Environmentalism is rapidly charging to the top of the political agenda – and it’s having an influence on our habits as consumers and human beings, too. If you’re concerned about the impact that you’re having on the environment, then it’s worth considering what effective steps you can take to reduce it. Let’s assess a few of the more popular measures.
Driving an Electric Car
It’s clear that any green future is going to involve driving an electric car, if any car at all. They’re vastly more efficient than their gas-guzzling equivalents, and they don’t produce any emissions at all from the tailpipe (though you’re still producing particles from tyres and brakes).
We should bear in mind that new electric vehicles produce more emissions as they’re manufactured – a disparity which is mostly explained by the cost of producing the battery. But, overall, the electric car is clearly the greener choice.
Turning off Electrics
If you aren’t using something, then you should turn it off. It sounds like a simple thing, but it’s something that many of us are guilty of neglecting. Extractor fans, televisions, office computers: they’re all vulnerable to being left on for hours, or even days on end. Get into the habit of turning something off when you aren’t using it anymore.
If you have the ability to do so, then automating your electronic devices so that they turn off after a certain about of time is going to be better for the environment in the long-term.
Growing and Farming Your Food
The increasing cost of living makes it hard for many to make ends meet. The bulk of the monthly budget is often allocated to food. A single trip to the grocery store can empty your pocket even before the next pay date.
But do you know you can grow your food? This does not only let you sustain your needs and ensure you are consuming healthy, safe, and chemical-free food, but you are also doing your part to help sustainable efforts with positive environmental impacts.
Of course, you can plant some herbs and vegetables in your backyard or even place them on your balcony. You can also take this farming game to the next level by considering beekeeping.
You are hitting two birds with one stone with this handy trick. You can harvest the honey from your bees and help plants grow and pollinate while developing and sustaining your food. Plus, it is not hard to start at all. You all need complete sets of beekeeping supplies, and you’re good to go.
Buying Sustainably
A great deal has been said and written about sustainability in recent years. But there’s still some confusion about what it really means. A simple explanation is that something is sustainable when it can go on indefinitely without impacting the planet. So, if you’re buying timber furniture, you should make sure that the timber is responsibly sourced. If something is made from oil-based products, like plastics, then, by definition, it isn’t sustainable.
Improve the efficiency of your home
There are a number of changes that you might make to your home to reduce its environmental impact. Of these, insulating your loft is among the more effective. If you’re starting from zero insulation, then this is a measure that will pay for itself within just a few years. Another simple measure might be to install LED light bulbs to replace your older halogen ones. They consume much less energy, and will pay for themselves in short order.