Being more eco-friendly is a huge subject. But where on Earth do you start?
We know we all need to be a little kinder to our planet, to tread more lightly but when we’re busy with life, it’s just too much. We’re all overwhelmed with just getting by, work, home life etc so how are we supposed to find the time and head space to think about being more eco-friendly too??
Saving money while saving the planet
I recommend starting with the small money saving changes. Things you do on a daily basis that will make a big difference over time. One of my favourite energy saving tips is to turn the oven or hob off a few minutes before your food is due to finish cooking. Your saucepan full of veggies will continue to cook in the boiling water – without you using any power. If you’re cooking baked potatoes in the oven, you could set the timer to go off 10 minutes early and leave the potatoes to carry on cooking. Let’s say, on average, this saves you 5 minutes of power every day, this equates to 24 hours worth over a year. That’s just 1 really simple habit change.
We all know about switching off the lights when we leave a room, or turning the tap off while we’re brushing our teeth, but what about only using cold water when we’re washing our hands? Or not running the tap too quickly? Washing our hands is something we do several times a day, so imagine the impact using cold water instead of hot and slowing down the flow of water would make!
Saving energy includes reducing water use
Our recycling should be cleaned before we put it in the recycling bin. Rather than running under the tap, leave it in the sink to catch the run off water from washing your hands. Putting the lid on your saucepan when you’re boiling veg means the water will boil quicker. Using the loo straight after another person, without flushing in between could save several litres of water each day.
These are all easy ways to start being more eco-friendly. It’s really not as hard as you think. Have a look at your daily routines to see where else you can reduce energy and save money.