5 Powerful Eco Choices That Reduce Waste and Boost Your Peace of Mind

Eco-friendly does not have to mean costly or overwhelming. The thing is, the right green choices should save you money and make you feel better about how green your lifestyle really is. And the funny thing is that, when you actually start to line up your daily habits with what you believe in, you start to say to yourself, "You know what? I sleep a lot better at night." It's a lot easier to go through your day when you're like, "All I have to do is not further the problem; I am one of the few people who is determining some of the solution side… not the problem side."

The thing is that the world we live in is getting woke and standing up for the environment versus convenience – and what you need is a simple guide that can show you five distinct, strong moves on the path to green living. These are no-excuse lifestyle adjustments, not these crazy full-life overhauls. Simple, smart swaps that anyone can make without any real time commitment and can reduce amount of actual waste we produce, and reduce even more the stress and guilt.

What Eco-Friendly Living Could Do With Your Mental Health

Why Going Green Feels So Good

Before we discuss the best replacements for those using individuals, co-ops, centers or what have you, this is backed up by research – people who behave more in line with sustainability are happier and worry less about their future. If you choose to repair the climate, the problem becomes less bad and more of an opportunity.

The explanation in psychosocial terms is simple: action is always better than anxiety. You feel not despair about environmental horror, but hope. This cycle of eco-friendly decision-making makes you feel in control and draws you into a virtuous loop with the rest of the world.

1. No More Single-Use Anything (And Use It)

The Real Cost of Throw-Away Items

We Americans get rid of about 300 pounds of plastic apiece every year. This is mostly made up of disposable products — water bottles, coffee cups, shopping bags, and takeout containers. Such items they will use once and which will then linger in a landfill for decades, perhaps centuries.

Smart Swaps That Are Worth the Upgrade

Water Bottles

• Ditch single-use bottles for a quality stainless steel or glass one

• You never know if the temperature will be cold or warm so pack an outfit that will keep you at the desired temperature and put you in good favor with the locals

• Choose a bottle with side measurements, and you would know how much water have you taken throughout the day

Coffee Cups

• Purchase the perfect sized travel mug to fit your car cup holder

• Bring your own cup discounts (10-25 cents off) many coffee shops

• Stick with insulated options that will help you keep drinks cool or warm for the duration chosen

Shopping Bags

• Keep a couple of foldable colorful bags in the car, one in your wallet, and inside the door of the home

• Choose recycled materials where you can

• Select bags which have extended handles for weight distribution

Food Storage

• Substitute beeswax wraps or silicone covers for plastic wrap

• Choose glass and avoid single-use plastics

• Get good some good tight sealing containers for stacking

Making the Habit Stick

Challenge

Solution

Outcome

Leaving reusable bags at home

And have those bags in your car and ready by your door

Never forget them

Water bottle gets dirty

Choose bottles with wider mouths for easy cleaning

Improved sanitation, use thereof

Lost motivation

Here's the running tally on not spending for disposables

Once you start noticing changes, that will also create a habit

The key to victory is simply to make disposables slightly more irritating than reusables. Plan ahead: if your water bottle is full and waiting, if your shopping bags are in the car and ready to use, if you're eating your work lunch from a plate not a plastic container – then sustainable ways of leading our lives are that little bit simpler.

2. Meal Planning and Food Waste

The Hidden Cost of Food Waste

Food waste is the source of some 8% of all the planet's greenhouse gas emissions. The waste adds up: In one year, $1,500 in food dropped and decayed in the average American household. It occurs at all levels — over-buying, not storing well or simply forgetting about leftovers.

Strategic Meal Planning That Works

Take Inventory

The first step is to take stock of what you have on hand before you go to the store. Take quick photos with your phone of your fridge, freezer and pantry. This will result in less waste, you can stop buying stuff you already have and continue to buy anyway and then not eat until it's all expired, you don't get stuck with food you don't have any plans for… and also make everyone else's life easier by cooking around stuff that's already in the house.

