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Looking after the environment is now becoming an immensely popular movement, with the public and businesses alike making moves to protect it. Businesses have upgraded their hot food takeaway containers from single-use plastic to recyclable cardboard. This small, yet significant change has had a massive impact on their carbon footprint and cuts down on the amount of plastic being thrown away. If you’re wanting to make some changes like these businesses, then keep reading and discover our 5 simple changes you can make to be more eco-friendly.
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Cut Down On Travel
Travel is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gases around the world, so combating them is vital. Try sharing your journeys by using methods like carpooling. This can work well for workers who have to commute into the office. Being able to take more than one person in each car will drastically reduce the number of vehicles on the road, therefore cutting down on CO2 emissions as well. You should also look to use public transport wherever possible too. Instead of driving every single day, why not take the bus or train a couple of times a week. This can really help to slash your carbon footprint and decreases the number of cars commuting each day. If you don’t fancy carpooling or public transport, you could try cycling. Not only will it boost your fitness levels, but it will also benefit the environment and allow you to do your part in combating climate change.
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Use Safer Cleaning Products
Most standard cleaning products contain lots of harsh chemicals that when they’re flushed down the sink, can seep into the ecosystem and damage it beyond repair. So, to stop your contribution to this damage, make the switch to safer cleaning products instead. You can use things like lemon juice, white vinegar, and baking powder to achieve the same, if not better, results that the strong chemicals can. These are also safer for our bodies too and won’t harm your skin while using them. You can make your own eco-friendly cleaning products, or you can buy pre-made ones if you’re unsure what to use. This small change will have a massive impact on the environment and your cleaning habits too. You’ll still be able to maintain a sparkling clean home without chemicals and damaging the environment.
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Reuse Instead Of Recycling
Recycling is good for the environment, but it still takes a lot of energy to do. This is why instead of recycling something straight away, you should see if you can reuse it first. Things like paper bags are actually surprisingly sturdy and can be reused multiple times before needing to be recycled. Reusable items are useful for you as you don’t need to remember to recycle them, and you don’t need to pay extra for them when you need them next. Most shops will charge for carrier bags, so being able to bring your own can save you a bit of cash. Even though most things can be recycled, it doesn’t mean that they actually end up being recycled. Contaminated recycling can mean the whole lot is thrown onto the landfill instead, so it’s crucial that you ensure your items are clean before disposing of them. This is why reusing can sometimes be better than just simply recycling as you increase its lifespan and cut down the chance of it being thrown away due to contamination.
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Turn Things Off
Leaving things on standby is easy. You just need to press one button on your remote, and then you probably think your appliance is off. However, if it’s still switched on at the mains, it’s still pumping electricity and increasing your energy bill. Make sure that you switch everything off before going out, heading to bed, or if you’re simply not using them. Leaving things plugged in and switched on will eat away at electricity like crazy, causing the need for more energy to be produced. The more energy we need as people, the more damage we do to the environment, so always do a double check of your appliances before heading out. Lights are also another thing that should be switched off when not in use. You might think that accidentally leaving the spare room light on all day isn’t that big of a deal. But in reality, you’ve just wasted precious resources for energy that the world is currently running out of. Be sure to flick all your light switches off when you don’t need them, and you’ll see a decrease in your energy bill and feel confident that you’re doing your bit for the planet.
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Reduce Food Waste
Food waste is a very common issue that lots of people have. Overbuying and forgetting about sell-by dates are easy to do, so it’s important that you realise you’re doing it and take the steps to stop. Instead of heading out for your weekly shop and picking up whatever you fancy, make a strict list of items that you need and don’t stray from it. You also need to be aware of the best before dates when shopping too. If you fill your basket with items that will go off within a few days, chances are you won’t get around to eating them. So, if you’re planning on having steak for dinner in 3 days’ time, make sure the best before date accommodates that. You don’t need to buy everything with a long best before date either. Cutting down on food waste also means cutting down on what supermarkets throw away. One way to combat this is buying things that are going out of date soon and using them up before then. These items are normally discounted too, so you’ll be able to save a bit of money as well.
Being eco-friendly isn’t all that difficult really. Sometimes, the smallest changes can have the biggest impact. Simply taking the bus to work 3 days a week can drastically reduce CO2 emissions in the atmosphere, and all you really have to do is change how you travel for a small percentage of your week. Soon, the changes will become second nature and you’ll be well on your way to living an eco-friendly lifestyle.
