7 small things you do that are destroying our planet Earth

While none of us intentionally do things that have a harmful impact on the earth and the environment, quite a few things that we do on a daily basis do end up giving mother earth a tough time. Here is a list 7 such small things that you do without giving a second thought, which potentially harm the earth.

Using regular lights

If you're using regular incandescent bulbs and lights in your home, your efforts towards saving the planet are going terrible wrong. If you're looking to mend your ways by going green, start right away by replacing all your regular incandescent bulbs with Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs). CFLs not only last longer, but also use 66% lesser energy than the former. Install energy-efficient LED lights in common living spaces such as corridors, bathrooms, and staircases. You can also consider going solar by investing in energy-efficient products like solar lights, solar chargers, solar water heaters, and so on.

Having a bath

Before you leave home in the morning or after you come back after a long day at work, taking a long luxurious bath might seem like the most relaxing thing to do. However, this has a downside to the earth. With the increase in population, water resources around the globe are depleting. Instead of taking a bath, take a shower – a short one preferably. By reducing your shower time you could be saving literally hundreds of gallons of water every year! This way, you will not only save a huge amount of water every year, but you can also cut down dramatically on your water bill!

Not getting your homes properly insulated

If you haven't got your home insulated yet, it's time you got it done as soon as possible. In majority of households around the globe, heating and air conditioning account for more than half of the household's overall energy consumption. So you can imagine how much impact your doors and windows can have on energy conservation. Getting your home insulated is a nifty way of going green, since proper insulation will make sure that energy heating or cooling your home doesn't escape out through your windows, doors, or the roof. This way you end up consuming less electricity, which is also favorable for your pocket!

Washing clothes with warm or hot water

Using hot water to wash clothes is another way you might be wasting gallons and gallons of water, which you don't necessarily need to. Not only water, you also end up consuming a lot of energy which goes behind heating the water. So ultimately, you're wasting water, energy, money, and using up earth's natural resources. You might argue that hot water kills bacteria from your clothes, but did you know that hot water also does the most damage to your clothes, causing them to shrink, wrinkle, and fade? Yes, so save yourself some money and energy, and use hot water only as an exception for clothes that are seriously soiled.

Using a dishwasher and washing machine for small loads

Using a washing machine and a dishwasher might not be a bad idea entirely as long as you make sure that you only use them when the load is full. Wait till your washing machine is fully loaded with clothes rather than using it just for a few clothes. Also, instead of hot water, use cold water to wash the clothes since heating the water takes up a lot of energy. Similarly with the dishwasher, use one that is energy-efficient and wait till it is filled with vessels. If there is any left-over washing water, use it to water your garden or your houseplants, instead of flushing it down the drain.

Driving the car

Another way you're destroying planet earth is by driving. Whether you like it or not, the best bet is to leave your car at home or in the garage, as often as possible. Due to the convenience factor, even for short trips we immediately hop into the car – stop doing that right away. Rather, try greener options like walking, cycling, carpooling, or public transport. This way you can effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and you'll also improve on your health.

Dumping biodegradable waste into the garbage bin

What do you normally do with leftover food and vegetable scraps? You chuck it inside the garbage bin, right? Well, you're not helping the earth in any way if you're doing so. We tend to throw biodegradable waste such as leftover food, green waste, paper waste, fruit and vegetable scraps, and so on into the garbage, which ultimately ends up being transported to the landfill in a plastic bag. Next time, instead of dumping your biodegradable waste into the garbage, dump it into a compost heap. Compost not only works great as a fertilizer, natural pesticide, and conditioner for your soil, but also gives you an epic way to recycle your biodegradable waste which normally ends up at the landfill.