On April 22nd, people across the globe will come together to demonstrate their support of preserving the planet Earth. We at Zebra Pen are proud to do our part by offering writing supplies made of recycled materials. Check out our full-line of Eco-friendly products, including the Eco Zebrite Highlighter and the Jimnie Clip Eco Ball Point Retractable Pen.

This Earth Day, think about how your own actions affect the planet, and try to implement a few of these tips into your daily routine.

  1. Shorten showers by setting a mobile device alarm. By shortening showers to 5 minutes a day, you can save over 70 gallons of water a week. Set an alarm on your mobile device to remind you when it’s time to get out.

  2. Call your utility providers about switching to renewable energy sources. Solar, wind, or nuclear power may already be the energy sources for your home’s electricity, but if they aren’t, call you electricity provider, and ask if your house can be powered by renewable energy sources.

  3. Use reusable water bottles, coffee tumblers, and grocery bags. Opt for “reusable” rather “disposable” options to help cut down on the amount of waste that ends up in landfills.

  4. Wash your clothes in cold water. Using warm water requires extra energy to heat up the water. Help the environment while cutting back on your utility cost by washing on full loads in cold water.

  5. Unplug devices and appliances not in use. Although your electronics are turned off, if they are plugged in, they can still be using energy. Combat this by plugging your electronics into a surge protector then switching it off when not in use.

  6. Walk, bike, or take public transportation to work. Now that spring has sprung, get your daily exercise while commuting! Walking and biking are two great ways to get around without gas. If that’s not an option, try taking the bus or carpooling with a colleague to cut back on gas usage.

  7. Change your lightbulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs. Fluorescent bulbs last longer and are brighter than incandescent bulbs, meaning you have to buy and throw away significantly less bulbs.

  8. Choose cloth diapers over conventional diapers. “Disposable” diapers can take 500 years to decompose. Washing and reusing cloth diapers is cheaper more environmentally friendly than using conventional diapers.

  9. Reuse newspapers or scrap papers for giftwrapping. Instead of wasting money on new wrapping paper, get creative and use old papers lying around your house that you probably would have thrown out anyway.

  10. Get your bills sent electronically. Receiving and paying your bills online cuts down on the amount of paper wasted. Electronic bills also have the added benefit of being more convenient to access and pay.