Autonomy is defined as a person’s ability to act freely on their values. Being eco friendly must be a value of yours if you’ve landed on this page. Meaning it is time again to re-evaluate some of the key players in your carbon footprint.

Unfortunately, money can be a factor in improving your eco-friendly lifestyle; this list will include options for every budget. Even the little things matter when it comes to living greener, and one change is always better than none. Having said this, here are four potential changes for you to consider.

Set and forget with solar

Solar is the green investment that keeps on giving. If you have not yet invested in renewable energy for your home, it is time to reconsider. Understandably, using solar energy for power and water is not always so cheap to install.

However, many countries are now offering their citizens grants of some description to lighten this burden. If you have not yet looked into potential financial aid for solar installation, this is your reminder to do so.

Not only will this help the planet, but it will also help with the cost of your utility bills. On top of this, they are not extremely expensive to maintain and may come with rather extensive warranties depending on where you live.

Phase-out the traditional methods

In case you weren’t aware, countless business are now moving online. Many of these are necessities, like banking and shopping. Whilst others are more subtle changes, like the way you view menus in cafes.

Whether it’s through apps, websites, or QR codes, utilising this technology is potentially saving extensive paperwork and travel-related pollution. For example, FinTech companies like Monzi are removing a whole lot of hardcopy paperwork by moving tedious processes online.

Are you seeking a loan or a change to your online banking? This can now be done entirely online, from your lounge room, in some circumstances. Not only does it save you the hassle of scanning and filing mounds of paper documents, but it also means no more running around from home to a branch. Getting your shopping delivered also has similar benefits. It’s time to start considering where you can move away from the traditional methods for the sake of your busy lifestyle and the planet.

Add Eco-Cleaning Products to the list

If you haven’t yet considered making the switch to a cleaning cupboard full of eco-friendly products, you should. Besides being damaging to the environment, standard cleaning products are also generally packaged in non-recyclable containers. Meaning that not only is the product hazardous in the waterways, but its packaging also will not biodegrade.

Eco-friendly cleaning products are often recyclable or biodegradable and are better for your wellbeing. Why would you want to clean the environment you live in with toxins? Green products are made from natural resources and tend not to be corrosive, meaning you are far less likely to get chemical burns to the skin when using them.

Green cleaning supplies are also often ideal for the surfaces you are cleaning. A lot of traditional cleaning agents have the potential to wear away at your furniture. You can see this in either deterioration or damage to their quality and colour. Many green cleaner companies also offer refill deals, meaning you might be able to retain your bottles and have them refilled for less than buying new ones.

Shop local

If you don’t already, one great way to be more eco friendly is by buying products produced in your country, or better yet, your state or town. Doing this will significantly reduce your ‘food/goods miles’. Essentially, this means that you will be lowering your carbon footprint, as you won’t rely on planes or ships to transport your goods.

Local goods have a much smaller carbon impact. Not only this, but you will also be ing local businesses, and therefore jobs. Additionally, this has the potential to help your native flora and fauna. ing local farmers may mean that they won’t need to sell off to developers who could destroy the land and the creatures that inhabit it.

And nothing beats farmers market quality produce for freshness. Ditching chain suppliers may make for more enjoyable meals, comfortable clothes, or higher quality goods.

These are only a few suggestions for you, just to get you thinking about what else you could do to promote a greener lifestyle. Pursue further research to enhance your understanding of additional changes worth making.

Not only does making these changes benefit the environment, but they should also improve your quality of life. Taking that extra step towards being autonomously eco friendly is always worth it.