Have you ever found yourself spending way more on a product because it had an “eco-friendly” label? Greenwashing is a common marketing practice that allows businesses to charge a premium for their products, whether or not they’re actually good for the environment. As a result, there’s a widely held notion that living green is a privilege for the wealthy.
The idea that only the rich can afford to be sustainable couldn’t be further from the truth. Most of the time, what’s truly good for our planet is reducing consumption, which is naturally more economical. When it comes to changes you can make around the house, you’ll find that there are opportunities everywhere to save money and help reduce your carbon footprint at the same time. The average household spends $7,068 on utilities and other household expenses each year. With a few sustainable changes, you can save hundreds of dollars on your energy bills annually.
Whether you’re building or remodeling your home, or just looking to make some small changes in each room of your house, this animated infographic from Esurance offers 24 tips on how to start living your best green life.
One note: Although we think the running water animation in the kitchen and bathroom sections below is really cool, please remember to shut off the tap to reduce water consumption!
Animated graphic courtesy of Esurance; feature image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay
Originally published on July 29, 2019, this article was updated in November 2021.