Eco friendly

None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.

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If you only read a few

If your pet uses flea and tick treatments, discard brushed fur rather than sharing it with birds.
Residual chemicals in the hair are poisonous and can kill birds and their offspring.
3 people, independently
Place pet fur in breathable fabric, such as old pantyhose, around vegetable gardens to repel rabbits and deer.
Potential pests smell the dog and leave.
one person who lived it
Reduce meat consumption to save more water than skipping showers for six months.
one person who lived it
Install large rainwater storage tanks rather than small barrels to get meaningful water offset.
Small barrels are not worth the effort compared to the volume captured by larger systems.
one person who lived it
Avoid using softened water for gardening as it can harm or kill plants.
Softened water can kill plants.
one person who lived it

Keep rainwater collection barrels out of sunlight to prevent algae growth.
You don't want algae growing inside.
one person who lived it
Collect leftover drinking water from glasses around the house into a large container to water plants.
Plants may do better when watered with filtered water, and it prevents breeding mosquitoes if kept indoors.
- Do not leave the collected water outside unless you intend to breed mosquitoes.
one person who lived it
Use a loofa or sponge during boat showers to make scrubbing easier without running water.
It prevents soap from washing away, reducing the need to reapply.
one person who lived it
Expect high volumes of fur from double-coated breeds like Huskies, which can supply many nests.
one person who lived it

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Install a showerhead with a pause, trickle, or adjustable button to manage water flow while lathering.
3 people, independently
Irrigate directly with greywater instead of storing it in tanks.
Stored greywater degrades quickly and requires more treatment, whereas direct irrigation is cleaner and requires less maintenance.
one person who lived it
Reuse existing containers and household items creatively instead of buying new storage solutions.
Reusing materials in creative ways is the second step in waste reduction.
one person who lived it
Choose alternatives to products containing exfoliating beads.
Exfoliating beads can be microplastics.
one person who lived it