Easy Ways to be Eco-Friendly

Save Petrol

This will save you money and help you sleep at night!

• Close the car windows whilst you are on the move. This will reduce air resistance and therefore the amount of petrol your car uses.
• Try not to use too many revs, as revving your engine emits much more carbon emissions than normal.
• If you see the train gates closing as you approach a level crossing, turn off your engine. This is much more pleasant for nearby pedestrians and people in other cars too.
• Walk, cycle or scoot to local places, particularly if you are visiting neighbours or the nearby corner shop. The exercise is good for you and the environment! (no offence implied – simply stating the facts!)

Save the Earth

Ok so I admit this header is a bit extreme, and it also applies to all of the above rather than just this paragraph. But I couldn’t think of a more apt title for recycling and reducing litter. Land fills are the source of a major form of pollution, being damaging to water supplies and therefore wildlife (and even people). Manufacturing new goods from scratch uses up a lot of electricity, with huge carbon emissions, whereas recycling used materials to make new products does not require nearly as much energy. Most people know this already, but short of driving (with all the costly carbon consequences of that) to the nearest recycling facilities every five minutes (once a fortnight is more sensible, or whenever you go to the supermarket, as these tend to have recycling facilities), the options appear limited.

So why not take a leaf out of the green book, and try the following recycling tips that might even save you money:

• Recycle your old mobile – you can even get some money for it at envirofone or send it back to the manufacturer in exchange for money or an upgrade!
• Have your ink cartridges refilled – it works out cheaper than buying new ones. Try Cartridge World or sell them at Cash for Cartridges
• Buy concentrated liquid products, such as washing detergents, to save on packaging and transportation lorries, as well as money.
• Invest in a ‘bag for life’ and remember to take it every time you shop, or simply leave it in the car if you have to drive.
• Instead of just throwing away unwanted clothes, donate them to oxfam or a charity shop. Alternatively have a swapping session with a bunch of friends!
•  Re-use tea bags, then compost them.
• Squash down the contents of your bin, and even if you don’t recycle make sure any plastic bottles or cans have all the air taken out of them before you throw them out, as in the long run this will save a lot of space in landfill sights.

Save your purse. Save the polar bears. Save the planet! Good luck with being a lean, mean, eco-machine!