World Earth Day – 22nd April 2017
In aid of World earth day this year, in 2 days time! We have been reviewing how ‘green’ our village is and what we can do to ensure the site is as carbon neutral as possible. We already have the amazing recycling bins you may have read about in previous blogs, and are keen to look into a wind turbine too. If you have any ideas please do share them with us, we would very much appreciate the help!
Reducing the carbon footprint of an entire village is no small task. However, making sure you are doing your bit at home is much easier. We’ve done some research and pulled together 5 top tips on how to ensure you are as ‘green’ as you can be too.
- Reduce Water Waste. In our village running water has not been the easiest to implement.  We have therefore experienced first-hand how vital it is to be frugal with our water usage.
At home simple things like taking a shorter shower in the morning or installing a low-flow shower head can make big difference. These have the added benefit of reduced cost when you receive your next water bill too!
Cutting back on bottled water purchases is an easy solution as well. Even if you live in an area where your tap water isn’t the tastiest, purchasing a water filter will take some of that irony aftertaste out of your water and purify it to your bottled-water standards. Plus, a water filter will save you money in the long run, when you don’t have to take trip after trip to the store to purchase more bottled water!
- Cut Down On Your Energy Usage. Similar to water wastage this will help with saving the pennies too – a win for you and a win for the Earth! There are a lot of ways to cut back on the energy you use in your home, including some of the following…
Unplugging appliances when they aren’t being used, putting clothes on a lower temperature wash (according to The Worldwatch Institute, 85 percent of the energy used to machine-wash clothes goes to heating the water) and using a drying rack or clothesline instead of a tumble dryer.
Reducing your energy around the home is literally as easy as a click of the button. So, turn the lights off when you leave the room and stop leaving those appliances on standby.
- Use Less Paper. Think of the trees! With texts and emails the standard way of communicating now, we do use paper less than we did years ago. However, when mopping up that mess in the kitchen think…! Is a paper towel necessary or can a washable cloth be used instead? Remember, the less paper you use, the less paper needs to be produced and the more trees that get to fill our forests. According to EPA, by recycling one short ton (0.91 t) of paper you can save 17 mature trees.
If it is essential for you to use paper for work or school, you can still make a difference by using recycled paper. Did you know It takes less energy to create recycled paper than it does to create the purified white paper you are used to using. Recycling is easy and one of our favourite ways to live green at The Greg Secker Foundation.
- Carpool. How do you travel to work or school? If you drive could you offer others a lift? Fewer cars on the roads means less carbon and other gasses polluting the air. This also protects the environment by keeping the water and land cleaner. Just think, it can even help with the traffic causing you long delays on your journey.
Some governments support the idea of carpooling to the extent that they have introduced high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. These are lanes in which only vehicles with two or more passengers are allowed to drive. HOV lanes can create strong practical incentives for carpooling by reducing travel time and expense; so it’s definitely worth your while.
- Reduce Single Use Items. Why not buy reusable drinks bottles such as travel mugs. This reduces plastic, styrofoam and paper and saves you money on buying drinks when you are out. You can also invest in reusable bags, just remember to keep them with you to avoid the 5p penalty when in the shops!
Another single use item that can cause serious soil and water pollution are batteries. Where possible make sure you use rechargeable ones. If you need to use an item that has disposable batteries, make sure you turn it off when it’s not in use to reduce the wastage. Batteries are made from a variety of chemicals, some of which are extremely toxic and can cause damage to humans, wildlife and the environment.
We hope these tips help you to becoming more ‘green’ at home. Keep an eye out on our blog for updates on how we implement our carbon neutral initiatives.