Want to be eco-friendly and do your bit to help save the planet? Here’s 10 things you can do now to reduce your impact on the environment.
- Reduce!
Buy less stuff – think before you buy. Do you really need it? Can you do without it? - Reuse!
Take unwanted stuff to your local charity shop or give it away on Freecycle. - Recycle!
Recycle as much of your household waste as you can (paper, plastic, glass, etc). - Turn it off!
Don’t leave electrical equipment on standby and always turn off lights in empty rooms. - Make the switch!
Switch to energy-efficient and energy-saving CFL or LED lightbulbs around the home. - Buy organic!
Always buy seasonal and locally-grown organic fruit and veg when it’s available. - Buy recycled!
Always buy recycled paper products (toilet roll, stationery etc) instead of the alternatives. - Take the bus (or train)!
Leave the car at home and use public transport for local journeys and commuting. - Walk (or cycle) to school!
Enjoy fresh air and exercise on the way to school, if walking or cycling is an option. - Subscribe!
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All of these tips are guaranteed to reduce your impact on the environment. And most will save you money too! Tell us what you would add to the list by leaving a comment for others to read.
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14 comments… read them below or add yours now
A smashing list, Paul. It’s the 10, well 9 (sorry), most important things we can all do to make a difference. If there was one more I could add I’d say Shop Local (maybe I’d change Buy Organic to that becayse you kind of said that anyway).
I’d add “re-use plastic bags” instead of getting more every time you go shopping. Plastic bags are really harmful especially if they get into the sea where they can choke creatures that try to eat them.
Oh, I’d probably add “Shop at charity shops” aswell. Thats a cool way of saving money and saving the planet. I know you said take your old stuff to charity shops in number 2 but shop there too! :)
You could add Turn Down The Heating. Turning your central-heating down by just 1 degree saves money and reduces CO2 emissions.
I second Phyllis’s suggestion: shop local! Buy local produce when you can, reduces ‘food miles’ and is more eco-friendly than supermarkets.
Thanks to you all, for contributing so far. I’ll include your suggestions in a ‘10 more things you can do…’ article sometime soon ;-)
The list is great, especially the first three. This used to be the mantra of the movement, but it’s rarely heard these days. So much could change just by reducing the amount of “stuff” we use, using items as much as possible, and making sure that everything that can be, is recycled. One other mindset, that relates to some of the list, is to always be conscious of how far an item traveled. Closer to home is most often a better choice.
@Global Patriot: Welcome to Green Pepper. Thanks for joining the discussion. You’re right; reduce, reuse, recycle has long been the mantra of the environmental movement. It’s central to our philosophy here at Green Pepper and something I strive to live by each day. Buying locally produced goods is also a worthy goal.
Grow your own. Whether it’s on an allotment, In your garden, in a container, or on your window sill. Everything you grow is one less thing to buy.
@Jenx: Welcome to Green Pepper. Growing your own food is a great addition to the list and one which seems to be growing in popularity as the recession bites – it certainly helps reduce what we need to buy and by growing it ourselves we can be sure of what went in to it. Thanks for sharing your views with us!
i would add turn off the water while brushing your teeth and that list is really good
Government should make it mandatory to switch off the computers before the federal offices are closed. It is a waste of precious energy to leave employee desktops as well as printers ON when all they would be doing during OFF hours is rotating the windows logo(screensavers) or downloading emails (which can be done when the employee comes back).
Twitter: @888lorna
I would add “become more discerning about what we buy”. I was horrified when I discovered that the textile industry is the biggest polluter of clean water on the planet, so we are now in the process of switching to organic fabrics. Also consider if the company you are buying from is ethically run and takes care of the environment in its products methods. Buy from small companies wherever possible as this supports our infrastructure and keeps money in local communiites and eventually comes back to us. We are the change.
Speaking of recycled, a good buddy of mine who installs floors told me about reclaimed wood flooring made out of wood strips that mills throw away. Has anyone heard of this Staybull brand? They seem to be just getting out of the gate. I have to imagine that this qualifies as green, no?