5 simple ways to be kinder to the planet
June 4, 2018
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the huge amount of information out there about going green, reducing waste, and being more environmentally friendly. So, to counteract some of the panic, here are five super simple, easy things you can start doing today to be a little kinder to our beautiful Mother Earth.
- Carry a keep-cup and drink-bottle
If we lined up all of the coffee cups Australians drink from per year, we could go round the world TWICE. And that’s not even counting bottled water – of which we purchase 118,000 tonnes per year, and most of which end up straight in landfill. Plus, did you know that one litre of bottled water uses 3-7 litres of water 1 litre of oil to produce? But it’s not all bad news – to this dilemma there is a very simple, very easy solution. Just make a habit of carrying around your own water bottle. With so many gorgeous glass and stainless steel ones on the market, why wouldn’t you? Plus, you’ll probably end up drinking a little more H2O – win win!
- Unplug something
A lot of us accumulate all sorts of gadgets. Some of which are incredible, and help make our lives easier and simpler. But many of us probably also have a few things constantly plugged in and using power that we don’t need at all. Have a look through your house – anything you don’t use a few times a week can probably just be switched off, and plugged back in when you need it.
- Turn your switches off at the wall
A lot of our devices are sapping our energy, even when we’re not using them. Sure, you switched off our TV, but it’s likely just sitting there in standby mode, secretly eating up your power. Known as vampire power or phantom load, the energy used by idle devices can rack up extremely quickly. So, where possible, make a habit of switching things off at the wall – it takes a second longer, but can have a huge impact on how much energy you’re consuming (and help lower your electricity costs!).
- Skip the plastic bags
This is a simple one – invest in some strong, pretty totes and pop them by your front door or in your car so you remember them when you go to do your shopping. Such an easy, no-brainer way to use a little less plastic, without even noticing.
- Shop mindfully and locally
Unfortunately, we waste a huge amount of our food –around a third of all food produced. In our own shopping and food planning, we can reduce waste just by being a little more aware of what we’re purchasing, and thinking critically before throwing something into your basket. Purchasing food grown and produced locally can also really help reduce carbon footprint, so we aren’t needlessly shipping food around the globe, and can help support your local economy.
As always, we’d love to hear your ideas. Let us know what you do to help take care of our beautiful planet.
Image by Trent Haaland.
