Green Tips
TOP 10 SIMPLE GREEN TIPS
Added on: 06/11/2007In: Environmental
1. Buy a shopping bag
An estimated 17.5 billion plastic bags are distributed to UK consumers each year and they largely end up in landfill sites. Get a shopping bag for the long term and remember to take it with you.
2. Switch your finances
Change your savings account, investments, mortgage or pension to an ethical provider. The Co-operative Bank is the leading ethical high street bank.
3. Switch to a green energy provider
Approximately 500,000 homes in the UK have switched to a renewable energy supplier using the likes of wind, solar or hydro power. Switching can even save you money.
4. Buy an acre of rainforest
South American rainforests are vital to the world's ecosystem. The charity Rainforest Concern, will purchase and protect areas of tropical forests and saveguard sites from well documented destruction.
5. Save-a-flush
Water is becoming an increasingly precious commodity. Put a save-a-flush bag or brick into your system and help save over 2000 gallons of water every year through this method.
6. Turn off lights when you leave a room. A fluorescent lightbulb left on for just 15 minutes uses 500 times more energy than it would if it was switched off when not needed. Help reduce wasted electricity and save yourself money.
7. Unplug your phone charger. A report from O2 reveals that only 5% of energy used by UK mobile phone chargers actually charges phones. Over 50,000 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide emissions could be avoided if we unplug our chargers.
8. Buy energy efficient appliances. Choose an A or A+ labelled product and help reduce energy levels. Energy efficent products will not reduce performance nor necessarily even inflate the price.
9. Travel to Europe by Train. Instead of shooting to Barcelona for a weekend by a cheap flight, book in advance and travel on the Eurostar. The CO2 emissions for each person on the train is just 40kg compared with 277kg.
10. Support an environmental charity. There are so many to choose from ranging from well known to small. See what is out there and choose whom you would like to support. Some of these organisations are making huge movements in encouraging indivduals to make a difference.
An estimated 17.5 billion plastic bags are distributed to UK consumers each year and they largely end up in landfill sites. Get a shopping bag for the long term and remember to take it with you.
2. Switch your finances
Change your savings account, investments, mortgage or pension to an ethical provider. The Co-operative Bank is the leading ethical high street bank.
3. Switch to a green energy provider
Approximately 500,000 homes in the UK have switched to a renewable energy supplier using the likes of wind, solar or hydro power. Switching can even save you money.
4. Buy an acre of rainforest
South American rainforests are vital to the world's ecosystem. The charity Rainforest Concern, will purchase and protect areas of tropical forests and saveguard sites from well documented destruction.
5. Save-a-flush
Water is becoming an increasingly precious commodity. Put a save-a-flush bag or brick into your system and help save over 2000 gallons of water every year through this method.
6. Turn off lights when you leave a room. A fluorescent lightbulb left on for just 15 minutes uses 500 times more energy than it would if it was switched off when not needed. Help reduce wasted electricity and save yourself money.
7. Unplug your phone charger. A report from O2 reveals that only 5% of energy used by UK mobile phone chargers actually charges phones. Over 50,000 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide emissions could be avoided if we unplug our chargers.
8. Buy energy efficient appliances. Choose an A or A+ labelled product and help reduce energy levels. Energy efficent products will not reduce performance nor necessarily even inflate the price.
9. Travel to Europe by Train. Instead of shooting to Barcelona for a weekend by a cheap flight, book in advance and travel on the Eurostar. The CO2 emissions for each person on the train is just 40kg compared with 277kg.
10. Support an environmental charity. There are so many to choose from ranging from well known to small. See what is out there and choose whom you would like to support. Some of these organisations are making huge movements in encouraging indivduals to make a difference.
