The health of Mother Earth is on top of a lot of people’s minds now. So many of us are now making it a priority and the great thing is there’s power in numbers. If we all commit to making small changes they become big changes overall.
So whether it’s making a commitment to go plastic free, recycling, or going all out and solar paneling your whole street, we have some tips to make your home greener.
Small, easy wins
1. Reduce, re-use, recycle. Look at how you can cut back on the amount of plastic you use and how you can re-use what you can’t let go of. Opt for beeswax wraps instead of cling film. Reusable shopping bags and netted fruit and veg bags. Glass jars can make great glasses or an alternative to plastic Tupperware.
2. Create some compost. A lot of councils are now offering compost bins or worm farms to get rid of your food scraps. This prevents it going into landfill and make the local pigs happy (if your council provides and collects a compost bin), or will give you some highly nutritious fertiliser for your pots plants/garden.
3. Create an inner jungle. Ok, this may be a tad extreme but adding some indoor plants to your home will not only make it look wonderful, it’ll improve the air quality too.
4. Switch your lightbulbs. Switching to energy saving LED light bulbs will not only save you money on your power bill, you’ll also be using less energy which will ease the pressure off our wonderful world.
5. Eat less meat. You don’t have to go vegetarian or vegan but simply reducing the amount of meat we eat can make a difference. Try dedicating a day and have a ‘no-meat Monday’, or set a rule that you only eat meat at the weekend. Once you start to experiment with more plant-based recipes you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.
6. Ditch your plastic toothbrush and switch for a bamboo or wooden option.
7. Switch off at the wall. TV, computer, microwave, anything electric. Just switching off at the wall will save power.
8. Repurpose old furniture. We all get to the point where we just want something new or different. Instead of out with the old and in with the new, try repurposing what you already have.
9. Turn off the tap. Instead of leaving it running when you brush your teeth, turn it off. Just doing this could save around six litres per minute of wasted water!
10. Shop conscientiously. We all love a new outfit and being careful with where we choose to buy can really help. Try to wear sustainable fabrics where you can and recycle where possible. You could even host a clothes swap with your friends, after all, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
11. Go for a more natural clean and use less harmful cleaning products. You can buy earth-friendly ones such as Earth Choice or you can opt to use what’s in your pantry such as, baking soda and white vinegar.
Big commitment, big changes
12. Install a Tesla Battery, a battery that is powered by Solar Panels. It can generate enough power for you to almost live completely off the grid. Your house will not only be powered by 100% renewable energy but you’ll also making huge savings each year. In fact, according to the latest CHOICE research on this, the first man to install this into his 4-bedroom home as reported a saving of almost 90%!
13. Insulate. A well-insulated home will stay warm in winter and cool in summer, meaning you’ll be able to rely less on heating or air conditioning. This will not only save the power you’re using but it’ll also reduce your greenhouse gas emissions.