Reclaim Planet Earth

Earth Day Everyday

Mama Nature’s Inflation Busters

Save $1000-1500/year just by making simple changes in your daily life.

Mother Nature understands climate change doesn’t keep you up at night. Inflation does. It can cost a family of 4 an extra $400/month just to keep up. And people who don’t have children or who live alone also deal with inflationary prices.

That’s why we created Mama Nature’s Inflation Busters. Just by making simple changes in your daily activities, you’ll save money for years to come and give children and future generations a cleaner, healthier, safer planet.

Remember, start small and do what you can. Every little thing you do gets multiplied by millions of others who understand that when it comes to climate change, everyone a role to play. Especially you!

“Remember, only one thing can slow climate change. Human change.”


Kitchen

Over 13 billion pounds of paper towels are used each year in the U.S. Most paper towel waste ends up in landfills where they generate methane, a toxic greenhouse gas 23 times more harmful than carbon dioxide.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average price of a roll of paper towels in the U. S, was $1.48 in 2021. If a family uses two rolls of paper towels per week, the annual cost would be approximately $153.92.

Spend approximately $24 on cloth towels or rags and your savings will be over $10/month. Throw cloth towels in the washing machine and reuse.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average annual energy cost for a refrigerator is between $65 and $150, depending on the size and efficiency of the appliance. However, the actual energy cost of your refrigerator can vary significantly depending on its size, age, and usage patterns.

Set your refrigerator at about 37 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit and your freezer at 0 degrees. A refrigerator set 10 degrees too low will use up to 25% more energy. Depending on several factors, you might save $30, but it’s just an estimate.

A harsh truth: your ice maker increases your fridge’s energy consumption by 20%. So go retro with a couple of ice cube trays. They’re old-fashioned, but they do the job.
The cost of zippered plastic bags can vary widely. For example, a pack of 50 small, thin zipper plastic bags may cost around $2.00. Larger bags cost more.

For example, if you use 10 zippered plastic bags per week and they cost $.10 each, your weekly expense would be $1.00. Multiplying this by 52 weeks in a year, your yearly expense for zippered plastic bags would be $52.00.

Buy reusable plastic containers and re-use zippered bags when they aren’t wet or contaminated with raw meat, eggs, or seafood and your savings could be $25.

Cows are responsible for belching about 40% of the world’s methane, a far more powerful greenhouse gas than even the carbon dioxide produced by burning fossil fuels. If everyone in the U.S. were to reduce their meat consumption by just 25%, we’d save over 80 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year.

And your family would save a lot of money, too Some estimates suggest an average family of four in the U.S. spends about $1,800 to $2,000 per year on meat and poultry. So, eating 25% less meat, yet still eating healthy meatless meals, might save the family $200. Just an estimate, of course.

Energy Star certified appliances may cost more initially, but they are so efficient, they can reduce your monthly utility bills and save you more over time. Here are rough estimates of the potential energy savings for Energy Star certified appliances:
  • Energy Star certified refrigerators can save you about $65 per year on your energy bills.
  • Energy Star certified washers can save you about $40 per year on your energy bills.
  • Energy Star certified dryers can save you about $30 per year on your energy bills.
  • Energy Star certified dishwashers can save you about $35 per year on your energy bills.


Bathroom

When you let the water run between wetting your toothbrush and rinsing your mouth after brushing, you waste a significant amount of water. Turning off the tap while brushing can save up to four gallons of water each day. Even such a small step helps to conserve our planet’s precious water supply! Especially if 10 million other people are turning off water when they brush.
Most water heaters are pre-set to 140 degrees. If you turn yours down to a still-steamy 120 degrees, you won’t miss the 20 degrees and you’ll save up to 10% on your annual water bill.

Expect to save about 3-5% on your energy bill for every 10 degrees you lower the temperature of your water heater. So, turning down your water heater by 20 degrees could save you 6-10% on your energy bill.

If you have a 40-gallon electric water heater and you use about 40 gallons of hot water per day, turning the temperature down from 140 degrees to 120 degrees could save you about $35 per year.

If you have a 75-gallon electric water heater and you use about 80 gallons of hot water per day, turning the temperature down from 140 degrees to 120 degrees could save you about $70 per year.

The standard shower head guzzles about 2.5 gallons of water a minute. Switch to a more efficient shower head with the EPA WaterSense label on it. You’ll save about 2,700 gallons of water per year without a drop in pressure.
The average 8-minute shower uses about 17 gallons of water. Shorten your shower and save gallons of water and save the energy that heats it.
Compared to conventional cotton towels which are treated with a variety of toxic chemicals, organic cotton towels are exactly what they sound like: organic. They are free of harsh, harmful chemicals and have an overall lower carbon footprint—good for your skin and for the environment.


