The Physical, Mental, and Financial Benefits of Green Habits

Green habits are good for the environment. But they’re also good for you, and in more ways than one.

When you embrace green habits throughout your life, you can tap into a plethora of personal benefits that come along with those earth-conscious activities. Some of these impact your body while others are good for your mind and even your bank account.

Here are some of the most common ways that green habits can impact you physically, mentally, and financially.

The Physical Benefits of Green Habits

One of the easiest connections to make is between eco-friendly activities and your physical health. This is because, as much as your green habits are targeting the Earth, they’re also naturally improving your environment, as well.

For instance, there are many ways that you can make your home eco-friendly. Many of these activities directly impact your body’s well-being, such as:

• Using low-VOC paints: Low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints are an environmentally conscious choice that can also help you avoid breathing in unwanted and harmful chemical fumes.
• Creating a garden: Gardening is good for the environment, but it’s also a great form of exercise — and the food that you grow can improve your eating habits and overall health, too.
• Using homemade cleaners: Simple cleaners, like vinegar or baking soda, are eco-friendly and effective, but they’re also much better to breathe and make contact with as you clean.

The homefront is just one good example. There are plenty of others. For instance, walking to work doesn’t just reduce your fossil fuel consumption. It also gives you valuable regular exercise.

The Mental Benefits of Green Habits

The body isn’t the only area that benefits from thoughtful green living. Your mind can also get some powerful benefits, too.

For example, if you decide to trade your car in for a bike, you won’t just be getting physical exercise. Biking can also have a great influence on your mental health. It can lower stress levels, relieve anxiety, and improve your mood. It can also enhance your memory and even boost creativity.

Many of the “green habits in the home” examples also apply here, as well. Keeping a minimalistic, decluttered space is an iconic way to destress, gardening is a gentle way to find mental peace, and so on.

Another mental advantage of going green is that it can often give you more positive social interactions. If you make an effort to get involved in a sustainable movement or non-profit organization, it can lead to interactions with many people who share similar thoughts and opinions to your own.

Social interactions can be key players in protecting your mental health. And this isn’t even referring to the simple act of hanging out with friends or coworkers.

Specifically joining forces with others in the name of something that you both believe in has a powerfully uplifting effect on the mind and soul. You’ll likely find your opinions boosted at times through agreement. At other times, your views can be challenged, helping to broaden your perspectives and open your mind to further possibilities you may not have realized on your own.

The Financial Benefits of Green Habits

And then there are the financial aspects of going green. Eco-friendly activities are often stereotyped as expensive investments. And many earth-friendly endeavors can indeed cost more money upfront.

However, that doesn’t mean that your finances can’t benefit from green habits. In fact, quite the opposite.

Take lightbulbs as the perfect example. Everyone knows that incandescent lightbulbs aren’t good for the environment. Instead, LED lightbulbs are suggested as an earth-conscious alternative. When purchased, this can seem like an added expense, as an LED bulb can cost quite a bit more than a traditional option. However, it’s estimated that, for the life of each bulb, it costs nearly seven times more (over $170) to run the incandescent bulb when compared to the LED (which costs closer to $25.)

And this is just one example. There are countless others. Energy-efficient windows may cost more to purchase but they can reduce your heating bills and save you money over time. Homemade cleaners are as cheap to make as they are healthy to use.

Opting for cloth diapers generates significant savings compared to disposables. Maintaining a bike is infinitely less expensive than operating a car. Even the simple act of living a minimalist lifestyle as a green habit can also help you save money on unnecessary expenses.

The Personal Advantage to Green Living

At the end of the day, green habits should be primarily focused on the Earth. But that doesn’t change the fact that they can have a profound impact on those who are observing them.

From physical health to mental fortitude to flourishing finances, there are many ways that green habits can quietly have a major impact not just on the Earth but on your own life, as well. While it shouldn’t be the main motivator, knowing about the benefits is a great way to stay focused and on track as you strive to work more green habits into your lifestyle every day.