Being sustainable sometimes means doing eco-friendly things that might come across as a little strange. And that’s the fun part! I’m pretty sure the renegade in you is here because you like going off the beaten path. Isn’t that right?
If you want to make the very unofficial nice list of good earthlings, this post of strangely fun eco-friendly things to do is for you!
Eco-Friendly Things You Can Do Anytime
It used to be that tossing our bottles into the plastic recycling bin was all we ever needed to feel good about doing eco-friendly things. Drink. Recycle. Then let someone else figure it out.
Then, we realized someone else wasn’t always figuring it out.
According to a 2024 report by The Recycling Partnership, only 21% of residential recycling actually gets recycled. That is NOT great.
And it’s completely frustrating.
In addition to this, not all households even have access to a local recycling program.
This has motivated many people to look outside of the box (yeah, the one that’s probably not being recycled) and make a difference in other ways.
And we can all be that difference. We can make decisions before we even purchase items. We can let our hard-earned dollars speak the loudest, and save our voices for those conversations when everyone’s listening with open minds. (If that ever happens, you’re probably in Elysium. Let me know how it goes!)
This list of eco-friendly things to do is full of easy, weird, and fun ways to help the earth and animals. It also helps us to take our power back, instead of passively hoping someone else will step up.
If you want to start some new environmentally-friendly habits, these curated ideas are for you.
This post is all about eco-friendly things you can do that prove you’re a good earthling.
This page contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you make a purchase through my affiliate link at no extra cost to you. My recommendations are always items I buy or totally want to buy!
Eco-Friendly Things That are Strangely Fun, Satisfying, and Easy
1. Bring your extra vases to the grocery store florist.
Photo by Kat Stano
Local florists will accept those vases you no longer need and reuse them for their brilliant bouquets! While we’re all probably guilty of vase hoarding, consider dropping off your clean, empty vessels at your supermarket’s floral department.
Soon, your vase will be going to someone who’ll enjoy the extra pick-me-up!
2. Ask for no straws…because you brought your own!
You can ask for no straws when you go through a drive-thru…’cause you have your stainless steel ones in your glove compartment, right?
And because you carry your travel straw in your purse or pocket, you can opt out of a straw the next time you eat out, too!
See, I’ve solved all your problems.
Honestly, I forget to ask for no straws quite often or don’t have time to chat with the server before they bring drinks to the table.
But if we can each remember to do this at least some of the time, it can make an impact by showing restaurants our preferences.
3. Carry your own to-go boxes.
Carrying my own to-go boxes is the next eco-friendly habit on my list.
Before you leave home, pop some clean, food storage containers into your bag or backpack. I use glass dishware with lids for leftovers that are similar to this Pyrex set. To save space in my purse, I’m looking forward to trying these collapsible silicone food containers that look cute and convenient.
Is this weird and nerdy eco-friendly behavior? Heck yes, and it’s awesome!
4. Use an old towel or t-shirt as Swiffer reusable cloths.
If possible, skip disposable cloths and try an old hand towel or t-shirt to catch dust bunnies under sofas and tables. Tie up or wrap a scrunchie around the handle, then wash your cloths when you’re done.
5. Donate surplus food to a food pantry or shelter after your event.
If you’re hosting an event, make plans ahead of time to donate any extra food to a nearby food pantry or emergency housing. The best way to do this is work with your caterer on proper food donation procedures, so that the food is actually enjoyed and not wasted.
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6. Ask tree trimmers to leave mulched tree waste instead of them hauling it away.
Getting trees trimmed is a real financial pain in the patootie, but there’s one plus: free tree mulch!
Ask your tree crew for the mulched-up bark for use in your garden. This type of natural mulch is so good for your plants AND will literally take a load off of your tree team who have to make an extra trip to dispose of this rich mulch.
If your neighbors are getting their trees done, you can even ask to have their mulch, too!
ChipDrop is something I’ve been wanting to try, but haven’t been brave enough yet. It’s FREE mulch, but like A LOT of free mulch that shows up at random. If you have a nice, wide driveway and neighbors who won’t go ballistic over a small mountain of mulch in your front yard, then you might want to look into it!
Things to think about before using ChipDrop:
- Do you have a big enough space to have LOTS of mulch dropped off in your driveway or yard, without blocking your car in?
- Are you good with a literal mulch dune showing up when you’re not home or when you don’t expect it?
- And if it does show up in the middle of a random Tuesday that also happens to be trash day, do you run the risk of ticking off the garbage trucks rolling through? (Here, in my neck of the woods, it takes very little to tick off the garbage guys!)
- Do you have the time and muscle-power to spread many pounds of mulch?
- How much money will you save on using this service versus buying a large load from a nursery?
ChipDrop feels very awesome, so if you’re up for it, this is a cheap and strangely fun eco-friendly thing for you!
7. Add nail clippings and hair to your compost.
Hair from your hairbrush (or drain–BARF!), nail clippings, and pet fur can be mixed into your compost! Gross? Well…yeah! But it’s less that goes into the trashcan and more that enriches the soil.
You could even ask your hairstylist to take home your hair clippings at the end of your appointment. Will they think you’re weird and nerdy about the earth? I’m almost sure of it! But weird and nerdy are my favorite types of people, so you’re in good company here!
