03/09/2019 / By Bridgette Wilcox
Changing the way you do laundry can help save the environment, proving that even the smallest of adjustments have a significant impact when it comes to green living. According to carbon footprint expert Mike Berners-Lee in an article in The Guardian, doing laundry (drying included) every two days adds 440 kilograms of CO2 emissions yearly, an amount equivalent to that of a flight between London and Glasgow, and then some. Machine drying accounts for almost 75 percent of that footprint, the article said.
Apart from significant carbon emissions, laundry also contributes to pollution. When laundry wastewater ends up in natural bodies of water, they carry runoffs from laundry detergents. According to an article in Livestrong, the chemicals from these detergents are toxic to aquatic life and have been found to create parasitic algae blooms. Most detergents also come in non-biodegradable plastic packaging that contribute to waste.
Quitting single-use plastics, converting to renewable energy sources, and buying only organic products are among the biggest lifestyle changes that people make when they decide to go green, but the environmental impact of mundane chores is often overlooked. Laundry in particular has a surprising environmental impact.
Reducing the environmental impact of your laundry all comes down to a few simple changes that will help save the environment, and even save you some time and money. Here are some adjustments you can make for more eco-friendly washing and drying.
Going about your every day chores doesn’t have to come at the cost of the environment. By following these easy tips, your clothes will be clean, and the environment a bit more green.
Learn more about how to live a sustainable, environmentally-friendly lifestyle on GreenLivingNews.com.
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Tagged Under: eco-friendly, Ecology, environ, green living, home products, Laundry, sustainable living