Between getting the kids and/or yourself ready, taking the time to consider your environmental impact isn’t the easiest thing to do before you’ve even had your morning coffee. But just like it’s important to start off your morning mindfully for your health, it’s equally as important for the health of the planet. Despite how busy mornings tend to be, greening them is simpler than you’d think and just a few small tweaks can go a long way.

Here are a few ideas for starting your day more sustainably when the alarm goes off each morning:

1. Make wise coffee choices

    • If you brew your coffee at home, consider using a permanent paperless filter rather than using the paper options or the single-serve plastic pods. This not only helps you reduce the amount of waste that your coffee habits are producing, but it also helps you save money in the long run. Ensure that you purchase organic, fair, trade, and sustainably-harvested coffee in bulk (if possible) in order to minimize packaging waste. When your coffee is finished brewing, remember to compost the remaining contents in the filter either in your compost bin or in your directly into garden
    • If you stop by your local coffee shop each morning always bring your own reusable container and for cold brew, reusable straw as well

2. Conserve water

    • Turn off the water while you’re brushing your teeth, washing your face, or shaving (and ensure that everyone else in the family is in the habit of doing the same). According to the USA Environmental Protection Agency, we can easily save eight gallons of water if we choose to turn off the tap while brushing our teeth, and an extra ten gallons when we shave.
    • Take shorter showers. An average shower uses about 5 gallons of water per minute. If you shorten your shower by just 2 minutes, you can save 10 gallons of water
    • Consider investing in some water-efficient appliances such as a slow-flow showerhead (which are available for redemption via our Ecogold Loyalty Program)

3. Enjoy a locally-sourced, organic breakfast

    • Opting for local groceries means you’ve chosen foods that have a lower carbon footprint, since they haven’t traveled the world to reach your plate
    • Because it doesn’t rely on oil-based fertilizers and pesticides, organic farming is better for the environment
    • If you want to go the extra step – avoid eating meat or any animal products. This should be fairly easy for you to do with common breakfast staples like cereals, rolled oats, fruits, nut butter, and toast

4. Read your morning news digitally

    • Deforestation is the primary effect of our mindless use of paper, so it’s important to go paperless where you can
    • If you’re still getting your newspaper delivered each morning, it may be time for you to switch to an online subscription instead

5. Don’t drive to work (if possible)

    • Transportation is one of the top 3 contributors to global warming and cars specifically are the largest net contributor
    • Depending on your circumstances, there are lots of other eco-friendly alternatives to driving alone, including:
      • Walking
      • Cycling
      • Taking public transit
      • Carpooling
      • Telecommuting

These are just some of the many things you can do to start off each morning sustainably. By applying similar practices throughout your entire day, you can rest assured that you’re playing your part for our planet.

Kiwi Energy is committed to sustainability and to helping our customers live more eco-conscious lifestyles. Additionally, we focus on providing environmentally conscious energy and gas products as well as support organizations and groups running environmentally friendly projects through the Ecogold Environmental Fund, including Wild Forests and Fauna, and Earthwatch Institute. For every new customer acquired by Kiwi Energy, a portion of the proceeds are donated to the fund.

Be sure to follow our tips for greening your morning routine and sign up for Kiwi Energy to join us in our mission of creating a sustainable future.