Home Five easy steps to be more green
Local

Five easy steps to be more green

Contributors
recycling
(© barameefotolia – stock.adobe.com)

Sustainability has become a bit of a buzz word lately, but there’s a very good reason for that. Climate change is one of the largest threats to humanity, but we can all do our part to combat it.

If everyone makes an effort to become more eco-friendly, we can slow down climate change. Small changes can make a difference as long as enough people adapt to them.

What are the negative effects of climate change?

The impacts of climate change vary across the globe. Unfortunately, it is those in the least developed countries that suffer the most.

Here are some of the negative impacts that climate change causes:

  • Diseases spread easier in higher temperatures
  • Melting ice, leading rising sea levels and flooding of coastal areas
  • More extreme weather – tropical storms and droughts
  • Extinction of certain species, including bees, which can’t deal with extreme temperatures

Although some people may enjoy a rise in temperatures, ice and snow is crucial for maintaining balance on Earth. Large patches of these reflect sunlight back beyond the atmosphere, keeping Earth cool enough for life to survive.

Go greener

There’s been a concerted effort worldwide over the past few decades to go greener in different ways. For some people, it may seem difficult to make changes, simply because they don’t know where to begin. However, there are things you can do every day that will help you live your life in an eco-friendlier fashion.

We’ve selected five things, so you can make changes to different parts of your life.

1. Clothing

  • Wash less: A simple way to make a green change is by washing your clothing less. When you do put a wash on, set the temperature to 30°, which saves energy by a reported 40%.
  • Shop sustainably: Check out second-hand and vintage stores. It’s amazing what you can pick up, you’ll save money and the environment.
  • Don’t throw it away: Clothing ends up in landfill. If you don’t want it, give it to charity, never put it in the bin.

2. Food

  • Eat less meat: meat is responsible for a huge amount of greenhouse gas that goes into our atmosphere. Emissions occur at every point of production, so if you eat less, then it reduces these harmful gases.
  • Make your diet more diverse: Over reliance on certain crops is bad for nature and a threat to food security. Try new things and check out the Future 50 Foods to give you some ideas.
  • Go plant-based: plants use less space than meat or dairy on farms, which also gives the land time to recover. Gradually move towards a plant-based diet to save our planet.

3. Home

  • Switch to renewable energy: find out if you can invest in solar panels for your home, there are grants available.
  • Replace lightbulbs: LED bulbs use around 85% less electricity than standard lighting, so switch out your old bulbs.

4. Work

  • Recycle: whether it’s old keyboards or ink cartridges, make sure you find a way to recycle or reuse. Many companies that make these items give you the option to return old or used products for recycling.
  • Conserve energy: make sure to switch off lights and unplug items before leaving the office. There is so much wasted energy from office buildings.

5. Travel

  • Cycle: many cities have a service where it’s possible to rent public bikes and drop off at convenient locations. It’s a great way to see a city.
  • Use public transport: wherever possible take a bus or train, it reduces your carbon footprint.
  • Whether at home, work or away, use as little plastic as possible. Refuse single use straws and try not to buy any plastic bottles, which take years to break down.

Conclusion

If we all begin making more sustainable choices, this will have a profound effect on our planet. These simple changes are easy to start implementing, so you can go green in a few easy steps.

Contributors

Contributors

Have a guest column, letter to the editor, story idea or a news tip? Email editor Chris Graham at [email protected]. Subscribe to AFP podcasts on Apple PodcastsSpotifyPandora and YouTube.