CHICAGO (CBS)-- On this Earth Day, we want to help you with tips on how to be more sustainable in your home.  

Making small changes can add up big time, according to health and wellness educator Annemarie Sampson.

Here are her tips: 

Turn the water off when brushing your teeth, shaving and washing your hands.  

Turning off the water when you brush your teeth can save up to three or four gallons of water per person per day. Another way to save water is to run the dishwasher rather than washing dishes by hand. 

"Don't let the water run, you use about two gallons of water for every minute the water is running," Sampson said. 

Wash your clothes in cold water and use formulas formulated to work in cold water.  

Sampson said about 90% of the energy used by the washing machine during laundry goes towards heating the water. Using cold water is better for the planet and your wallet. 

Plus, your clothes are less likely to shrink in cold water.  

"This means less clothes in landfills," Sampson said. 

Use dryer balls and and then air dry clothes when doing laundry.

Dryer balls separate clothes better than dryer sheets, allowing hot air to circulate more efficiently and reduce drying time.  

Air-drying your clothes uses less energy, which is better for our planet and your wallet, Sampson said. 

She recommends looking for eco-friendly products that are biodegradable, non-toxic and made with sustainable packaging.  

Food waste ends up in the trash when it can be composted. 

Sampson said compost bins are affordable and help us stop seeing food waste as "trash."

Choose eco friendly, non-toxic, cruelty free personal care products. 

You want to avoid phthalates, parabens and microplastics.

Sampson said many common household chemicals used in personal care items like toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, skin care and makeup products, are endocrine disruptors, come in packaging that can not be recycled, and cause skin irritation.

Sampson said disposable plastic items don't biodegrade and only 9% of plastic waste gets recycled. That's why she said it's important to consider the products we buy and use. 

First published on April 22, 2022 / 5:25 AM

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