re great for exfoliating skin, but not so great for the planet. Plus, they can be a breeding ground for bacteria. So let’s pass on those plastic loofahs and opt for something more sustainable.

It might make your lashes look great, but a small container of mascara has a huge impact on the planet. One estimate says the cosmetics industry contributes to the loss of 18 million acres of forest each year. Switching to a more sustainable mascara brand can really help in the long run.

A cup of tea can be so relaxing. But you might be surprised to hear the tiny tea bag you use to make that cup of tea has a huge impact on our planet. Those tea bags are made of not only paper but plastic, which means trees are getting chopped down and tiny pieces of microplastics are getting into...