Green Living: The Complete Guide
Rewind to a few years ago, and most people hadn't heard of green living. The fact is, we didn't understand the impact our actions were having on the earth. This year, the COVID pandemic has caused air pollution rates to drop, but now the lockdown rules are easing, we have to think about how living green helps the earth.
In this guide, we'll discuss green living for beginners and highlight some simple but effective ways you can reduce your carbon footprint and contribute to environmentally friendly practices.
SIMPLE SUSTAINABLE LIVING IDEAS
You don't have to drastically change your lifestyle to contribute to saving the environment. Here are some excellent ways to live green.
Eat Less Meat
According to a United Nations study, 30% of the earth's surface is used for livestock production. But how many farmers use sustainable practices? The UK alone has almost 800 factory farms, and most people don't know where and how the meat they consume was raised.
Eating less meat means less land is used for livestock production, so by reducing your meat consumption, you can contribute to the environment. Try substituting meat with plant based foods such as roasted butternut squash soup and once a week with MSC certified wild seafood.
Factory farming can have a devastating impact on the environment, and it isn't a humane practice. If you don't feel you can decrease your meat consumption, then focus on finding organic or free-range livestock.
Alternatives to Plastic and Paper
A lot of people think it's OK to use paper because it's recyclable, but trees take years to grow before they can be used to make paper. In recent years, the surge in technology means we're less dependent on paper.
Laptops and mobile devices are sustainable ways to work because they save on paper. Other sustainable living ideas include always recycling the paper you use because it's more sustainable to use that paper in manufacturing, rather than cutting down trees.
We're all too familiar with the impact of plastic, and there are lots of initiatives to reduce plastic pollution and clean up our oceans. Supermarkets introduced the carrier bag charge to encourage people to use alternatives such as canvas.
Environmentally Friendly Light Bulbs
The traditional incandescent light bulbs aren't the type households should use anymore, because there are more environmentally friendly options. Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFL) last up to five times longer than incandescent bulbs and are a lot brighter.
Using CFL bulbs will save you money, and you'll have less need for lamps around the house. Next time you need to replace your light bulbs, go for a more sustainable brand, and you'll be surprised at how much money you save in the long-term.
Make Small Changes in Your Household
If you've got kids, then it's likely every light on your house is always on, right? Try to encourage your children to contribute to your efforts by offering them rewards for remembering to switch the light off when they leave a room.
You can also make small changes by washing your clothes on a cold cycle, and use a clothes rack instead of the tumble dryer. When you go to bed at night, turn your TV and WiFi off at the mains, and be conscious of the appliances you leave on.
These small changes might not seem like much, but they can make a significant difference to your environmentally friendly effort.
Reducing Consumption
It's so easy, isn't it? Something breaks and you want to replace it immediately. Instead of getting it fixed, you go out and purchase a new item. But here's the thing; if everyone did that, we would have more waste than we could handle.
Instead of throwing things away, get them repaired because it will save you money in the long-term. If you no longer want an item, then sell it on, donate it to charity shops or use The Freecycle Network so somebody else can benefit from it.
You can find some great bargains in charity shops or online, so don't immediately go to purchase something new. Use the library to borrow books, rent electrical items and think about how you'll be helping to minimise waste.
Watch Your Water
It's essential to think about how much water you use, especially if you're a large family household. One way to decrease your water usage is to take shorter showers and try to limit the amount of time your family spends in the shower.
A lot of people find the taste of tap water too metallic, so they choose to buy bottled water. Yes, bottled water tastes better, but it also wastes a lot of plastic. You can replicate the taste of bottled water by purchasing a water filter. It will reduce the irony taste, and you won't waste any plastic.
Go Organic
Organic diets have many benefits for your health, but they also decrease the pollutants in the environment. Traditionally farmed produce is full of harmful pesticides and GMOs, but organic farming focuses on using natural and sustainable practices.
You can purchase a compost bin and grow your organic vegetables at home. By purchasing your food from organic suppliers, you'll have a positive impact on the environment, and growing your own is even more sustainable.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Going green doesn't have to be difficult, especially with the abundance of eco-living products available today. It's easy to see why people avoid it because many don't see that small steps can make a positive impact.
Remember, the environment is suffering because of our collective way of living. If more people practised environmentally friendly ways of living, the earth could begin to recover.
