If you care about being responsible and proactive to protect the environment, you will perhaps understand that there is a plethora of things that a person can do to be more green. Adopting a focus on the environment and ‘greening’ your lifestyle need not be expensive; such efforts can in fact save you considerable amounts of money.
There really is no end to the number of things that we can all do to be increasingly environmentally responsible. Here we examine just five of these:
1: Use green bags
We are all familiar with reusable shopping bags, more commonly known as ‘green bags’, that are infinitely useful in carrying groceries and many other things. Very often, these bags are given for promotional purposes and are prominently marked with the organisation’s name, logo and key contact details. In fact, for businesses looking to target new markets and provide promotional products that people will use and reuse, the potential of promotional bags is unsurpassed by any other product.
Green bags and other reusable shopping bags (such as: jute bags and tote bags) are sometimes made from sustainably produced and environmentally friendly materials. Although the production of such shopping bags does have some impact on the environment, they tend to be recognised as a greener option because they are used and reused.
2: Adjust the thermostat of the heating and cooling units in your home or office:
Far too many of us live and work in air conditioned or otherwise heated or cooled spaces that generate significant amounts of carbon dioxide and cost huge sums of money. By adjusting your thermostat, so that it is just two degrees warmer in Summer and two degrees cooler in Winter, you will save a lot of carbon dioxide and considerable money.
3: Choose Energy Star rated appliances
When you are purchasing new appliances, it is well worth your while looking for and buying those that are Energy Star qualified. When you know an appliance’s Energy Star rating, you have some idea of how effectively and efficiently it uses energy and the savings that may be passed on to you.
4: Unplug electronic devices that are not being used
An overwhelming number of us leave our televisions in stand by mode, our mobile telephone chargers plugged in and the power source running to all sorts of appliances that are plugged in but not being used.
As you can imagine, leaving electronic appliances in this state can be costly (very costly) but it also uses an incredible amount of electricity unnecessarily. By unplugging appliances, turning them off completely and not leaving electronic devices in stand by mode, significant electricity and cost savings are possible.
5: Use insulation
If your walls and ceilings are effectively insulated, you are bound to find that your home is warmer in the cooler weather and cooler in the Summer months. Because of this, you will have a reduced need to heat and cool your home as much as you otherwise might.
It is a similar story for your water heater; if your water heater is insulated, you will find that you have better access to hot water at a reduced cost.
There are many things that we can all do to be greener and there are some very real advantages that come with a more environmentally friendly and sustainable approach to living and working.