Action Tips: Encourage Friends and Family to Recycle Efficiently

Encourage your family and friends to reduce, reuse, recycle, and recover around the house. We've got some easy tips to help you create a better world and home.

In the kitchen

• Before running your dishwasher, fill it up to consume less energy. Don’t forget to turn off the heat drying option!
• Use eco-friendly plates, pots and pans.
• Stock your fridge since a full fridge consumes less energy than an empty one.
• Shop in bulk to reduce packaging.
• Reuse containers, aluminum foil and packaging.

Living Room

• Save energy by switching to compact fluorescent bulbs.
• Recycle and replace your old plasma TV with an energy-efficient LED model.
• Make sure your living room windows are sealed, especially during the winter.

Bedroom

• Rather than a toxin-free mattress, choose an organic wool or cotton-filled mattress.
• Reuse your old bedroom furniture by restoring it, or shop at thrift and antique stores.
• Buy cotton or bamboo bedding.
• Sleep with clean air by installing filters, purifiers or fans.
• Recycle old E-waste such as computers, CDs, DVDs, video game counsels, and other electronics wasting away in your room.

Laundry Room

• Save energy by filling your washer and dryer.
• Revamp old clothes to fit your current style.
• Wash clothes in cold water or turn down your water heater.
• Use eco-friendly detergents.

Backyard

• Show off your green thumb by planting flowers, trees and shrubs.
• Grow a vegetable garden.
• Get rid of toxic pesticide and fertilizers by using more eco-friendly alternatives.
• Switch to a newer push lawn mower that uses less energy.

Tell us what you're doing. GO

Sources: Chow, HGTV, Relocation