There is no denying it anymore, the planet needs our help.
This is not merely suggestions, it’s a guide moving forward. We need to get more conscious. We need to pay attention!
Our health and the health of our planet is in our hands. It’s all part of our wellness journey.
So, let’s start now. Over the next two blogs I will be sharing simple tips for you to start doing your bit, of you haven’t already. And I would be keen to brainstorm what more we can do as well!
Feel free to comment below or email me with your eco friendly tips and let’s change the world together.
1. Refuse excess
You know the phrase “reduce, reuse, recycle”? There should be an additional R — refuse — and it’s the best way to cut down on environmental harm. Could you put your produce in reusable nylon bags instead of the plastic bags in the supermarket? Do you accept freebie items you never use, like pens, flyers or plastic utensils? Start saying no instead and skip the need to reuse or recycle altogether.
2. Walk, bike, carpool & use public transportation
Cutting back on your car use could save you money and help reduce the environmental impacts of cars, like fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
3. Commit to reusable containers
That means foregoing bottled water because you’ve got your own water bottle handy, investing in a reusable coffee cup (please no plastic) and — if you can get past the awkwardness — bringing your own food containers in when you’re getting take away. Hopefully, food containers will get easier! There are lots of options on websites like floraandfauna.com.au for food storage.
4. Use less water
Take shorter showers and use your energy-efficient dishwasher (which uses less water than traditional dishwashing) or switch up your dishwashing practice to leave the tap running for less time. Only run your laundry if it’s a full load, don’t use heated water unless it’s absolutely necessary and only wash truly dirty clothing.
We just received some water restrictions in our area so this is even more imperative.
5. Use less electricity
Did you know that many electronics consume energy even when they’re not actively “on”? It’s called phantom energy, and besides being a waste of electricity, it can add as much as 10 percent to your electricity bill. Try to unplug things like chargers, microwaves and computers when not in use, or invest in “smart” surge protectors that disable power when items are not in use.
6. Responsibly recycle e-waste
E-waste can contain all kinds of pollutants, including lead, mercury, beryllium, polyvinyl chloride and flame-retardants. Recycling your e-waste through a verified recycler allows the item to be broken down into reusable or recyclable pieces and have toxic materials appropriately handled. Places like Officeworks can recycle this kind of material.
Good luck and check back for our next blog!