Living Room

Switching lights off helps you reduce electricity usage, extend the life of your lightbulbs, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gases. It’s a simple way to protect the environment.
Quality LED lights use at least 75% less energy compared to conventional incandescent bulbs and last up to 25 times longer. By 2030, three out of four light bulbs will be using LED technology. This will reduce carbon emissions by 1,800 million metric tons and could cut the demand for electricity by one-third. When purchasing the bulbs look for the Energy Star label.
Electronics and appliances—your toaster, coffee maker, computer, or audio equipment, etc.—draw power even if they’re turned off. This “phantom” power loss occurs because devices switch to standby mode when they are off, but still plugged in. When you’ve finished using appliances or electronics, simply unplug them to avoid energy waste. Or opt for an energy-efficient smart power strip which can keep energy from being wasted when the devices aren’t in use.
Clean air filters reduce airborne contaminants, improve your home’s air quality and also improve energy efficiency. Dirty or clogged air filters make your heating and air conditioning systems work harder and waste energy. It’s best to change the filter every three months.
Adjust your thermostat to run two degrees lower in winter and two degrees higher in summer. This could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide each year. You won’t notice the difference, but the planet will!
Instead of keeping your home at a constant 70 degrees, invest in a programmable thermostat to cool and heat your home only as needed. Some of the newer smart thermostats cost about $175 and, on average, will save you about that much in energy costs in the first year. After that, you will save money and energy for years to come.
Plug air leaks around doors, windows, and ducts. By adding insulation, weather stripping, and caulking you can cut the energy needed to heat and cool your home and lower your energy bills by more than 25%.
You may not know how much of your electricity is coming from renewable energy, so contact your utility company. Find out the sources of the electricity it supplies and see if you can buy “green” electricity generated from cleaner energy sources such as solar, wind and hydropower.


Laundry

Washing in cold water is just as effective as using warm water. About 75% of the energy used to do a load of laundry goes towards water heating alone. Cold water saves energy, putting less strain on electricity grids.

As a rough estimate, if you wash all your clothes in cold water, you could potentially save anywhere from $30 to $100 per year. However, it's important to note that the exact amount of money you save will depend on your specific circumstances.

In addition to saving money, using cold water for your laundry also has environmental benefits, as it requires less energy to heat the water, which can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

It’s better for the environment compared to regular detergents. Natural, plant-based detergents are free of potentially dangerous chemicals that can irritate your skin, damage textiles or pollute water sources and harm aquatic life.
When you hang your clothes on a line to dry rather than loading them in a dryer, you can significantly reduce the carbon dioxide emissions created by your laundry.


Whole House

LED bulbs use about 75% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs and last about 25 times longer. So, you can save money on your monthly energy bill and also save on replacement bulbs.

Let's say you use 20 LED bulbs in your home, and you pay $0.12 per kilowatt-hour for electricity. If each LED bulb uses about 8 watts of power and you use each bulb for about 3 hours per day, you could save about $120 per year. This means that over the lifetime of the bulbs (which is about 25 years for LED bulbs), you could save around $3,000.

Keep in mind that this is just an estimate, and your actual savings may be different.

On average, programmable thermostats can save homeowners about $180 per year in energy costs. Some homeowners may save even more, depending on their specific circumstances. For example, if you have a larger home or live in a climate with extreme temperatures, you may see even greater savings.

To maximize energy savings, it's important to properly program your thermostat and make sure it's set to the most energy-efficient temperature when you're not home or when you're asleep.

Insulating your home can save you a significant amount of money on your energy bills. The exact amount of money you can save will depend on several factors, including the size and layout of your home, the type of insulation you use, and your local climate.

On average, homeowners can save between 15% and 30% on their energy bills by properly insulating their homes. For example, if your energy bills total $2,000 per year, insulating your home could save you between $300 and $600 per year.

Dirty HVAC filters can waste money by becoming clogged with dirt and debris, reducing the efficiency of the heating and cooling system. The system will have to work harder to maintain the desired temperature, which will result in higher energy bills.

In addition, a dirty filter can cause the system to wear out more quickly, leading to the need for more frequent repairs and maintenance, which can also be costly. Finally, dirty filters can contribute to poor indoor air quality, which can be detrimental to your health and well-being. It is important to regularly replace or clean your HVAC filters.

Switching lights off helps you reduce electricity usage, extend the life of your lightbulbs, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gasses.
Adjust your thermostat to run two degrees lower in winter and two degrees higher in summer. This could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide each year. You won’t notice the difference, but the planet will!


Fashion

Invest in quality: It can be tempting to buy cheap, fast fashion items, but these are often lower quality and may need to be replaced more frequently. Instead, consider investing in higher quality pieces that will last longer.

Shop secondhand: Another way to save money on clothing is to shop secondhand. You can find gently used clothing at thrift stores, consignment shops, and online marketplaces like Poshmark and Depop.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in the United States, the average American household spent $1,800 on clothing and footwear in 2020. However, this amount can vary widely depending on the income and spending habits of the household. But on average spend just 10% less and you’ll save $180.

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