With the end of the summer almost here and the new year closing in, it’s important to be mindful of our personal impact on the environment for the future. As children head back to school, we should realize that they will bear the consequences of our present interactions with Mother Nature. Living a greener lifestyle not only helps the environment on the physical level, it also helps us become more conscious of how we interact with one another. There is numerous evidence that being more green helps save money in the long run.

Here at ARTEMIA we strongly believe in all things sustainable, so we’ve put together some tips for having a greener lifestyle that you can start right now.

Take one day of the week to skip on eating beef – Did you know that it takes a massive 2,500 gallons of water is required to produce just one pound of beef? Plant-based foods – like fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, and legumes – have a much lower environmental impact than do animal products. They also have much fewer related CO2 emissions as well.

Make recycling fun – It’s important to start teaching kids about the environmental impact of our daily lives from an early age. You can make recycling a game with color coordinating where certain trash goes. Put magnets on your trash bins around the house and reward them for their efforts. Making the experience more fun will have a lasting impact on how they practice what they’ve learned.

Use cold water while doing laundry – Washing your clothes at a cool temperature will reduce the energy costs significantly. According to the Sierra Club, almost 90% of the energy consumed by a washing machine goes to heating water. Switching from hot or warm water to cold-water washing saves that energy. In fact, each household that makes the switch to cold-water washing eliminates about 1,600 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year.

Walk more – Besides the emission-free nature of walking, the health benefits go a step further. According to an April 2013 study by the American Heart Association, walking can lower the risk of heart-related conditions just as much as running. Having a healthier heart reduces stress, and can save money on health insurance premiums and other medical expenses.

While there are countless benefits of living a greener lifestyle, a full shift rarely happens overnight. It’s important to take small, conscious steps toward your goals. Every plan works better when you measure your results and this starts with knowing where you’re starting from.

What steps have you already taken to live a greener life, whether at home, in the office, or in your travels in between? Let us know your story and we’ll share it in our next newsletter!