Thanks to David Clarke for the image.
We are all well aware of the impact of climate change. It is affecting us more and more each year and is set to get worse as we get older. We’re leaving a dangerous environment for our children. Although most of the big changes need to come from large industries, we can contribute too. In our day to day lives we can make little changes that will help save the planet.
Simple things can have a huge impact when done on a big scale. They might seem insignificant, but if everyone followed these tips we’d save huge amounts of energy. Whether we like it or not, energy consumption is changing. It is therefore good practice to get into these habits now. We should also be teaching our children and getting them into this routine. It will only help them in the future.
Turn off lights and appliances
Lights and electrical appliances drain more energy than you realise. Keeping TVs and computers on standby is a habit that you should eliminate. It’s a simple trick and you’ll save a ton of money on electricity bills too.
Make sure your house is well insulated
You might be using way more gas to heat your house than you need. Installing good insulation in your house means you can lower the temperature of your central heating. Your house will hold warmth better so you won’t need the heating on for so long. This is another great money saver too.
Walk To Work
Try to be less reliant on your car. Walk or cycle to work if possible. It’s great for your fitness and wellbeing. Studies show that people are generally happier if they walk to work. If you do need to use the car, try and slow down. Increased speeds means you burn through fuel fast. As ever, your bank balance will thank you.
Install renewable energy sources
Renewable energy is now at a point where it is affordable and efficient in the home. There are a few options here. Small wind turbines can sit in your garden and on your roof. They can generate and store enough energy to run your entire house. The same is true for solar power systems. Follow this link for more information on renewable energy in the home.
Recycle
Most cities now have recycle collection as well as refuse collection. This should make it easier than ever to recycle your household items. Most things you throw away can actually be recycled. Take a second to think whether it needs to go in the bin. Plastic, tins, glass and paper can all be re-used and should be placed in recycling. You can also extend this to your food waste. Think about having a compost heap in the garden. Try and put as little as possible in the landfill waste. The earth is running out of room for it!
A few small life changes can make a huge difference. Especially if we all start doing it. The important thing is to change the way we think about waste and energy. These small changes alter our perception and make us conscious of what we use. In the long term, that can only be a good thing.