Embrace the "Cook Once, Eat Twice" Approach

Cook dishes that yield intentional leftovers for simple lunches, or that can be adapted into another dish. For example:

• Sunday: Roast chicken → Tuesday: Chicken salad sandwiches

• Monday: Rice → Friday: Fried rice with an egg

• Ground turkey (made in big batches) → Tacos, pasta sauce, soup

Smart Shopping Strategies

• Shop your pantry for potential choices before jotting down grocery items

• Look into the sales, plan meals based on what you have in season

• Buy just what you need for the meals you are going to cook plus some staples

• Choose the ugly fruits and vegetables—they're good for you, and they cost less

Food Storage Mastery

Extend Produce Life

• How to store herbs: Treat them like fresh flowers, snip the end and place in water

• Store individually: potatoes and onions (they release gases that cause the other to spoil more rapidly)

• How to avoid mildew: vinegar rinse berries

• Wrap your leafy greens in wet paper towels and refrigerate

Freezer Strategies

• Freeze overripe bananas for smoothies

• Make homemade veggie broth from vegetable scraps

• Portion purchases from the bulk once you are home

• Label everything: Contents + Date

The Peace of Mind Connection

A meal plan also takes the stress out of daily what's-for-dinner decisions. Reducing food waste brings the added bonus that you stop throwing money away. You know when you find that one day a week where you get organized with your fridge, and plan out your meals, and all of a sudden, you've made that entire week that much less of a hot mess?

3. Create A More Useful Capsule Wardrobe

The True Cost of Fast Fashion

The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of all global carbon emissions and is the second-largest consumer of the world's water. We're buying 60% more clothing than we did 15 years ago, but we're only holding onto each piece for half as long. The average person purchases 60 percent more items of clothing every year and keeps them for about half as long as 15 years ago. This leads to a tremendous amount of waste and a relentless cycle of dissatisfaction with our belongings.

Building Your Capsule Wardrobe

Step 1: Assess Your Closet

Let's beat up your closet and ask these three questions about what you have:

1. Did I even wear this in the last 12 months?

2. Do I have congruency in my way of life?

3. Well how does wearing the item make me feel?

Anything that gets three "yes" responses, is a keeper. Anything that's left over can be donated, sold, or recycled.

Step 2: Identify Core Pieces

As in, you don't always love the same outfit, but your favorite pieces stay the same. Essential items for a working capsule wardrobe:

• 5-7 tops (mix up and wear)

• 3-4 Bottoms (pants, skirt, or dress)

• 2-3 Top Layers (sweater / jacket / blazer)

• 2-3 pair of shoes that can do double duty with multiple outfits

• 1-2 special occasion pieces

Step 3: Quality over Quantity

• Choose natural fibers like cotton, wool, linen

• Buy classics: styles that will stick around for a long time

• Purchase items from ethical manufacturers

• Think cost per wear over initial price

Maintaining Your Capsule

Quarterly Review

Evaluate what works and doesn't every three months. It's not so much in terms of buying the new things, but how you're evolving your lifestyle, your preferences.

The One-In, One-Out Rule

If you bring something new home, get rid of or recycle something that you no longer wear. In that way, you stop wardrobe from collapsing under the weight of itself.

Care and Maintenance

• Get back to basics with sewing

• Hang to dry to prevent shrinking and eliminate discolorations

• Learn how to pack clothes so they don't wrinkle

Mental Health Benefits

You probably are (or may as well be) a minimalist if you have/get a capsule wardrobe. The point is, it removes your favorite outfit that you grab every morning and truly solves for decision fatigue. You'd have no trouble getting dressed if all of the options in your closet went together. The flip side is that you feel less vulnerable in your style, because everything you own is something you genuinely enjoy and want to wear.

4. Transform Your Home into an Energy-Efficient Haven

Simple Changes, Big Impact

Not only does energy efficiency save us money on our utility bills, it offers us a way to reduce our carbon footprint while also making the inside of our homes more comfortable even on the hottest of days. A few tweaks that can be made — and can save energy — cost next to nothing and have a quick turnaround.