8. Return your seashells to the shore.
Photo by Kat Stano
If anyone is guilty of collecting seashells, it’s me. I love walking on the beach and finding those raw gems of nature. And it’s not just yours truly. Shelling is a very popular activity for beach-goers, kids, and families. BUT, with so many people now picking up shells as souvenirs, the Land Hermit Crab Owners Society says this seemingly innocent activity is disrupting coastal ecosystems.
Of course, now I feel terrible.
For instance, hermit crabs aren’t born with shells, so they have to literally search for an empty shell to find a safe, cozy home. And sometimes all they can find is plastic bottle tops, which is definitely not on their nice-to-haves list. It’s like House Hunters for crustaceans!
So, the next time I return to the beach, I’m going to bring some shells back.
How do you make sure the shells you bring back aren’t reclaimed by another shell-collecting human? You can’t do much unfortunately, but this guy has a project to return shells that might inspire you. He carves cute messages in the shells to bring awareness to the loss of habitat for hermit crabs.
So, you could carve a message that basically and nicely implies, “Hey, paws off, human!” But just be careful with any carving tools and do NOT accidentally carve your hand! (We’re for zero ER visits around here!)
9. Turn down your thermostat in the winter while cooking.
Ever feel super sweaty while cooking? I don’t because I don’t cook! BUT, if I did, the answer would be YES.
Heat from your oven and stove can warm up your space while you’re preparing that beautiful meal. So, getting into the habit of turning the temp down a few notches helps the earth and your bills!
10. Wear a winter beanie inside instead of cranking up the heat.
Photo by Kat Stano
Anyone remember Scrooge wearing his floppy nightcap? Well, Scrooge was onto something!
Wearing a winter cap or earmuffs in the house can warm you up. Try this tactic, along with thick, cozy socks, before cranking up the heat!
11. Pick up litter when you see it.
Yeah, I’m not a fan of other people’s trash either. But you can carry washable gloves or a grabber reacher tool that’s foldable to keep a happy distance from the gunk. Also, hand sanitizer is never a bad idea!
AND if you know some kids, teach them about properly disposing of their rubbish, especially when at the beach or other public places. This will ultimately cut down on litter when we raise up responsible citizens!
Young people, we’re counting on you to save us! No pressure or anything.
12. Plant old letters and cards in your garden.
Photo by Jon Saura
If you’re trying to lovingly declutter sentimental belongings, honor those fond memories by planting paper letters and cards in your garden. Small bits of paper can be great additions to your compost. And since these aren’t just ANY pieces of paper, they’ll add even more meaning to everything you grow.
If you feel bad ripping up your letters, cut them into heart shapes and sprinkle into the soil and leaves.
On the OTHER hand…
There are some letters we’re ecstatic to rip up! You can happily tear into these, too, and bury in your garden. Regrettable exes, rotten friends, or surly stepsisters? Their words can melt into the earth, turning some of those sadly disconcerting connections into something positive: flowers!
13. Wash your plastic sandwich bags and reuse.
I don’t buy plastic sandwich bags anymore because A. I don’t want to buy more plastic bags. and B. I don’t make sandwiches. (At least, not often!)
If I were to suddenly start going more places where I needed to bring hoagies and chips, I would, however, use reusable silicone bags like this handy dandy set. They’re also perfect for storing food in the fridge or freezer…and you can wash them in the dishwasher. Love it!
But since I’m trying not to spend beaucoups of money right now, I just wash the plastic sandwich bags I already have, then reuse.
Is it super duper fun to rewash plastic bags? Only if you love being hunched over a sink with shriveled hands* and not doing actual fun things instead. But is it strangely satisfying? Yes! You save money and the earth!
This concept of reusing can be applied to lots of other things, too: plastic food containers (I use these to safely escort my bug friends back outside), glass jars, old socks and underwear for cleaning. Is dusting with your skivvies kind of weird? Of course! But the earth likes you for it.
*Sometimes I just put them in the dishwasher. Not 100% sure you’re supposed to do this, so don’t fully take my advice on this one before you’ve done your own fact-checking!
Conclusion: Eco-Friendly Things to Do That Up Your Eco Game
You care about the earth and that means you’re someone’s hero:
- A young person who looks up to you
- Your best friend
- The neighbor who admires your pollinator garden
- A stranger who sees you pick up some runaway litter
- Me! I admire you for being a friend to nature!
And just admit it. You’re good earthling material. And that means a lot. That means the world! (See what I did there?)
If this post was helpful to you, I’d love to hear about it in the comments. And if there are other subjects you’d like me explore, please suggest those, too! I want to know what matters to your heart.
Stay safe. Be well. And do those strangely fun eco-friendly things like a champ!
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Great post, with lots of tips – you’re right, lots of them are so easy to do! I do re-use old clothes as rags, but that back-fired once when my mother-in-law discovered that she was cleaning the windows with an old pair of my underpants… Slightly embarrassing!
LOL. Ian, that had me laughing! Yes, sometimes our good deeds can go awry! Thank you so much for your kind words and much luck handing out those old cleaning rags!🤣
This was a real eye opening post! I had no idea that collecting shells disrupts the coastal ecosystems. Thank you for providing some helpful tips to do better in the world!
Thank you, Debbie! Yes, the shell discovery made me feel so bad!🥲 I’m glad you enjoyed this post and that it gave you some new tips!🩷
I love this list! Some great ideas on here for people to think about doing. I enjoy bringing my own straw when eating out and picking up litter, especially when hiking and in nature.
Catherine, you’re definitely a good earthling!🩷 Thank you for doing those quiet, kind things for the planet and all of us! I appreciate your supportive words, too!