We’re constantly being told that we need to do more to help the environment, but with many of us leading busy lives, it’s hard to find timeto even think about what you could do. Plus we often worry that it wouldn’t make much difference anyway. Not so! As they say, every little helps. Here I suggest some easy ways of helping the environment.
Switch off lights when you’re not in the room. Bills are constantly going up and up, and why give the power company more ofyour moneythan you need to? It won’t take long to get into the habit of switching the lights off (if necessary, just imagine that your mother is beside you complaining ‘we’re not made of money, you know…’).
Leave the car at home for short journeys. If you’re not going to be carrying anything heavy, then get out your bike or walk instead. Healthier for both you and the environment, and you won’t be contributing to traffic problems.
Buy a cloth bag, and take it with you when you go grocery shopping This way you can reduce the plastic bag mountain that builds up in your kitchen. Many retailers automatically put purchases I a plastic bag, so tell the assistant that you don’t need one, thanks. What use are those tiny bags, anyway?
Instead of buying laundry detergents, try those eco-balls that can be used instead. If you have some really grubby garments, you can always use a little powder or liquid, but most clothes aren’t really that dirty! Not only will you reduce the amount of chemicals going into the earth and water supply, but you will save money, as the eco-balls last up to three years.
Make your own cleaning products. This again reduces the amount of chemicals being used, as well as your exposure to them. It is also cheap and effective (who couldn’t do with saving a few pennies these days? See my post onhome made treatments and you will also find lots of tips on the internet.
Don’t throw clothes away because they need repairing, either take them to be mended or fix them yourself. I’m not suggesting you darn holey knickers - there are limits! – but it’s daft to throw something away when it could be fixed with a few minutes sewing.Look after your shoes as well, and get them repaired.
Go green by buying products with as little packaging as possible. This is not a easy one, as everything seems to come wrapped in about ten layers these days, but it’s well worth doing what you can. If you do find yourself with lots of packaging, do recycle whatever you can.
Which brings me to point 8.Recycling is made pretty easy for most of us these days, so make use of the facilities. If you have a garden, make a compost heap and have a rain butt. Do try not to buy more fresh produce than you need, though, so that it doesn’t go off and get thrown away.
What little tips do you have for being environmentally friendly? We’ve only got one world, so let’s look after it …
Top Photo Credit: sunciti_sundaram, VARIETY IN GALLERIES