I know you’re keen to get going so I thought I’d help you out by putting together a list of quick-fire eco-friendly tips.
Reduce waste:
- Follow the 5 R’s (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rot)
- Use beeswax wraps instead of cling film
- Take your own coffee cup and cutlery when out and about
- Switch to reusable sanitary protection
- Ditch all unecessary packaging
- Only buy what you need
- Plan meals ahead of time to reduce food waste
- Ditch disposable razors, instead grab a safety razor
- Refuse all single use plastics
- Use bar soap instead of shower gel
Save water:
- Keep a jug of water in the fridge rather than stocking up on plastic bottles
- Turn off the tap when not in use
- Carry a water bottle around with you
- Only fill the kettle with the amount you need
- Take shorter showers
- Water the garden with rain water collected in a butt
Laundry:
- Only run the machine with a full load
- Ditch the fabric softener
- Wash at a lower temperature
- Only wash clothes that are dirty
- Air-dry clothes rather than running a tumble drier
- Give ironing a miss
- Avoid purchasing dry-clean only garments
Energy:
- Turn lights off when leaving a room
- Put lids on pans when cooking – no lid? Use a plate!
- Cook more than 1 meal at a time
- Match the pan size to your hob size
- Allow food to cool before putting it in the fridge
- Use energy efficient light bulbs
- Invest in rechargeable batteries
- Turn off all appliances, don’t leave anything on standby
- Nudge the thermostat down 1°c
- Look into green energy suppliers
Home:
- Look for pre-loved items for your home instead of buying new
- Open windows and let in fresh air rather than using a can of air freshener
- Find eco friendly cleaning products
- Check the insulation in your home
- When decorating use water based paints with natural pigments
- Use FSC certified wood
Garden:
- Build or buy a bird box/house and bath
- Plant wild flowers to attract butterflies and bees
- Build or buy an insect hotel
- Avoid pesticides and synthetic fertilisers
- Have gaps in your boundary fence for hedgehogs to pass through
- Invest in a water butt
- Get a compost bin (most councils will provide these either for free or heavily subsidised)
Transport:
- Leave the car at home! Walk or cycle as often as possible
- Jump on public transport for longer journeys
- Shop local instead of heading out to a supermarket
- Buy locally produced items
- Drive at a lower speed – a journey may take a minute or two longer but you’ll save loads of fuel
- Get your car serviced regularly to keep it running smoothly
- Make sure your tyres are properly inflated
- Check to see if there is a car share scheme you could join
Waterways and drainage:
- Other than toilet paper, never flush anything you haven’t swallowed first!
- Avoid products with microbeads
- Never pour cooking fat/oil down the drain
- Avoid using wipes and definitely don’t ever flush them
- Switch from your regular sunscreen to a natural one – some coastal resorts have started banning commercial sunscreens in order to protect nearby coral
- The oceans are being over-fished so check before you buy a particular species
- Join a clean up group to get litter out of our rivers, lakes and oceans
Have I missed anything? Let me know!