Adopting green life does not have to be expensive or out of reach for us. We can make simple, practical and sustainable changes in our lifestyle to afford the way of living that shouts that we care for us, our eco-system and future.
Here is a quick list to give it a go:
- Remember the pyramid - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Try buying less, and only buying what you really need. A win-win for your wallet and green agenda!
- Switch off switches when not in room or stand-by electronics like speakers, T.V., microwave at night. You will be surprised at the $$ saved this way! It can add up to savings of $50 every month depending on your monthly electricity usage. Most electricity providers these days provide a insight report to break down electricity consumed in your house by different appliances and that report is handy to make a change.
- Consider switching to a reusable water bottle, travel coffee mugs, and cloth towels.
- Take a shorter shower
- Wash utensil with cold water - it works wonder unless dealing with oily residue (even for that you don't need extremely hot water that would scald your hands!)
- Plant some pollinator-friendly flowers and edibles in your lawn space to reduce on chemical usage and lawn mower emissions. You will find plenty of varieties of native plants that would fit the description.
- Seal your windows to prevent air escaping or entering
- Switch your provider to the one that relies on renewable energy. Case in point - Powershop
- You can even switch your banking needs to any of the B-corp certified banks! These banks do a lot fo work towards climate change and put customers & community first. All the more reason to say goodbye to the big banks
- Go solar, if that's a feasible option
- If shopping is your jam, you may find op shops, and Fair Trade markets a satisfying trip for unique treasures
- Choose clothes and bed sheets made from natural materials like Fair Trade cotton, hemp, silk etc.
- Since we are blessed with abundance of sun-shine, give air-dry a try instead of the dryer. Your clothes will last longer as well. Just be careful not to put certain clothes in direct sun lest they lose their colour
- Instead of meat based snacks, load up on fruits, veggies or nuts. Good for your health and you don't need to swap meat based lunch or dinner meals to vegetarian options if you are not ready
- Buy a caddy composter or Bokashi compost kit to get composting without worms or big spaces
- Freeze leftovers as soon as you can to keep them fresh for later use
- Get creative in kitchen to use up items that are usually sitting in pantry
- Carry a cotton or reusable tote in your purse or car to use whenever you need
- Trade the plastic razor with a metal one to avoid plastic from going in landfill
- Recycle soft plastics using REDcycle bins available in your nearest supermarket
- Make use of great initiative by Officeworks and local libraries to recycle batteries, office stationery and even laptops!
- Drive at steady speed to avoid frequent braking and speed adjustments which take up quite an amount of fuel
Have more ideas? Shout out to us as we would love to add those in this list. Welcome to this new lifestyle.