Today is World Environment Day and to quote the legendary Sir David Attenborough, “The truth is: the natural world is changing. And we are totally dependent on that world. It provides our food, water and air. It is the most precious thing we have and we need to defend it.”
All of his points ringing true, we do need to defend our natural resources and the planet before it is too late. Green options can often look like the expensive option, so we are here to debunk this misconception! Here are five things you can do to help the planet and save your money!
Buy a reuseable water bottle!
Did you know? A plastic water bottle takes 450 years to decompose in a landfill? Buying a reusable water bottle is one of the easiest go green options you can do. There is a huge array and choice now of sustainable bottles. Some taking both hot and cold drinks- so you will not miss out on your coffee fix! All whilst reducing your plastic footprint! They can cost from as little as a pound up to £40. Do the maths…
Switch up your fashion game!
Up-cycling, charity shops, kilo fashion sales and swap shops are all viable options to update your wardrobe, plus cheaper! Every year around £100 million worth of clothing waste goes to landfills- that is in the UK only. Many of this clothing contains microfibers that again like water bottles take years, decades to decompose. Search for local events or donate your unworn clothes to a great cause! Keep your eyes peeled in charity shops and kilo sales, you could find big brand items for only a fraction of the cost.
Do your food shopping online!
It may sound odd to read at first as it is delivered by a van. However, breaking it down, this can reduce your carbon and plastic footprint. How? A van say can hold twenty deliveries for just one area. Therefore that has saved twenty cars from making the journey to the shop. So grab your housemate’s orders and shop together, as you may then even get a discount on delivery! You also are less likely to impulse buy…and we are all guilty of that. Additionally request for no bags in your order, saving you money and less plastic used!
Students rejoice- Use a Microwave!
Yes, microwave as much as you can as opposed to traditional electric ovens. They use a lot less energy and are much easier on the bank account to those who live in electric energy homes. According to a leading energy provider cooking on a 3.3kWh electric cooker for 30 minutes each day can be equivalent to £90. In contrast, using a microwave could only cost around £3 a year if used for 10 minutes a day!
Line dry
Save on your laundry and energy bills, with summer just around the corner now is the perfect time to dry your clothes outside. Like ovens, dryers use a lot of energy, and can sometimes take longer than line drying. So let your laundry dry in the sunshine and breeze!
