How to be More Eco-friendly

Do you realise how easy it is to be more eco-friendly?

Everyone is aware of climate change nowadays with people like Greta Thunberg spreading worldwide awareness of the matter. We have damaged the earth and need to make changes in order to make sure this isn't lasting damage. We still have time to reverse this damage if we all make an effort to change.

However, not everyone is mindful of how simple it is for the population to carry out normal tasks in an eco-friendly way. This article is going to discuss this and give suggestions and tips to you so you can have an impact.

Everyone seems to have the same thought that "I wouldn't make a difference alone so there's no point". But, if everyone had this mindset then no, there wouldn't be any change. Therefore, if we all made small changes to our lives then over time this will make a positive difference to the world and hopefully help reverse the damage we have done.

Starting with a simple tip - recycle as much as you can. Just making a conscious effort to read labels to see what is recyclable and what isn't, can make a huge change. Today, more packaging is able to be recycled than ever before. So, things that you thought couldn't be recycled before may now be able to be recycled.

More and more people are becoming vegetarian and even vegan. It is understandable that the majority of the population are not prepared to do this. This will never, rightly so, happen because as a country and even world we have been brought up eating meat and animal products. In order to help towards climate change and become more eco-friendly, many of us could, easily, cut out meat and even animal products one or two days a week. Without realising, this could have such a positive impact if millions of us took part.

It is widely known that by 2030, the production of cars powered by combustion engines will be banned. This means that only fully electric cars will be in production therefore any purchase of a brand new car will be that of an electric car. So, the next time you come to purchase a car - consider the purchase of an electric car. However, it is understood that generally electric cars are pricier so this may be unachievable for many. Fortunately, the prices of electric cars are starting to decrease in order to incentivise people to make the change.

Another simple tip to becoming more eco-friendly is to switch all light bulbs to LED lights. These have a considerably lower carbon footprint than standard lights. Every time you replace a bulb, replace it with an LED bulb and eventually you will have a house with all LED lighting - therefore, decreasing your carbon emissions.

This suggestion may seem an effort for some but can have a big impact - use reusable packaging. For example, when buying vegetables, cereal and milk - use reusable packaging. This can be expensive as the stores that sell these have higher prices. On a normal budget, try to reuse plastic bags and use less plastic water bottles - buy a refillable one.

With the cost of living crisis, everyone is having to be more conscious with what they are spending. Bills are at an all-time high so inevitably many households will be doing this anyway - have your heating on less. During winter, not having heating turned on is a struggle especially for houses with poor insulation. But consider turning it off when you are out when normally you probably wouldn't. Also, turn the heating completely off in rooms that are not in use - for example spare bedrooms. This is very eco-friendly.

An obvious one to many is to use public transport as much as possible. This means that people are sharing the emissions therefore, decreasing the amount going into the atmosphere. Transport like buses and trains are cheap and available at regular times. Also, consider walking or cycling more if within distance of your destination.

Solar panels are becoming more and more common on people's houses. Unfortunately, they are very expensive and take years to receive your investment back. On a positive note, they are extremely eco-friendly as they use the sun to generate energy to heat your house. So, if you have the funds to invest in this eco-friendly process then definitely consider them.

Overall, there are many simple things we can do as individuals to become more eco-friendly in order to fight climate change. Even if you only follow one of these suggestions, just know that you are making a difference.