Making eco-friendly lifestyle changes has become an increasingly popular trend over the past few years. From ditching plastic grocery bags to buying reusable water bottles, people all over the world have been starting to make numerous small changes in their daily lives in order to protect our environment. To care about the earth is the fastest-growing lifestyle trend.

It is therefore now more important ever to adopt this lifestyle trend. With increasing levels of pollution and more natural disasters occurring, such as the California wildfires, it is important that we do our part to preserve the planet.

Becoming eco-friendly may seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be! There are many simple changes you can make in your everyday life that will conserve energy and protect our planet in the long run (and save you money!) Here are 5 easy steps to help you to start living a more eco-friendly lifestyle.

1. Turn off lights when you leave a room for a more eco-friendly lifestyle

Here’s an easy one! Turning off the lights when you leave a room may seem like a simple task, but it makes a huge impact. Not only will turning off lights save you money on your energy bill, but it will also reduce your carbon footprint.

You can even make the switch to energy-efficient light bulbs, such as compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). These bulbs will not only save energy but they will save you money too. Remember to turn off your lights next time you leave a room!

2. Easy eco-friendly lifestyle switch: Buy a reusable water bottle

Ditch the plastic! Reusable water bottles are cheaper and more sustainable than buying cases of plastic bottles. 38 million water bottles end up in landfills in the United States each year. That adds up to over 2 million tons of plastic!

Buying a reusable water bottle, such as a Hydroflask, will not only reduce waste but improve your overall health as well. Plastic water bottles contain loads of chemicals, such as BPA, that no one wants to be putting into their body. Go green and stay healthy by switching to reusable water bottles!

3. Eco-friendly fashion lifestyle: Buy from thrift stores

Avoid contributing to the fast fashion industry by purchasing clothes from thrift stores. Fast fashion is inexpensive clothing made by large companies. The fashion industry has a huge impact on the planet. This industry contributes to rising carbon emissions as well as pesticide use.

Help the environment by buying from consignment stores (buying from thrift stores will save you money too!) Go green and try browsing thrift clothing websites such as Poshmark or Thredup. You can even sell clothes that you don’t wear on Poshmark!

4. Use reusable grocery bags

Another easy way to go green! Not only are reusable bags more durable than plastic, but they’re also safer for the environment. Switching to reusable grocery bags will help decrease plastic waste. Plastic bags (and water bottles) can take between 15 and 1,000 years to break down!

Plastic bags are also a health hazard for wildlife. Animals can get entangled in these bags and some may even try to eat these products. Help out our earth and wildlife by making this eco-friendly switch. Invest in a fashionable bag and you can even use it as a tote for other purposes!

5. Make a compost bin

Food waste contributes to around 30% of the food supply in the United States. Yikes! Composting is an awesome solution to this issue. Composting helps to keep out excess food out of landfills, and it helps to nourish the environment. Compost enriches the soil and aids in plant growth.

Use food scraps such as eggshells, fruit, and vegetables to create your compost. Not sure where to start? Click here for a simple guide on how to start composting at home!

D’you know what else Roomi does outside of helping its readers adopt a more eco-friendly lifestyle? With our ever-increasing lists of rooms and roommates across the world, we help you find your perfect match! Download the app here and hop on the easiest ride home, ever!