If you think it’s difficult to live greener, think again. There are many small, eco-friendly steps that you can incorporate into your daily life to reduce waste and save money too. Here are five simple items and changes to have and implement in your kitchen.

  • Water filter: Ditch the plastic water bottles and get an easy-to-install water filter for your kitchen faucet. Millions of plastic water bottles end up in landfills and the world’s oceans, taking hundreds of years to decompose.
  • Reusable cloth bags: The use of reusable bags isn’t a new phenomenon but it is becoming more common. Invest in a few cloth bags and keep them in your car for that next grocery shopping trip.
  • Recycle bins: Most major cities have recycling programs and even pick up these items in the same way as trash. Plastic bottles and containers and cereal and snack boxes take up a lot of room in your trash bin. Recycling these items saves room in your trash, reducing the number of trash bags you have to use over time.
  • Yank those appliance plugs. Unplugging kitchen appliances when they’re not in use is an easy way to cut back on your electricity bill and save energy. Remember, just because those appliances are not “on” doesn’t mean they aren’t sucking electricity from the socket-and your wallet.
  • Dump the plastic baggies: If you pack a lunch for yourself or your kids, those plastic baggies can end up in the trash after one use. Try packing lunches in multi-compartment containers that close to keep food fresh, eliminate the need for bags and are easy to clean.
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