There is an urgent need for us to start being kinder to our planet. Whilst many of us have hopped on board the sustainability train, many of us simply aren’t aware of the small changes we can make, to be more environmentally friendly and make a big impact on the future of our planet.
Implementing more sustainable practices within our lives doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. In fact, there are a number of very simple things you can change within the home that can make all the difference. Keep reading to see and understand the ways in which you can make your home more eco-friendly.
Table of Contents
1.Minimise Food Waste
In the UK alone, it is estimated that 3.6 million tonnes of food are wasted every year by the food industry. Not only is this bad for the environment, but also for those who are in desperate need of food. So, let’s have a look and some ways to help reduce food waste in and around your home.
Food waste is bad for the earth as large amounts of it produce a huge quantity of methane. As the wasted food emits these gases it is significantly contributing to global warming. Methane is 25 times more harmful in trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide.
This figure is staggering and paints a scary picture of what our country is doing wrong. A small amount of food waste is unavoidable in most homes. Nonetheless, there are numerous ways that can help keep this amount low.
Always make a shopping list
We have all thrown things into our basket with absolutely no clue how we are going to fit them into a meal. Making a shopping list fights this urge, leaving the shop with only the items that you need.
Ultimately, this practice will also save you money, as you will only be buying the things you require, and won’t be taken in by random items.
Make your freezer, your best friend
An excellent way in which you can save money whilst also saving the earth is to make good use of your freezer. The majority of homes have one, but not everyone makes thorough use of it. You can freeze meat, bread, cooked pasta, rice, flour, and butter, as well as many other food items.
Freezing foods, especially meat can save you a lot of money as this practice extends the shelf life of a product.
You know what they say, don’t shop when you’re hungry!
Now this saying is extremely true, and can definitely impact your food waste. Shopping on an empty stomach can cause you to fill your trolley with items that you don’t really need and will later end up wasting.
Plastic is not always fantastic.
A secondary kind of food waste comes from the sheer amount of brands that package their products with single-use plastic. Nearly every food item seems to be wrapped in some kind of plastic, which does not biodegrade.
In more recent years, zero-waste shops have found their place within our more sustainable society. The purpose of zero-waste shops is to create a shopping experience that uses minimal packagaing and encourages the use of reusable containers. These shops aim to help reduce this kind of food waste.
2.Use Eco-friendly Cleaning Solutions
500 million single-use plastic cleaning bottles go to waste each year. It is clear that there is a lot of work to be done on reducing the carbon footprint of the cleaning industry. But what can you at home do to help be part of the solution?
Use Eco-friendly cleaning products and solutions!
One way that you can both clean your house and the earth is to use bamboo products. Bamboo is an exceptionally renewable crop. It grows so fast that the use of it in the cleaning industry is one of the most eco-friendly practices around.
In fact, bamboo is known as the fastest growing land plant in the world; making the abundance of this plant perfect for eco-friendly cleaning tools.
Plastic-free packaging has taken the media by storm, with many businesses making the switch to lessen their negative impact on the environment. Suppliers such as Galleon Supplies Ltd have begun to work closely with brands that offer plastic-free packaging. By purchasing plastic-free cleaning products for your home, you can make a change.
Many of us already use re-usable cleaning tools such as microfibre cloths and cleaning pads. By ditching the kitchen roll, we can keep our world cleaner. It is also shown that microfibre clothes make for more sanitary and thorough cleaning of your home, by trapping bacteria and attracting more dirt.
3.Eat Less / No Meat
By skipping a single serving of red meat once a week, you can save the amount of emissions that driving a car 348 miles would produce.
Many people are taking to being vegetarian or vegan. However, if the strict rules of these are not for you, why not try eating less meat?
Have a meat-free Monday or a five-bean chili Friday to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
It really is that simple. Lowering your meat consumption can reduce the following factors that are damaging our earth.
- Greenhouse gases
- Deforestation
- Soil degradation
4.Use Eco-friendly Makeup Brands
Makeup is about accentuating the beauty of one’s face, so let’s accentuate the beauty of earth at the same time!
Unfortunately, the makeup industry is notorious for its damaging impact on the environment. Many of our favorite brands use unsustainable packaging that can take hundreds of years to break down. Simultaneously, this packaging leaks toxins into soil and water.
So, here are some brands that make every effort to deliver less harm to the environment whilst still delivering great products to their customers.
- Inika
- Lime Crime
- Cover FX
- Eco Tools
- Rodial
- Bare Minerals
- AllEarth Mineral Cosmetics
- Antonym Cosmetics
- RMS
5.Switch From Halogen To LED!
The current energy crisis is affecting people globally; all over the world billpayers are learning the cost of leaving the lights on.
This is why many people switch from traditional halogen bulbs to LED bulbs for their home lighting needs. This is also a very good way to keep a more sustainable home as LED bulbs use a whopping 75% less energy than halogen bulbs. Not only does this reduce the average household’s electric bill by £225 a year, but it also reduces our usage of non-renewable energy sources, thus benefitting the environment.
If you’re concerned that you won’t get the same performance from an LED, don’t be. LED bulbs are designed to be a great balance between sustainability and quality, and you won’t be compromising on light output.
The Bottom Line
We could all be doing a little more to help keep mother earth healthy; so why not implement the practices we have discussed in your home today.
