What more can i do?

Question

I like to think i'm quite good at doing my bit for the environment. I recycle glass, cans, paper, card, plastic, clothes and shoes. I walk or use public transport as much as possible. All my lights have energy saving bulbs. I VERY rarely use my central heating and i don't have a fire. We switch everything off by the plug socket and do all the simple things like not using the washing machine until it's full.

I'm interested to know if anyone has other easy ways of doing their bit that i haven't thought of yet?

Answer 1

Hi, yes you seem to have covered most  of the bases there. There are loads of different green measures that people take and maybe here's a couple you haven't thought of.

Take any heavy items out of your car boot, unnecessary weight increases fuel consumption as does driving with the window open (less streamlined), using the air con etc. Turn off the central heating at night and get into the habit of turning it off half an hour before you go to bed. Go to bed earlier. Wear warmer clothes indoors. Put items of furniture like bookcases against the outer walls of your rooms and thereby increase the insulation effect. Hang up thick or double curtains at the windows and against strategic doors. Sign up to 'Freecycle' to extend the life of your unwanted items and keep them out of landfill. Buy local produce and concentrated detergents to cut down lorry loads. Compost your veg peelings and grass cuttings. use microfibre cloths to cut down on cleaning chemicals. leave a damp cloth draped on bathroom fittings and the bathtub ring will just wipe off without unnecessary use of chemicals. You can cut down on the use of the tumble dryer by just allowing yourself a ten minute blast and then putting the clothes on an airer overnight - or let them dry for 24 hours and finish off with a blast in the dryer.  it's said that half of us run the hot tap to wash our hands and then get impatient and wash while it's still running cold - so wash under the cold tap and save that waste. if either of the children is still in nappies, at least switch to 'econappies' I believe they'll break down in a wormery and they don't contain bleaches to whiten them. An ordinary disposible is reckoned to take 500 years to break down so you do a great thing by spreading the word on that one!

Hope you've picked up some pleasing tips from all the answers. regards

Answer 2

Check out the info. on this website:

http://www.the-alternative.org.uk

the info is all available for free download.

See "Project it" and the Chapter re: Waste / recycling.

Answer 3

if you have a garden, then a compost bin will take all your uncooked fruit & veg lefovers, eg peelings &egg shells, t-bags, coffee grounds, shredded paper and turn it into lovely rich earthy compost to put on the garden and feed it all for free.

Answer 4

Drive and fly less or give them up altogether. Eat genuine (Soil Association certified) food. Not only is it far better for you, but birds and wildlife flourish on organic farms

Answer 5

Do you wash dishes by hand instead of using the dish washer?

Answer 6

Sounds like you are a role model for green living! Are you sure you are not giving yourself a hard time?

Look after your health by all natural means possible - this cuts visits to the doctor ( which can be energy intensive).

Also, have you tried washballs for washing? Or adding washing soda to your wash to reduce detergent?

Good luck with your lifestyle!

Answer 7

Seems like you got it down yourself, but how about your community? I suggest if you have free time to join an environmentalist club. Get involved in your community by planting trees or a beach/park clean up. Most of all, get you kids  involved. The future is in their hands.

Answer 8

great for you!

here are some more suggestions:

consider growing some of your own food (www.seedsofchange.com)

make a compost heap to reduce food in the garbage (www.mastercomposter.com)

remove any grass and plant native and drought tolerant plants.

plant more trees!

eat less meat.

shop second hand or organic (faeriesdance.com and shirtsofbamboo.com) for clothes and like items.

Reduce and reuse before you recycle.

use non toxic, earthfriendly, and natural remedies for cleaning, washing hair and clothes, pest control, etc.

save water by putting buckets in the shower to catch warm up water, or by catching the rain and storing them in drums ( I use large plastic storage bins!) to water your plants later.

And most important, teach your children the importance of being responsible for the planet!

here are some other websites to check out for good resources and more ideas:

care2.com

idealbite.com

environmentaldefense.org

sierraclub.com (check out the Green Life under Resources)

livingwithed.com

Answer 9

sounds like you have it pretty much sewn up

well done you !!!!!!!!!

Answer 10

Look into getting your home insulated better - Cavity wall, extra in the loft.

Then you can consider solar hot water heating.

Answer 11

when you eat out make sure to take your own containers for leftovers.  those Styrofoam ones are awful.

Answer 12

Good for you. You're doing pretty much everthing you can, but make sure your loft insulation is 10"+ thick. Cavity wall insulation also good - grants available.

Answer 13

Well of course, economy wash with all your washing appliciances in situations where you can't do it by hand, don't use plastic bags whilst shopping, take your own backpack or something to carry your shopping.

Like someone said, insulation in your home will make you need to use the central heating even less.

If you really want to outdo yourself for helping the environment, consider getting home, wind or solar panel roof power schemes.

Ask for your bank statements to be sent to you online so you don't waste paper by receiving them in the post.

Theres still many more little things like that, that all make a little difference but add up in the end to really help reduce your ecofootprint. :)

Answer 14

i just wanted to say i wish everyone was like you :0)  i would say advertise keeping our hard working earth happy d**n it lol    theres not that much more but ,,,,, thinking about what you buy in all products and whats going to happen with them.  i would say your doing a great job!! :0)

Answer 15

I would say that you are doing pretty good already, and as a couple of people above pointed out it is a shame not more people are like you. I dont think that there is much room for reasonable improvement.

    Something that I am very aware of when shopping is how far an item has had to travel to get to the shop. Get this, in New Zealand, It is possible to buy tinned tomatoes from Italy for less than half  the price of tomatoes from N.Z. or even Australia. I also have seen bulk carrying ships full of onions that go from N.Z. to Holland. As you may know Holland has a border with France and, maybe I am alone on this one, but I thought that the French were famous for growing onions?? So whats going on? Why is there and international trade in Vegetables? Is it a conspiracy by the oil companies to use as much fuel as possible? So my point is that if people stop shopping with their pocket it may go some way to make a difference.

    The only other alternative would be to sell your Porcshe, stop going to the Caribbean for a holiday every 3 months, dont buy another 3 meter wide LCD TV (2 is enough), etc etc

Answer 16

thanks for asking.

shop locally - buying locally made goods when possible and locally growth foods - like at FARMERS MARKETS - this avoids shipping.. and (with food) you can often get better/fresher stuff)

shop at second hand stores- you would be surprised at some of the good quality things you can find at the bigger second hand shops - many times I find new things.. either stores donated them for a tax right off.. or people bought them and never wore them..  donating any things you dont want is good too because it means somebody else wont have to buy new..

buying new means raping the planet for manufacturing...

dont buy junk you dont need (knick knacks etc.) unless they are from a second hand store...

plant a garden.. tomatoes, lettuce, potatoes.. fruit trees!!! its all good!!!

eat less meat - i am not saying become a total vegetarian - that might be too drastic.. but eating less meat will make a difference.. have some meat less meals or smaller portions of meat when you do have it...

and here is one you dont often think of but is something the United Nations themself are talking about - world population... currently the #1 threat to our continued existance is our ever growing population.. at over 6.5 BILLION (and growing) we exceed the UN's sustainable estimate of 5 BILLION and the results are showing.. urbran sprawl is consuming farm land at alarming rates... deforestation to build houses and make toilet paper for our bums... air pollution.... factories...

all are the result of more and more people demanding more space and things..

so dont have more than 1 kid...

- even 2 kids is growth since you and your partner are still alive (unless you die in childbirth like so often happened in the olden days and was why our population didnt explode like it is now..) plus we are living longer...

1 kid is still growth - dont get me wrong.. but its not as much growth...

we control the growth of every other species.. why not our own?