Hey Danvers! Spring cleaning is the perfect opportunity to refresh your home and tackle the clutter that’s built up over the year. But this year, why not take your cleaning routine a step further by making it more sustainable? By making a few simple changes, you can reduce waste, save resources, and help create a safer, healthier community. Here are some easy and impactful ways to make your spring cleaning greener than ever before.
1. Choose Sustainable Cleaning Products
When it comes to cleaning, the products you choose can make a huge difference for the environment and your household health. This year, opt for eco-friendly cleaners that are both effective and safer for the planet and your family. The EPA’s Safer Choice program is an excellent resource for finding cleaning products that are formulated with safer ingredients. Products that carry the Safer Choice label meet high standards for both performance and environmental safety. By choosing these products, you can be confident that you're using cleaning solutions that are better for your health and the planet.
- Explore more about Safer Choice and find eco-friendly products here: EPA Safer Choice.
2. Recycle Old Clothes and Textiles
As you clear out your closet for the season, remember that textiles like towels, sheets, curtains, and clothing can all be recycled instead of tossed in the trash. Fabric waste is a significant contributor to landfills, but you can make a positive impact by recycling or donating these items. By recycling or donating fabrics, you can help reduce waste and ensure that those items are repurposed or reused, rather than sitting in a landfill.
- Reduce your waste and schedule a FREE textile recycling pickup today: https://www.danversma.gov/381/Textile-Recycling
3. Hunt Down Household Leaks
Did you know that household leaks can waste nearly 1 trillion gallons of water annually across the country? That's a huge amount of water that could be conserved with a little attention to detail. As part of your spring cleaning routine, take the time to inspect your home for leaks, whether it’s a leaky faucet, running toilet, or hidden pipe issue. Fixing these leaks not only helps save water but can also lower your utility bills. In fact, the EPA’s Fix a Leak Week (March 17-21) is a great time to tackle this task. Learn how to locate and fix leaks with resources from the EPA to make sure you're conserving water all year long.
- Check out the full guide to Fix a Leak Week here: EPA Fix a Leak Week.
4. Start Composting to Reduce Food Waste
Food waste is a significant contributor to climate change, creating potent methane emissions in landfills and increasing your carbon footprint. But you can make a big difference by composting food scraps. Not only does composting help divert waste from landfills, but it also creates nutrient-rich soil that can be used in your garden. Whether you’re composting in your kitchen with a small compost bin or starting a larger composting system in your backyard, you are reducing food waste, supporting healthy soil, and contributing to a more sustainable food system.
- Use our community resources to start composting in the kitchen or your backyard! https://danversma.gov/374/Composting
This spring, make your cleaning routine sustainable. By using safer cleaning products, recycling textiles, fixing leaks, and starting a composting habit, you’ll be helping to reduce waste, conserve resources, and contribute to a healthier, safer community. Thanks for reading!