If you're looking for an easy way to eat organic, Skim provides organic meals delivered UK here you can find meals such as roasted butternut squash salad. Our range of meals cater for a range of diets and are packed with goodness. View our menu here.
In this guide, we'll discuss green living for beginners and highlight some simple but effective ways you can reduce your carbon footprint and contribute to environmentally friendly practices.
SIMPLE SUSTAINABLE LIVING IDEAS
You don't have to drastically change your lifestyle to contribute to saving the environment. Here are some excellent ways to live green.
Eat Less Meat
According to a United Nations study, 30% of the earth's surface is used for livestock production. But how many farmers use sustainable practices? The UK alone has almost 800 factory farms, and most people don't know where and how the meat they consume was raised.
Eating less meat means less land is used for livestock production, so by reducing your meat consumption, you can contribute to the environment. Try substituting meat with plant based foods such as roasted butternut squash soup and once a week with MSC certified wild seafood.
Factory farming can have a devastating impact on the environment, and it isn't a humane practice. If you don't feel you can decrease your meat consumption, then focus on finding organic or free-range livestock.
Alternatives to Plastic and Paper
A lot of people think it's OK to use paper because it's recyclable, but trees take years to grow before they can be used to make paper. In recent years, the surge in technology means we're less dependent on paper.
Laptops and mobile devices are sustainable ways to work because they save on paper. Other sustainable living ideas include always recycling the paper you use because it's more sustainable to use that paper in manufacturing, rather than cutting down trees.
We're all too familiar with the impact of plastic, and there are lots of initiatives to reduce plastic pollution and clean up our oceans. Supermarkets introduced the carrier bag charge to encourage people to use alternatives such as canvas.
Environmentally Friendly Light Bulbs
The traditional incandescent light bulbs aren't the type households should use anymore, because there are more environmentally friendly options. Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFL) last up to five times longer than incandescent bulbs and are a lot brighter.
Using CFL bulbs will save you money, and you'll have less need for lamps around the house. Next time you need to replace your light bulbs, go for a more sustainable brand, and you'll be surprised at how much money you save in the long-term.
Make Small Changes in Your Household
If you've got kids, then it's likely every light on your house is always on, right? Try to encourage your children to contribute to your efforts by offering them rewards for remembering to switch the light off when they leave a room.
You can also make small changes by washing your clothes on a cold cycle, and use a clothes rack instead of the tumble dryer. When you go to bed at night, turn your TV and WiFi off at the mains, and be conscious of the appliances you leave on.
These small changes might not seem like much, but they can make a significant difference to your environmentally friendly effort.
Reducing Consumption
It's so easy, isn't it? Something breaks and you want to replace it immediately. Instead of getting it fixed, you go out and purchase a new item. But here's the thing; if everyone did that, we would have more waste than we could handle.
Instead of throwing things away, get them repaired because it will save you money in the long-term. If you no longer want an item, then sell it on, donate it to charity shops or use The Freecycle Network so somebody else can benefit from it.
You can find some great bargains in charity shops or online, so don't immediately go to purchase something new. Use the library to borrow books, rent electrical items and think about how you'll be helping to minimise waste.
Watch Your Water
It's essential to think about how much water you use, especially if you're a large family household. One way to decrease your water usage is to take shorter showers and try to limit the amount of time your family spends in the shower.
A lot of people find the taste of tap water too metallic, so they choose to buy bottled water. Yes, bottled water tastes better, but it also wastes a lot of plastic. You can replicate the taste of bottled water by purchasing a water filter. It will reduce the irony taste, and you won't waste any plastic.
Go Organic
Organic diets have many benefits for your health, but they also decrease the pollutants in the environment. Traditionally farmed produce is full of harmful pesticides and GMOs, but organic farming focuses on using natural and sustainable practices.
You can purchase a compost bin and grow your organic vegetables at home. By purchasing your food from organic suppliers, you'll have a positive impact on the environment, and growing your own is even more sustainable.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Going green doesn't have to be difficult, especially with the abundance of eco-living products available today. It's easy to see why people avoid it because many don't see that small steps can make a positive impact.
Remember, the environment is suffering because of our collective way of living. If more people practised environmentally friendly ways of living, the earth could begin to recover.
If you're looking for an easy way to eat organic, Skim provides organic meals delivered UK here you can find meals such as roasted butternut squash salad. Our range of meals cater for a range of diets and are packed with goodness. View our menu here.
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