It is no big secret that our carbon footprint is getting worse and worse by the day. We all need to do our part to help counteract this but sometimes being eco friendly can seem like a drag and a massive effort. However, all the small things we do add up to a bigger picture so if there are just a few little changes we can all make at home it can make all the difference.
1. Use rechargeable batteries
Used batteries are pretty much impossible to recycle so naturally rechargeable ones are much more eco friendly. Little things like these all add up, think about how many batteries you throw away at home in a year.
Instead of sending your food and garden waste to a landfill in a bin liner, recycle it and use it to fertilise your plants. Composting is a win win situation as you are recycling waste and the soil produced is highly rich in nutrients, it is also a lot cheaper than buying it at garden shops. Also, the soil produced is a natural fertiliser, eliminating the need for chemical fertilisers which are also bad for the environment.
3. Use CFLs
Change the regular lightbulbs in your lamps and around your house to compact fluorescent lightbulbs. They use 66% less energy than a standard lightbulb and can last up to ten times longer, why would you not?!
4. Get reusable shopping bags
Stop using disposable bags! In this day and age it will be difficult to find a supermarket that doesn’t carry reusable bags that you can purchase. They are usually cheap but if you have a look you will probably have a canvas bag somewhere around your house. Be sure to keep a bag or two in your car in case you end up going impromptu food shopping and you will be prepared.
5. Turn off the taps
When brushing your teeth, do not leave the tap on. The same goes for if you are doing washing up, turn off the tap while you are scrubbing the dishes and only switch it on when you need to. You will be surprised how much water is wasted when it it just left.
6. Donate
When spring cleaning, do not throw out old house ware, give it to a friend who has recently gotten a new place or donate the stuff to charity shops. The same goes for clothes, do not throw them away, find other uses for them like DIY’s or donate them to a secondhand clothes store. One mans rubbish is another mans treasure.