Low-Cost, High-Impact Changes

Lighting Upgrades

• Replace incandescent lights with LED lights

• LEDs use 75 percent less energy and can last 25 times longer

• Living Areas: warmer light temperatures (2700K-3000K)

• Install dimmer switches to change up the wattage on your lights and save some more energy while you're at it

Temperature Control

• When away from home, drop to 7 to 10 degrees cooler on thermostat

• Move air more effectively with ceiling fans

• Stop air leaks by weatherstripping windows and doors

• Install programmable or smart thermostats for automatic efficiency

Water Heating Efficiency

• Lower your hot water temp to 120 Fahrenheit

• Installation of low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators

• Fix leaky faucets right away – at a drop a second, a leaking faucet wastes 3,000 or much more gallons per year

• Insulate your water heater tank if your water heater is stored in a non-heated area

Smart Technology Integratio

Any plug and power monitor that allow you to display what type of electrical device is consuming power. It allows you to get the right intuitions from usage patterns.

Automated Systems

• Smart thermostats that hold to a programmed schedule

• Power strips to combat standby power syndrome

• Motion sensor lighting for essential needs only

The Comfort Factor

If your home is comfortable to live in all year round, then it is putting out energy to keep your house comfortable at any given time of the year. With insulation in the walls, this results in less drafts and better temperature retention. Efficient lighting provides better illumination. With lower utility bills comes less financial stress, and that can help with peace of mind.

5. Zero Waste and Bulk Buying

Rethinking How We Shop

Not to mention that doing a big grocery shop every week produces a ton of plastic garbage, too. Every item wrapped in plastic; every plastic grocery or produce bag that easily fits around your mid-sized broccoli; each bottle of water instead of tap water; each of these plastic wrapped products adds up. Zero-waste shopping is focusing on buying things package-free or with the least amount of packaging.

Getting Started with Zero-Waste Shopping

Essential Equipment

• Cloth fruit and veggie bags you can use over and over again

• Mason jars for grains, nuts or spices

• Bulk containers if you prepare your own food

• Digital scale to weigh containers

Finding Zero-Waste Options

• Locate bulk bins where you usually shop

• Visit local farmers markets for packaging-free fruit and veg

• Find the closest co-ops or health food stores with large bulk departments

• Search for zero-waste stores near you depending on where you live

Shopping Strategies

• Start small — focus on those things you buy and use on a constant basis

• Pre-weigh containers for bulk items to avoid check-out confusion

• Organize bulk purchases according to storage space requirements

• Choose to stock up on items that have a long shelf life

Smart Bulk Buying

Items Perfect for Bulk Purchase

• Dry staples (rice, quinoa, oats, lentils)

• The cleaning compounds you use the most

• Long-lasting toiletries

• Seasoning salt and spices (a whole lot cheaper to buy in bulk)

Storage Solutions

• Purchase some airtight containers to keep your food fresh

• Please note, all products must be labeled clearly with the purchase date

• Rotate – put the most recent purchases toward the back

• Store in a cool and dry place bulk quantities of the product

Economic Benefits

Item Category

Traditional Shopping Cost

Bulk Shopping Cost

Annual Savings

Rice (20 lbs)

$45

$20

$25

Oats (10 lbs)

$35

$18

$17

Almonds (5 lbs)

$60

$35

$25

Olive Oil (1 gallon)

$48

$28

$20

Total Annual Savings

$87+

The Satisfaction Factor

A cupboard of quality bulk foods arranged tidily in glass jars is fine to see in public. It makes everything look fresh and inviting, so that you can remain organized, cut down on decision fatigue, and always have some proper food on hand to conjure up a nourishing meal. In doing so you are saying to yourself healthy eating can be done without the scramble of being last minute shopper.

Making It All Work Together

Creating Your Personal Action Plan

It's all about green living one step at a time. Just choose one area from this guide, and focus on it until you have it down to an absolute science, and then move on to a different area.

• First month: Going reusable

• Month 2: Meal prep and minimizing food waste

• Third month: Capsule wardrobe

• Month 4: Reduce your home's energy usage

• 5th month: Zero waste stores & Bulk food shops

Tracking Your Progress

Keep a simple journal of your climate wins:

• The dollars saved each time an item is reused before being discarded

• Better planning: no bags of trash

• Monthly energy bill decline

• How well does your stress level and general sense of happiness tally with your decisions at that time?

