Personal and environmental health go hand in hand. Cancer, asthma and cardiovascular disease are all illnesses that we can potentially be at increased risk for depending on the environment we live in. When we improve the quality of our environment, we are ultimately improving our own quality of life.

The non-profit organization Environment and Human Health, Inc. reports that the pesticides and chemicals used in lawn care contribute to cancer and birth defects in humans, as well as the contamination of groundwater in the surrounding environment. The contamination of water and soil is made even more problematic because the pollutants remain in the ground for years. This affects both the wildlife in the area and our personal health if we are using the water or eating food grown in the contaminated soil.

Because water is so easily contaminated, it has become a very precious resource. Make the most of it by ensuring that taps are turned securely off after you are finished using them. A dripping tap could cost up to 10 litres of fresh water each week.

When looking for other ways around the house that you can reduce your carbon footprint – and to benefit your own health – it is important to think beyond the usual notions, such as walk instead of driving. Fossil fuel emissions are harmful to both humans and the environment, but there are other things you can do besides altering your transportation methods which may be more applicable to your lifestyle.

Leaving electrical appliances on when they are not being used consumes almost half the energy that it takes for them to be running at full power. Rather than leaving them on overnight or for several hours during the day when they are not in use, switch them off to conserve energy.

Commercial cleaning products are extremely toxic and are not only hazardous waste that breaks down slowly in the environment, but have also been related to tumours and skin and eye infections. There are plenty of environmentally-friendly cleaning products which are non-toxic, but you can also use simple, safe ingredients such as baking soda or vinegar for cleaning surfaces inside the home. These products, besides being far less expensive than regular cleaning products, are often even more effective at cleaning than their commercial counterparts.

While you are making the switch to greener cleaning products, consider trading in your cushy Charmin toilet paper for recycled and post-consumer product, such as Cascades. This will save thousands of trees in old-growth forests from being needlessly destroyed. “Green” toilet paper does not use toxic bleach and requires less energy to manufacture than regular tissue.

There are many things that we can do to reduce our impact on the environment, making it a cleaner and healthier place for us to thrive. A few small changes every day will have the dual benefit of improving the environment and decreasing our risk of disease.