These days, we’re all trying a little harder to be a lot greener. Even though the news cycle has been dominated by everything COVID-19 over the last year, we are still seeing very worrying reports come through about how far we still must go to be better to our planet. it is so important that we all take personal responsibility sooner rather than later.
When you are juggling family commitments on top of everything else, it can sometimes be easy to let things slide. With that in mind, here are a few easy ways you can reduce your carbon footprint without sacrificing too much time and energy.
Think About What You’re Doing With Your Kitchen Waste
An awful lot of our waste comes from the kitchen, but there are so many simple ways to start to cut it down. For starters, you can start thinking seriously about what you are doing with those leftovers. Plan meals for those extra bits to make things stretch further and avoid unnecessary waste. You can also think about setting up a compost heap in the garden for everything from coffee grounds to eggshells.
Make Sure You Are Shopping Responsibly
It used to be much harder to find out if the brands and stores you are shopping with were ethical, but these days it doesn’t take too much digging to see if they are putting their money where their mouths are.
It’s not just about making sure that they are using sustainable or recycled materials, it’s about making sure that they treat their workforce humanely and give back to their communities. Kind Shop is a great resource that allows you to browse responsible businesses, so look at some of these eco-friendly gifts and see what grabs your fancy!
Watch Your Energy Usage
Having a family doesn’t exactly make it easy to cut down on how much energy you’re using. From making sure that everyone gets their turn with the TV to keeping everyone’s clothes clean, it feels like you’re constantly running one machine or another. However, there are small things that you can do which make a big difference.
For example, switching appliances off at the wall when you’re not using them, switching to energy saving bulbs, or air-drying clothes instead of using the dryer will all reduce your carbon footprint and save you money on bills.
Cut Down On Chemicals And Recycle Where You Can
When you’re in a rush it can be easy to fall back on the bottle of chemical cleaner but there options out there which are less harmful to the environment. White vinegar can work wonders, as can liquid castile soap which is made of all-natural ingredients.
Finally, one of the most important things you can do is to recycle wherever possible, buy items that are refillable, and try to cut down on how much plastic you are using. Plastic waste is one of the most dangerous factors facing our environment and we all need to try to be better and useless.
I like your suggestions for reducing energy consumption. Thank you for sharing! People can also save more energy by keeping their HVAC systems clean and well-maintained.
Poorly maintained units consume much more energy and can increase your monthly utility bills by 20–40%.
To reduce your energy consumption, another thing you should do is inspect your home for air leaks. Use weatherproof caulk for gaps smaller than 1/4 inch and expandable foam spray for any openings larger than that. Additionally, install rubber foam gaskets behind all of your electrical outlets, door sweeps on your exterior doors, and weatherstripping around doors and windows. This can greatly improve your home energy efficiency!