How to Become More Environmentally Friendly at Home
Whether you want to live an eco-friendly lifestyle or want to reduce your waste at home, every step you take moves you closer to a sustainable way of life.
What’s more, when David Attenborough starts talking about the state of our world, it’s time to listen. Climate change is beginning to have more significant effects on our planet than scientists first thought. “It’s the destruction of our familiar, natural world and our uniquely rich human culture.”
Not sure what you can do to help? Well, it all starts with you at home. Here’s our guide to becoming more environmentally friendly from the comfort of your home:
Switch it off
Terms like “carbon footprint” and “energy conservation” are thrown around a lot. But do you know what they mean?
Carbon footprint: this is the amount of carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere as a result of human activity. So it’s what you do at home, while you’re out in the countryside and driving around your city. Don’t worry though, your actions alone aren’t entirely responsible - organisations and communities as a whole produce a carbon footprint too.
Energy conservation: the process of preventing the wasteful use of energy - to make sure it doesn’t run out!
Reducing your carbon footprint is as simple as switching off your devices, the lights and other electricals when they are not in use. Even leaving your electricals on standby uses up unnecessary energy. You’ll be amazed at how quickly your energy bill goes down with the simple flick of a switch!
You can take it a step further by investing in 100% renewable energy. Zero carbon emissions = zero carbon footprint!
Recycle as much as you can
We’re living in a digital world. Our reliance on paper is at an all-time low, and as a result, fewer trees are being used to produce it. That’s the theory anyway! But, there are times when paper is necessary for schoolwork or your job. Fortunately, it is one of the most recyclable materials, with over 40% of municipal solid waste is made from paper. What’s more, it takes less energy to create new paper from recycling than the process to make it from trees.
On top of that, most of us now have kerbside weekly recycling collections, making the task of recycling more accessible than ever!
If you’re moving house, there might be a lot more waste to recycle and dispose of than you expected, especially if you live in a city. Getting to the recycling centre may add unnecessary stress levels to your move, so it’s worth calling a London rubbish removal expert to complete the task.
Eat less meat
Want to know the secret to living a more eco-friendly lifestyle? Cut the meat!
We’re not saying stop eating meat entirely, but cutting down on the amount you eat can have a significant impact. Skipping the red meat 2-3 days a week will reduce your carbon footprint straight away. What’s more, you’ll probably feel better and more healthy in the long run.
Cut the waste
Living in an “instant culture” society masks the UK’s problematic relationship with food. Fast food and quick-service restaurants have covered up the process of how food is made. From field/sea/farm to plate, it’s easy to forget where our food comes from in the first place. When that happens, you’re more likely to waste food as you have forgotten its value.
Then you look at the statistics. 7.3 million tonnes of food is wasted in the country every single year. Despite most of society filling their recyclable food caddies, a lot of this waste ends up in landfill.
The more you waste, the more you spend, and the more CO2 is created. In short, don’t waste food!
Start a compost bin
Hasslefree and incredibly simple, a compost bin or pile is the easiest way to re-use things you would normally throw away. Your garden will thank you for it too, and you’ll notice that your plants thrive with the additional nutrients.
So instead of splashing out on “multipurpose, specially formulated, magic” compost from the supermarket, make your own!
Reduce plastic
Everywhere you go, plastic-based materials are used to wrap your food, next day parcels and your six-pack of pop! In the UK, you can’t go far in a supermarket without bringing your own bags, unless you want to pay for another carrier bag you’ll likely forget next time.
Fortunately, you can reduce the amount of plastic from your daily life with these simple steps:
- Always use your own bag
- Buy loose fruit and veg
- Stop buying bottled water
- Consider using a re-fill station for particular groceries like cereals, nuts, flour, sugar etc.
Consider home delivery
Have you ever rocked up to do your weekly shop and noticed how many cars are parked up? When you consider that home delivery is one man and his van, can you imagine how much less energy he uses delivering to everyone in the local area in comparison?
What’s more, you are less likely to make impulse buys that end up in your bin.
Fix it, don’t bin it!
Whenever something is broken, the temptation is to throw it away and buy a new one. Repairing damaged items may use more effort on your part, but it is more environmentally friendly in the long run. With everything you need on the internet, you’ll have all the expert information and tools you need to fix practically anything.
Buy local
The high street is dying. More and more people rely on cheaper, fast-delivery services online rather than rallying around their local shops. On paper, it makes total sense, but in reality, the more you support your local economy, the broader selection of items you’ll get to choose from. Plus, less carbon will be made from their transportation.
Spend less time in your car
Unless you drive an EV (electric vehicle), your diesel or petrol-fueled vehicle isn’t environmentally friendly. If you don’t have to drive, walking, cycling, or public transport will reduce your carbon footprint significantly.
Ready to live an eco-friendly lifestyle? What changes will you make first to cut your carbon footprint?
