Go Green: Simple Habits to Protect the Planet

Protecting the environment should be a top priority for everyone who inhabits this planet. With the population constantly rising and pressures being piled on from all aspects of our lifestyles, it is important that everyone does their bit to look after the earth. This doesn’t mean that you have to suddenly make huge, complicated changes to your life, but rather getting into a few simple habits can really make all the difference. Here are just a few of them that you can easily adopt yourself.

Use Energy Efficient Light Bulbs

Rather than traditional light bulbs that can be very wasteful, going for the compact fluorescent light bulbs will help to reduce the amount of energy you use. They may be more expensive when you buy them initially, but they last a lot longer and they have the positive knock-on effect of reducing your electricity bills.

Turn Off Your Devices

You should try to get into a good habit of turning off your electrical devices whenever they are not in use. For example, switch off plug sockets when you don’t need them and turn off light bulbs whenever your leave the room. It may take a little while before these habits start to stick, but it is worth making the continued effort to make sure they do. You could also consider investing in energy efficient devices, and if you are planning to utilise solar power, it is worth checking out a five-point guide to buying solar hot water systems. Most green habits start from the home.

Avoid Driving Short Journeys

When you own a car, it is often very easy to become over reliant on it. If you are making a shorter journey where you can walk or cycle instead, you should try to take this approach. Not only will you reduce the amount of pollution you are putting into the atmosphere, but you will also find yourself getting more physical activity in your life.

Fix Leaky Faucets

If you have a tap in your home that is constantly dripping, not only are you wasting water, but that is money that is going down the drain. It may not seem significant at first, but if you leave the tap dripping for a long period of time, this can end up costing you a great deal of cash. Fixing the problem if often fairly straightforward, so you should check to see if you can solve the issue yourself before calling in the professionals.

Donate Rather Than Throwing Away

Every now and again, everyone needs a clearout of any stuff that they are no longer using. Instead of throwing it away, consider donating it to charity as you may find that someone can still get some use out of it. Not only are you not filling up landfills unnecessarily, but you are also giving to a good cause.

Use the Right Amount of Detergent

Don’t overuse detergent, but instead use the recommended amount as stated on the packaging.