Recycling in our homes might have become the norm, but there are still lots of ways where we can be greener. With a little effort you can reduce landfill waste, help keep our air cleaner and preserve our planet's natural landscapes. So, by adding these tips into your daily regime you can know that you are doing your part to protect the earth. Plus, it might save you some cash too.
1) Build your own compost bin
Instead of throwing away your leftovers and veg peelings, why not use this nutrient dense waste for your compost? But remember, not every bit of food waste you throw away can be composted. Meat & fish bones, garden trimmings that have been treated with chemicals and pet waste are a big no no.
Get building now by following these steps to build your own compost bin.
2) Get yourself a reusable water bottle
Our favourites are Chilly's and Nalgene. Here are some pros and cons of these 2 reusable bottles so you can decide for yourself which you prefer.
Chilly's
- Provides eco-friendly benefits of a traditional flask
- Extremely durable
- More expensive than Nalgene
- Keeps your liquids hot or cold for 24 hours
- Metal based so it's more carbon intensive to manufacture (making it in the first place is worse for the planet than a plastic based bottle)
Nalgene
- Cheaper than Chilly's
- Convenient and light to handle
- BPA free
- Not necessarily as durable as Chilly's and doesn't keep stuff hot or cold
3) Fill your dishwasher to the brim instead of hand washing all your crockery and cutlery separately
Got a dishwasher? Great. Fill it up and avoid hand washing your plates and cutlery in the sink. On average a dishwasher uses about only 3-5 gallons per wash, verses about 25 gallons that you would probably use if you hand washed it all. And that myth about rinsing? Don't bother, just give the plates a good scrape and make sure your dishwasher is topped up with salt and rinse aid and you won't need to do a pre-rinse. Check out this handy video if you're still skeptical. Save water, use a dishwasher.
4) Support your local economy and shop at a nearby market
Instead of popping into a supermarket, why not buy some fresh local produce from your nearest farmer's market? It cuts down on transports and also on plastic packaging. Plus, it's also a great way to shop for produce that's seasonal. Not sure what's in season right now? Eat the Seasons has all the answers.
5) Wash your clothes in cold water
Firstly, it'll stop any colours from running and destroying your beautiful white clothing. Secondly, it will help reduce carbon dioxide emissions and cut down on your bills. We recommend Diversey, Ecover and Ecozone which are eco-friendly washing products that are designed for cold water washing.
Lastly, don't forget to fill up your washing machine too, just like you did with the dishwasher. It's much more efficient this way.
As you can see, it's pretty easy to be more sustainable at home. Not only can it be fun, it's truly rewarding knowing you're playing your part to make a difference to our planet.