This month... take aim on our eco top ten
1.Grow Your Own
Make 2010 the year you start growing fruit and vegetables in your own garden. You’ll benefit from organic, tasty and fresh produce and you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you grew it yourself! Find out more at www.rhs.org.uk/GROWYOUROWN. If your garden isn’t big enough for a vegetable patch, consider getting an allotment. Check with your local council about allotments in your area, but bear in mind, you may have to go on a waiting list.
2.Buy Ethical Gifts
This year, when birthdays, christenings, housewarmings etc. come round, make a pledge to buy ethical gifts rather than standard mass-produced ones. Choose from fair trade stationery and jewellery, home furnishings crafted from vintage fabrics, or toys made from wood sourced from ethically managed forests.
3.Save Water
Water is a precious resource so it makes sense to use it wisely. This is especially true if you have a water meter for your household’s usage. Two easy ways to save water are to install a water butt to collect free rainwater for your garden, and to
use a timer in the shower with a 4 minute target time.
4.Recycle More
Most of us take advantage of our kerbside recycling collections, but make a resolution this year never to miss a collection. Put the collection dates on the fridge as a handy reminder. Also, try to recycle even more than you currently do. Even if your kerbside collection is restricted to paper, cans and bottles, you can still recycle cardboard, phone books, drinks cartons, some plastics etc. at your local civic amenity site. Find out more at www.recycle-more.co.uk
5.Get into Composting
Reduce your rubbish further by setting up a compost bin in your garden. Find out how to get started at www.recyclenow.com/compost. Make sure you have a good balance of ‘greens’ and ‘browns’. ‘Greens’ include vegetable peelings, fruit waste and teabags while ‘browns’ are made up of scrunched up paper, egg shells and cardboard. If you have a small garden, try setting up a wormery instead which takes up less space.
6.Save Energy
In these cash-strapped times, it really pays to save energy and reduce your bills. At the same time, you’ll be benefiting the environment too. Make a conscious effort to switch off lights, turn appliances off standby, use energy-saving light-bulbs and defrost the fridge/freezer regularly. Visit www.energysavingtrust.org.uk for more ideas about saving energy at home.
7.Sign Up for Green Electricity
Make a pledge this year to switch your energy supplier to one which provides renewable electricity. You can compare green energy tariffs at www.uswitch.com so the process is quick and easy too. Currently, you won’t benefit from the economies of dual tariffs as you will have to buy your gas from another supplier, although some green electricity companies are planning to start selling gas in the future.
8.Insulate Your Home
If your home is draughty and uninsulated, you will literally be throwing money away through lost heat. Take the time to check your doors and windows for draughts, installing draught-proofing where necessary. Consider secondary glazing for problem windows. Don’t forget to lag your hot water tank and install loft insulation to a minimum depth of 270mm.
9.Use Your Car Less
Begin the year as you mean to go on by walking or cycling wherever possible – you’ll improve your fitness and benefit the environment at the same time. Try to do at least one or two journeys a week without the car. For journeys of three miles or over, try using the bus or train.
10.Cut Your Carbon Footprint
Cutting your carbon footprint simply means reducing the impact you have on the environment in terms of carbon dioxide emissions. If that sounds daunting, don’t worry. The good news is if you keep as many of the above resolutions as possible, you’ll be well on the way to achieving it. There are plenty more ideas at www.1010.uk.org, a campaign to encourage everyone to save 10% of emissions
by 2010.
