Living Greener – Reduce Your Dependence on Your Car

It is very easy to become dependent on your car, as it makes it so much easier and quicker to get around. However even a short trip in your car pumps as much as 5kg of CO2 into the air, and costs you as much as £3 in
fuel alone. Therefore it is cheaper and greener to walk or cycle short distances, and healthily for you too.

Cycle Paths

Most major cities now have cycle path networks, which means you can cycle safely on busy roads to and from work and into the city centre, and miss the hectic rush hour traffic. Make sure you have a secure bike chain with you so you can lock and leave you bike safely when you arrive.

Pedestrian Paths

Not all roads have footpaths, so plan your route carefully to avoid walking on the road. All roads are busy these days, with the traffic moving constantly 30 miles an hour or more, so not only is it dangerous walking on the road it is also unpleasant and full of pollution. Many pedestrian paths in town centres now are also cycle paths, so walk to one side of the pavement and listen out for cyclists, as they can travel very fast and could find it difficult to avoid you if you suddenly turn into their path.

Public Transport
It can be cheaper and easy to travel by bus or train to your destination, especially in towns and cities where public transport is regular and well maintained, and also you will not have to worry about finding a parking spot
when you arrive.

Growing Food at Home

A lot of the food in our local supermarkets has had to travel a long way to reach the shelves, and this all adds up to your own carbon footprint when you purchase these products. Even if you do not have a big garden, (or no garden at all) you can still grow basic vegetables, which will not only reduce your carbon footprint, but will also save you money.

For example you can grow rocket leaves in a pot on a sunny windowsill, and when you cut them they will grow again. Seeds and compost will cost you under a £4 and will give you a whole summer’s worth of salad leaves, which is a great saving compared to a bag of rocket from the supermarket, which costs over £1.50 and can only be used for a few days.

If you are planning to grow your own food to be more eco friendly, you will need to try and avoid using chemicals, either as pesticides or fertilisers. Here are a few tips on how to go about this:
* Slugs are a huge pest for vegetable gardeners, but chemical slug pellets can be ineffective, and also poison other beneficial wildlife in your garden. Try watering the garden, or waiting until a shower and then patrolling the lawn and
borders, picking up slugs as they come out in the damp weather.
* Hoe the ground around your plants regularly to prevent weeds from forming, but leave some spaces a little wild to encourage wildlife into your garden.
* Research about plants that complement each other, and those that discourage pests. For example marigolds are known to put off pests, and their bright colours and strongly scented pollen attracts a number of useful pollinating insects.

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Recycling Clothing

Fabric Industries have a significant impact on the environment, from materials through to production, and although it is wonderful to have the latest fashions if you are trying to live a more eco-friendly life then it is much better to recycle clothing, and utilise all those millions of perfectly good garments that get thrown away every year.

Charity Shops
This is an excellent way to recycle your clothing and pick up new outfits, and charity shops are making much more effort these days to sort through clothing and present it in a more appealing manner. You can pick up good quality
clothes, bags and shoes here at rock bottom prices, and there are plenty of gems in amongst the unfashionable items if you have a good look around.

Online Auctions
eBay and other online auction sites are an ideal place to pick up bargains, but you should avoid the eBay shops selling new clothes and instead look through auctions from private sellers, as they are often clearing out cupboards and
selling good as new clothes that would otherwise be thrown away (not everyone can be bothered to go to the charity shops!). You can pick up second hand designer clothes here very cheaply, and no one but you will know they were second hand.

Swap Parties
The next big thing is swap parties, where groups of friends organises a huge event, where they bring all of the clothes they don’t want to swap with other items from friends. These Swap Parties are great fun, and a fantastic way to
recycle your clothes, accessorise, bags and shoes, and you can make an evening of it by providing drinks and nibbles.

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Tips For A Greener Lifestyle

Shopping
Only ever buy what you need, and don’t be tempted by offers such as ‘buy two get the third free’ if you are not sure you can use all those extra products. Try and select recycled packaging and local, organic or fair trade goods wherever possible

Gifts
Instead of buying something that will just be thrown away eventually, give the gift that keeps on giving with ‘present aid’, which is a donation to the charity of the person receiving the gifts choice. If they are interested in growing their own food but don’t know where to start you could also give them a herb
seedling set, which can be grown easily on a sunny windowsill.

Switch
Electricity companies all differ in their attitudes towards renewable energy, so research your local providers and choose the one you feel is working best towards preserving the environment. If you can get Ecotricity in your area then this is a good choice, as this company invests a lot of money into renewable energy.

Off
Make sure all of your electrical equipment is turned off when it is not in use (microwave, television, DVD player, charges etc). Standby uses more electricity than you may realise, and it could save you as much as £40 a year off your electricity bill

Energy Saving Light bulbs
Energy saving light bulbs are getting cheaper every year as more and more people use them, and they can last up to 12 years, paying for themselves hundreds of times over. Energy saving light bulbs are 75% more efficient than traditional light bulbs and are an essential part of any green household.