Eco-friendly homes allow us to live in a way that is not harmful to the environment. The Eco-friendly lifestyle has become incredibly common, as we want to protect our planet, save money, and live a more positive lifestyle. Living eco-friendly does not have to compromise giving your home that sparkle cleaning appearance, however!

At Galaxy Maids, we understand how important practicing green habits is for our environment. Even when tackling difficult challenges such as how to get scuff marks off walls. Introducing more eco-friendly ways into our lives will help to improve the world around us, personal expenses, and physical and mental health. Here are some small, but effective ways to make life more eco-friendly.

Making the Kitchen Eco-Friendly

1. Grocery stores use plastic bags on a large scale. They are made from products that are nonrenewable, which take many years to decompose. A great switch would be to bring your own cloth, cotton, or reusable grocery bags instead. Switching to these alternatives limit the plastic toxins and provide a variety of uses.  

2. We tend to use a lot of plastic and paper plates when hosting a party or an event. These plates take up more space in landfills. Switching to reusable plates that are washable is not only a cheaper option, but they are the most sustainable decision.

3. Almost every home has Ziplock bags or sandwich bags used for lunches or to store leftovers. Ziplock bags are not reusable and and disposing can pollute the environment. However, Eco friendly alternatives include reusable silicone bags, beeswax sandwich bags, and washable lunch boxes and therefore, promote a healthier environment.

4. Many fast-food restaurants use plastic straws when serving drinks. Most of these straws are not biodegradable so they cannot decompose. These plastic straws release chemicals when broken down into smaller particles, that are harmful to plants, animals, and people. Making a switch to reusable straws, such as metal or silicone, can reduce plastic waste.

Making the Bathroom Eco-Friendly

1. Switching bathroom lightings to LED light bulbs have many benefits. For example, they save on electricity bills but most of them also have an 80-90% energy efficiency that turns into lighting that does not overheat. Also, they are eco-friendly as they reduce emissions from power plants.

2. We tend to associate Eco friendly with plastic; however, cotton is a huge factor as well. Instead of using cotton rounds, an alternative is to use a reusable round that is made from bamboo and is washable after use.

3. We throw away Q-tips after use, and due to the plastic elements, they are harmful to marine life and hard to decompose. A natural option made of bamboo materials is a better choice due to its ability to decompose when thrown away.

4. A product everyone uses in the bathroom is toothbrushes. Plastic toothbrushes are the most common ones, which we throw away after a couple of months. These have a hard time decomposing. Bamboo handle toothbrushes are sustainable to use because they can be broken down and composited.

5. Refill stores are a great option. These stores carry shampoo, conditioner, dish soap and many more in gallon jars. You can simply take your reusable container and refill when needed. This limits the plastic bottles that are bought at stores and limits the waste that are thrown away.

Food Swaps

1. When storing leftovers or wrapping baked goods, most people use plastic cling wraps or films. We then throw out these wraps, which become waste or garbage. An alternative is to use beeswax wraps, which are reusable and biodegradable wraps, which are washable.

2. Instead of buying coffee from coffee shops every day, you can invest in a Keurig coffee machine. While the k cups required for the machine are expensive and wasteful plastic, an alternative is to switch to a reusable k cup pods, and there are many retailers who sell them.

3. Along with the reusable k cup pods, after making coffee, save the coffee grounds to add to a compost pile or to fertilize the garden, which makes for less waste and a great environmentally friendly option.

4. With getting coffee from fast food places, they often have plastic cups that are not able to be recyclable. Bringing your own mug or reusable cup everyday can save tons of useless plastic.

Pet Parent Swaps

1. Poop bags that Dog owners take on walks and outings are often made of plastic material that cannot decompose. There are many companies that offer biodegradable and compostable options.  

2. The most common cat litters contain clay materials, which is not biodegradable and does not decompose in landfills. Clay litter can also create respiratory issues due to the dust. A great alternative is pine pellets, which are biodegradable and turn into saw dust when wet that makes disposing of them greener.

3. Plastic toys are popular to keep animals occupied, but they are not durable. Most dogs tear them apart and at some point these plastics toys become garbage. There are many options from different materials such as recycled ocean waste, and cloth materials.

4. When you decide it is time for a new dish, toy, brush, or any supplies for your dog, instead of wasting them and tossing them, look for a local animal shelter or a friend that could get more uses out of them.