Green tips
Living
a natural life doesn’t have to be boring. We can make small, significant
changes in our lives that make our surroundings a more pleasant place
to exist.
Got any tips for a greener life? We’d love to hear them. Send them
to us using the contact box at the bottom of the page.
At Home
Watch how the size of your weekly rubbish bag decreases by composting.
You can compost raw food scraps, kitchen towels and even the contents
of your hoover bag. Check this article to find
out more.
Our homes can be full of indoor pollutants such as lead,
VOCs and formaldehyde.
Open the windows for at least 10 minutes every day to help circulate the
air.
We can bring oil and heavy metals into
the home on the soles of our shoes. Keep a shoe rack in your hall to stop
treading it in.
If everyone in the UK turned their television off at night (instead of leaving it on standby) we'd save enough electricty to close down 2 power stations.
There's
a great choice of energy suppliers who use power from wind and solar sources.
Have a look around and see if there's one suitable for you.
Save money and energy by switching to energy efficient light bulbs. They
go on forever.
Ever wondered what to do with old envelopes? Add them to your compost
bin!
Fed up of take-away menus and leaflets cluttering your hall? Try putting
a ‘No Junk Mail Please’ sticker above your letter box.
Slug pellets are the biggest killers of hedgehogs, which are the fastest
declining mammal in the UK. Use natural deterrents such as watering your
plants in the morning (slugs & snails love moist soil) and spreading
crushed egg shells around the base of the plant.
At
Work
Convince your employer to change to eco-friendly cleaning products in
the office, staff kitchen and toilets.
If you use an outside cleaning service ask them to switch to natural cleaning
products too.
If possible try to use natural soaps and air fresheners in the bathrooms.
If you
haven't already, start recycling paper in the office.
Millions of disposable coffee cups are thrown out every day. Why not talk
your work mates into using mugs instead.
Make sure to switch all lights, photocopiers and computers off at the
end of the day.
Shopping
The average shopper accumulates 350 plastic bags a year. That's 7 a week!
Reuse old ones or invest in a cotton or Jute shopping bag.
Local and independent businesses are struggling to compete against the
might of the supermarkets. Shopping locally from independent retailers
will help keep your community going.
Many animals are mistreated in the meat and dairy industry. Wherever possible
try to buy from organic and ethical producers.
Cheap clothes can come with a hidden cost – be aware of which companies
use sweatshop labour.
Plastic food wrappers contain phthalates, which have been linked to foetal
deficiencies and infertility. Why not wash out your old jars and use them
to store dried food. Cheese can be wrapped in greaseproof paper.
On The Road
Driving over 80mph seriously burns up fuel. It may take you a bit longer
to get places but doing just under 60mph is the most economical (plus
you seem to arrive more refreshed!).
Avoid travelling in rush hour and cut down on the amount of fuel used
by your car. Travelling at 15mph or less creates the most pollution.
Car sharing reduces the amount of traffic on the road and helps decrease
pollution. You could find out if there's a colleague in your area who
could share a lift.
Every time we fly we emit huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
You can make your flight carbon-neutral by planting trees : www.futureforests.com
Natural Remedies
Put a couple of handfuls of porridge oats in an old pair of tights, tie a knot and add to a bath for children (or adults) to help excema and nappy rash. (From Krzysia Stevens)
Do you have any green tips you'd like to share?