Building Community Support

Share with friends and family. There are a ton of people out there who want to be more sustainable but don't know how or where to start. Emulating your great work in the world is contagious, it's about creating a ripple effect you never intended by all the action that people will take in your wake.

The Power Of Small Changes

And here's one bit of good news: Making an eco-friendly choice isn't only better for the environment — beyond that, each time you act green, the benefits start to multiply. It saves time and makes it easier if you already have the right materials. That means more healthy & delicious meals, and less stress. You're a lot more confident, and you just cut down on the time it takes to make decisions when you streamline your wardrobe.

That's the kind of little choices that build up over time and lead to a much more sustainable and fulfilling lifestyle. You will find that living with intention — whether it is around something as small and as big as consumerism, eating or energy consumption — is so much more satisfying and peaceful.

They're also much better for the environment. If everyone made these five small changes, we could have a huge impact on our waste streams, carbon emissions and on our demand for resource-heavy products. If nothing else in your life matters to you, at least you can sleep better at night knowing that the choices you make on a daily basis align with your values and are helping to restore a healthier planet for your grandchildren, even if they'll never remember to thank you for it.

Living eco-friendly does not require perfection, all it requires is an effort! Choose one spot and get good at it, then build on that. You go, friend! All the small choices you're making today are things your future self and the earth will appreciate!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How much money will I save on my utility bills for doing these things that are green?

A: Most people save $500-1500 a year. The biggest savings come from less wasted food (average savings of $1500 per year for families), buying from bulk bins (15-40% off of pantry staples) and doing small projects to increase energy efficiency (10-30% savings on utility bills). Reusable products of all types are more expensive upfront but end up saving you money in a few short months.

Q: I have a small apartment to occupy. Can I continue to implement these tactics effectively?

A: Absolutely! Indeed, small spaces can offer several advantages in many of these approaches. Keep it simple — multi-purpose items, store vertically, and only buy what you know you can store! Clothes closets work better as capsule wardrobes in small spaces, and energy efficiency upgrades are greater in smaller homes.

Q: What if I don't have bulk sections or zero waste options in my area?

A: Just use what you've got on hand — even the most old-fashioned grocery stores tend to sell things in bulk, so they're not hard to find. Ask for bulk sections — and store managers will often do so if enough customers ask. You can also buy in bulk online; there's a lot of nonperishable food out there, and many everyday items use less packaging if you experiment with alternatives.

Q: How do I get my family to try this?

A: Start with the changes that give you quick wins — like saving money or organization, for example. Once you get those initial victories under your belt you prove to yourself that positive change is possible and you can build momentum off the back of these changes. Involve the family in change rather than changing their world — plan and decide together. Concentrate on the fact that there are plusses (better food, more fun-money, less time shopping), and not an environmental screed against them.

Q: What if I mess up, or forget my reusables?

A: We're not striving for perfection — we're just trying to get better every day. Everyone forgets sometimes. They only need to find easier ways to remember next time, not concede defeat. Keep reusable bags everywhere or try phone reminders or lists until it becomes a routine that is natural. It doesn't have to be performed well, it's just the little effort being put in consistently that counts the most.

Q: Is going green always more expensive in the beginning?

A: Reusability is costly in that you have to carry that up-front cost of something good longer. A $20 water bottle might seem expensive against a $1 disposable bottle, but if you're constantly buying bottles the reusable one pays itself off in a few weeks. Think in terms of cost-per-use rather than price tag, and invest your money in what you use most in the long run.

Q: How far away are we from seeing some of the mental health advantages of being eco-friendly?

A: There are some successes in the early going, even if everyone doesn't transform immediately. The perks here are twofold: You'll avoid decision fatigue and make a little more orderly your surroundings, but also — you get the wonderful, fantastic feeling of having done something good. The deeper feelings of being less guilty toward the environment or the increased quality of life 2–3 months down the line will hit you as the habits solidify and the experience of living with less becomes more apparent.