There are many reasons why an increasing number of people are choosing to go green. It might because they want to help the environment. Alternatively, they might be looking to save money. Some people choose to do it because it helps them sleep soundly at night. While there are a few people that try it because they want to see how easy it can be. Whether you fit into one of these groups or you have reasons of your own here are some sustainable living ideas to get you started.
• Turn things off – conserving energy is a good place to start. When you’ve finished using something or at the end of the day, hit the off switch and unplug your appliances from the power supply.
• Renewable energy sources – there are a growing number of energy suppliers offering 100% renewable tariffs. Alternatively, invest in home solar systems of your own from Going Solar.
• Ditch the meat – cutting down on the amount of meat you eat can have a huge impact on the environment. You’ll be reducing your carbon footprint even if you only manage to ditch the meat for a couple of days every week.
• Don’t waste food – when you go to the store only buy what you need. Plan your meals in advance to reduce the amount of food you waste. If some of the food does go past its ‘best by’ date, then compost it rather than putting it in your trash. At least that way you’re still putting it to good use and reducing the amount of waste going to landfill.
• Recycle everything you can – there are so many things you can recycle nowadays that very little should end up in your regular trash collection. Cars, batteries, paper, glass and some kinds of plastic can now be sent for recycling.
• No more plastic – look around you, and you’re bound to see lots of plastic items because it’s found its way into every aspect of our lives. Giving it up is possible if you’re prepared to make a few lifestyle changes. Stop buying bottled water is one of the easiest ways of cutting down plastic in your life. Buying fruit and veg loose and using a canvas bag rather than a plastic one when you’re shopping is also very easy to do.
• Stop buying products with microbeads – you might think these are magical additions to your beauty products that make a huge difference to how they work, but these microparticles of plastic are all ending up in the ocean after being washed down the sink. A natural alternative you can add to almost any beauty product and get the same results is sugar.
• Ask if you can work from home – you’ll need a forward-thinking boss for this, but let them know you could be helping eliminate some of the CO2 that ends up in the atmosphere every year. If working from home isn’t an option, consider starting a carpool scheme or ditch the car completely and cycle to work.
I am trying to be more eco-friendly. I have reusable bags for grocery shopping, but I sometimes forget to place them in my car.
These are things that we try to do but good to have these helpful reminders so that we can do better.
I try to do most of these. I don’t eat much meat.
Love this post! This is such an urgent topic and we all must work together to reduce our carbon footprint. Wonderful tips and I especially like the one suggesting eating less meat.