Be Eco Friendly
You see it on the news all the time, talk about it and have probably read about it too. Saving the planet and being more eco friendly are issues that everyone could make an effort to contribute to, and with this simple yet effective guide, you can find out how.
Contents
Steps
- Find out a bit more about the environment and the Earth's natural systems, so that you know just what is going on around you. Books and the internet are good places to find information, and they can provide loads of good tips too. Be sure to look for sound and factual material, not opinionated rants.
- Change little things you do in your everyday life. Small things can make a huge difference. Of course, you don't have to give up everything that you like and are used to. Read up on things that you can substitute that won't use as much energy or resources as the things you're currently using; doing this can lower your impact without causing you to lower your lifestyle.
- Be eco-friendly in the bathroom:
- Turn the tap off when brushing your teeth.
- Have quick, refreshing showers instead of water wasting baths. Just think of all that water going down the drain when it could use as much water as 3 showers in 1 bath! Showers are just as good as baths.
- Think energy savings:
- Turn off the light whenever you leave the room, even if you are going to go back in a couple of minutes. It saves energy and saves fossil fuels, which are irreplaceable. Fluorescent or LED lighting is more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs.
- Don’t have unnecessary energy running when you won’t use or need it. Switch off that CD player, and limit your TV to only about 2 hours a day (maximum!).
- Turn off the computer when not in use.
- Keep radiators off when it's not terribly cold. If it's cold, wear extra clothing.
- Think about what you throw away and what you could use more than once. Be careful too. Scraps of wrapping paper and material would be ideal, unique additions to a scrapbook. Grab a piece of scrap paper to scribble down a note. And implement the 3 R's! Reduce, reuse, and recycle:
- Reduce the amount of waste that is being produced, use things more than once, and give things to others that you don’t want any more. Don’t go shopping every weekend or when you get the chance to (you can reduce the amount of waste in packaging by not shopping more than 2 times a month).
- Reuse things that can be used more than once, instead of chucking them away after one use. Take plastic bags, an organic cotton bag or a big bag of your own to the store. Giving things you don’t want any more to the charity shops and using materials like postcards, old Christmas cards and notes for craft all count.
- Recycle more. Paper, cardboard and cards can be made into something new. Put them into your recycling bin and make sure the contents are collected when full. Who knows, those old, scruffy notes could be turned into a new notebook next fortnight! Think of new things being made out of new materials and you get the idea.
- Compost organic waste in your garden instead of sending it to a landfill or incinerator. You would be giving back to the environment and having a compost pile will improve soil for gardens.
- Plant trees.
- You could even make this a family thing. Encouraging the younger generations into playing outdoors will help them connect with nature and be more aware of our environment.
Tips
- Don't throw litter on the ground as the song goes "reduce reuse recycle". Follow the steps in the song!
- Don't litter. Even though it may not seem like such a big deal, animals could be hurt or even killed by drinks cans or plastic bags. Find the nearest bin or recycling centre. If you see new rubbish on the floor, be extra eco-friendly by picking it up and putting it in the bin.
- If possible, walk to school or work, or use public transportation, like a bus.
- Don’t get lifts somewhere where it would only take you about 15-20 minutes to get to.
- Organize litter picks at school to keep it clean.
- Try to avoid using wasteful products. Such as packaged and processed foods. Most of those foods are bad for your health anyway so eating healthier can also help the environment.
- Go to charity shops. You get some great stuff at amazing prices there.
- If you do not want to go to the paper bin every time you want to bin paper, get a bin bag, plastic wallet or box to put in paper that you would like to recycle. This is good for people who are lazy but still want to be eco-friendly.
Warnings
- Make sure you know which things go into which recycling bins.
- Get permission to do anything which will include changes or anything else.
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