- Turn the lights off when you leave a room
- Plant small trees around your home. Added shade can reduce energy consumption and keep your home cool during summer
- Take shorter showers
- Don't leave the tap running whilst you brush your teeth
- Collect rainwater in a water barrel
- If you work near your home, cycle in instead of drive
- Car share to work if you live nearby or on the way
- Buy locally grown food products
- Grow your own food in your garden, giving excess to friends and family
- Reduce use of hazardous chemicals such as paint, oil, ammonia. Dispose of them to a toxic waste site.
- COMPOST
- Reuse items for a different purpose instead of throwing them away
- Buy recycled products or those with minimal packaging
- Stop littering
- Recycle everything you can
- Put up bird feeders and houses in your garden to attract and protect wildlife
- Donate to and buy from charity shops
- Repair an item that is broken, such as a table or clothing, instead of replacing it
- Use public transport as much as possible
- Plant a herb garden so you never have to buy herbs
- Switch one appliance for an energy efficient one (look for the 'energy star' label)
- Don't use disposable bags, buy bags for life or even make your own
- Buy a reusable water bottle instead of buying disposable plastic bottles
- Wash your clothes in cold water
- Only turn your lights on when you really need to, make the most of natural light
- Do all your jobs for the week in one go to save multiple trips
- Walk or cycle as much as possible instead of using public transport or driving
- Completely shut down your computer when you go to sleep or when you're not using it for extended periods of time
- Pay your bills online
- Stop all unwanted or 'junk' mail and calls
- Line dry your laundry whenever possible instead of tumble drying
- Unplug unused appliances and chargers
- Use reusable or cloth nappies instead of or as well as disposable ones
- Buy fair trade food products wherever possible
- Use cloths to clean kitchens instead of kitchen paper. These cloths can be made out of old clothing
- Use cloth napkins instead of paper napkins with meals
- Reuse glass jars as leftover food containers
- Wash your dishes by hand a few days a week instead of using the dishwasher
- Scrape plates clean instead of rinsing them before putting them in the dishwasher
- Keep a jug of cold water in the fridge instead of running the cold tap until it runs cold
- Don't use coffee stirrers, instead put the sugar and milk in first, and the addition of the coffee will mix it all together
- Use glossy newspapers, newspapers or brown paper bags you already own as wrapping paper
- Go meat-free once or twice a week
- Keep your calendar and to do lists digitally instead of using post-it notes and a diary/physical calendar
- Replace your regular lightbulbs with energy saving or compact fluorescent bulbs
- Buy a reusable cup for hot drinks when you're on your way to work
- Bring your own bags when you go shopping
- Add a dash of vodka into the water your vase plants are in, it makes them last longer
- Replace your shower head for a low-flow version
Sources:
Conserve Energy Future
Style at Home
The Art of Simple
Style Caster
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