It’s pretty easy to stumble across an article, blog, or video claiming to have the latest hack to make your life oh so better, cheaper, more eco-friendly, and fun.
To be honest, though, as ‘click-baitish’ as those titles often seem, there are some great ones out there (as well as a few duds). A really good hack can sometimes be pretty revolutionary and life-changing!
Here are some awesome OGP articles that guide you to some of the best life hacks that will help you to be healthier, maybe a little richer, and a great ally to our beautiful planet.
1. Digestion Hacks
Poor digestion is something no one wants to deal with, yet we’ve all experienced it at some point or another. Digestion can wreak havoc on your mood and body and can ruin your social life and sense of well-being. Meg McDonald shared three easy hacks you can use to improve digestion! If you think you could use some guidance to get your gut health in tip-top shape, check out this TikTok Tip: 3 Simple Hacks to Improve Digestion.
2. Air Freshener Hacks
Air freshener sprays and plug-ins, which are used by 75 percent of American families, usually contain phthalates, a potentially dangerous chemical (which was banned from cosmetics in the UK). The National Resources Defense Council tested 14 air sprays off the shelf in Walgreens, including those labeled “all-natural” and “unscented” and found that 12 of the 14 tested positive for phthalates. If you want a great-smelling house without all the yucky chemicals, take a look at these 9 Hacks to Make Your House Smell Great Without Any Dangerous Chemicals.
3. Apple Cider Vinegar Hacks
Like all vinegar, apple cider vinegar has potent antimicrobial properties, making it an excellent way to clean your home. And unlike most cleaning products marketed to us for “miracle” cleaning properties, ACV contains no harmful ingredients. Studies have shown that vinegar can disinfect just as well as bleach! But it’s safer for your family and the planet. Here is an incredible list of 37 Apple Cider Vinegar Hacks for a Clean, Chemical-Free Home.
4. Eco-Friendly Hacks
Every day, the average American throws away 4.4 pounds of garbage, roughly 728,000 tons. Food makes up a majority of our waste at about 24 percent, plastics just over 18 percent, and paper and paperboard make up about 12 percent. The hazardous environmental conditions this produces are only compounded by steadily rising land scarcity. We’re quickly running out of time to counter this, so start cutting back on your contribution to these landfills today. If you want to help, try these 4 Sustainable Hacks to Stay Eco-Friendly This Year.
5. Food Cost and Waste Hacks
You can still have a healthy diet, save money, and cut down on food waste. The one big tool you can use to keep your diet healthy, your costs down, and lower the amount of food waste in your home is a simple one to implement daily. Meal planning. If you just take one or two days and plan out your weekly meals, you can make sure that you are getting healthy meals and saving money. Here are a few ways to meal plan that will keep you fueled and your wallet happy! If you are interested in saving some pennies and the planet at the same time, have a look at these 5 Simple Meal Planning Hacks to Cut Down on Food Costs and Waste.
6. Fruit Ripening Hacks
You’ve likely found yourself in this situation at the store: you want to buy some bananas, but they are all green with no tinge of yellow in sight. What do you do? You buy them, of course, and hope that, when you want a banana, you won’t have to settle for a sour green one. A couple of days later, you look at your kitchen counter, and your bananas are still greenish. You feel dismayed because you so wanted a ripe, sweet, yellow-brown speckled banana that melts in your mouth. To avoid these scenarios at all costs, try these 3 Easy Hacks That Will Help You Ripen Fruit Fast.
7. Trail Food Hacks
Warm temperatures have finally arrived, the sun is rising earlier, and summer vacation is right around the corner. With the approach of long, hot days comes the planning of outdoor activities, as well as a whole new menu of possibilities for plant-based eaters. Yet, one of the most frustrating aspects, especially for all-day hikers, is packing plant-based snacks that not only keep well in a backpack but are also healthy and tasty. Next time you are heading out for a hike, check out some of these Plant-Based Snack-Hacks for Summer Hikes before you leave.
8. Grandma’s Hacks
Oh, Grandma. She’s always there for us when we’re sick, offers life advice when we just don’t know what to do, and loves us unconditionally. She’s got so many stories to share and experiences to be recounted. We look to her for her wisdom and so many other things. Try giving some of these life hacks a go this summer and be sure to let us know how they went in the comments section below! You can even add a few of your own for our fellow Green Monsters to try out. Here is a list of the ultimate Grandma’s Life Hacks For Easy DIY Beauty and Home Fixes!
9. Dairy-Free Creamy Hacks
One of the great fears of becoming a plant-based eater is that it might forever spell the end of creamy sauces. People think it’s goodbye to cheesiness, to oozing and gooey casseroles, and bagels with fat smears of cream cheese. They think life going forward will no longer be the velvety smooth existence it once was. But, those people are wrong. Somewhat surprisingly, it doesn’t take any dairy whatsoever to make amazingly creamy dishes. Classic alfredo sauce to spill over a bed of fettuccini, rich sausage gravy for smothering a couple of open-faced biscuits, fresh and herby cream cheese to swipe over a slice of toast—they are all still at the diary-free diner’s disposal. What’s more, is that the choice may just be healthier. If you crave the cream, take a look at these 6 Hacks to Make Your Dishes Creamy Without Dairy.
10. Coconut Hacks
If you’re a coconut fan like myself, then you probably already know all the wondrous health benefits this one food holds. It’s particularly helpful for improving energy levels, digestion, and boosting immunity. You can also use it in many ways in the kitchen since coconut’s unique fats and fiber have special binding properties. But beyond the health benefits and more well-known ways to use coconut, try some of these other tips you can use with coconut products, whether it be butter, flour, oil, or the fresh coconut meat itself. Who needs dairy with coconut by your side? Here are 5 Food Hacks With Coconut: From Butter to Flour, and Beyond!
11. Frugal Food Hacks
The only way we can truly gain any sense of food security again is by educating ourselves and beginning to be more globally conscious consumers. One way to do this is with our grocery bills. Since we could all use a few tips on reducing our grocery costs, this list is meant to save you hundreds a year on your food costs and ensure you can keep eating your awesome environmentally-friendly diet without sacrificing your rent money. So, put away the coupon clippers momentarily and take a look at these Frugal Food Hacks! 7 Ways to Chop Your Grocery Bill in Half and save hundreds a year on your household food costs!
12. Water Saving Hacks
We know that Green Monsters are always looking for ways to conserve natural resources, that’s just one of the many things we love about you! Lately, one of our natural resources has been getting a lot of attention due to its dire need for Conservation. Yes, we’re talking about water. It’s no secret that global water supply is of huge concern right now. In the United States, 25 percent of the country is in extreme drought conditions, with California experiencing one of the worst droughts in history. If you want to be more conscious of every drop of water you use, take a look at these 8 Life Hacks That Can Help You Curb Your Water Usage.
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Easy Ways to Help the Planet:
- Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
- Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that raise awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade over and over again.
- Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
- Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
- Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
- Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!
