How hard is it to do your bit for the environment, as it turns out – it is very easy! Being eco-friendly isn’t so much about getting on the bandwagon – BUT – by all means do so. It is about being self aware of what you do to damage our beautiful place of living i.e. our world. I have to admit it – I’m a “TV Doco” freak, I just love nature series. I have travelled to many parts of the world, lived on almost every continent, trekked in the wilderness, I camp out whenever, I can and tote my camera everywhere, but I still can’t get enough of what there is to see. How can you not be moved by the colors of the mountain trees in fall and be amazed? How can you allow your actions to potentially damage this incredible place we live in?
Basically, its about being sensitive to what you use. No – you don’t have to give up on everything, just think before your use or buy. So – if you are ready to take a dip into being eco-friendly, here are a few extra tips to soften your footprints across the globe :
If you have a sink garbage disposal – stop using it. Try composting for your garden, you’re conserving and using less water and not sending nutirents into the sewerage. Home appliances eg. TV, DVD player, cell phone charger, etc. draw power just by being plugged in, unplug them when you are not using them or are away on holidays. Get a lunch box for your work lunch instead of a paper or plastic sack. Try eating a little less meat, one or two fewer burgers or steaks does make a difference, animal production has a huge ecological impact on water usage and deforestation. If eating out in the cafe or at work, use only what you need of paper napkins, condiment packets, straws, plastic drink tops, and other disposable stuff. If you are travelling, take your own insulated mug instead of getting a takeaway/throwaway cup.own mug. If you have to print or copy material, avoid overprinting or mic-copies, you save materials and money. Organise your email inbox and computer folders so that you can easily find documents to re-read instead of printing them out. Use as much natural light at home or in the office where possible. Change you globes to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). If you are not in a room, turn off the lights. Clean out the clutter, sell the stuff you don’t need to someone who has use of it. Really think before you buy, ask, do you really need it? If you are considering a big purchase, wait a few days, do you still need it? Use your car effectively but combining trips, see if you can car-share to work or sports.
There, how hard was that? Most of these things cost you nothing and typically save you money. Living well and eco-guilt free isn’t hard.
