If you’re a parent, you understand the desire to look after your family and do everything you can to ensure that your children have a good future ahead of them. Unfortunately, you just have to glance at the news to see potential problems now and in the future. One of the best things that we can do to preserve our planet and our children’s futures is to look after the earth.
With that in mind, here are a few things each one of us can do to live more sustainably and, hopefully, do our bit for the environment.
Reduce Your Energy Usage
This option serves to handily kill two birds with one stone. As well as doing your bit for the environment, you’re also potentially saving a lot of money. Your utilities bill is based on how much power you use, as well as water and (depending on where you live) gas.There are a number of ways to reduce your energy usage without massively changing your lifestyle. One thing to consider is to simply be aware of how much energy you use. A smart meter can help with this, and it can also work along with a smart thermostat. Basically, you can keep your house heated when it needs to be, without cranking the heating up or heating an empty home. This is great for your comfort and your energy usage.
It’s also a good idea to just use your eyes. Are the lights on when they don’t need to be? Do you leave consoles and televisions on rather than switching them off? How much power are you using without actually using it?
If your house is inefficient, it can use a lot more energy. This costs you money and it costs the environment. Better insulation can keep your home better heated without using more energy.
One thing to consider is your doors and windows. If they are older, they can form faults in the seal, which will result in nasty drafts and all your nice warm air escaping into the winter cold. Consider getting energy saving home window replacements so that you can not only get rid of the older windows, but also replace them with better options.
Switch to Clean Energy
While reducing the amount of energy you use is a great option, there’s another way to improve your energy use. This is to switch to a clean energy source.There are a few ways you can do this. One of the most common options is to get solar panels installed on your property. Most people put panels on their roof, because this doesn’t take up any extra space and they can ensure that the panels get as much sunlight as possible.
Solar panels aren’t perfect, as the materials used to make them are dug from the ground. However, they do produce clean energy with no emissions. Also, solar energy isn’t likely to run out anytime soon unlike fossil fuels, so this is a renewable energy source.
Some people are able to install wind turbines on or around their property. But this is more limited because you have to live in a high wind area to make it work.
If you can’t get a clean energy source directly, another option is to invest in a community solar field. This is a fantastic way to access clean energy while making a wise investment.
Make Sustainable Purchases
Sometimes what you buy also matters. Consumerism is a direct cause of environmental damage, as the more we consume, the more materials are used, destroyed, or wasted. Instead of buying things that are doomed to be thrown away, consider getting things that will last made out of more sustainable materials.Plastic is one of the worst offenders, as it doesn’t rot away over time and it can’t be reused easily. Instead, plastic sticks around and fills up landfills. Microplastics are everywhere and show no signs of vanishing anytime soon.
When it comes to running a sustainable household, you need to find a balance between sustainability, price, and practicality. Look for other options where possible and support companies that try to run sustainable businesses.
It might feel like you’re a drop in the ocean, but the more households that purchase in this way, the more of an impact there will be overall.
Commuting Sustainably
Car emissions are one of the most significant contributors to greenhouse gas emissions around the world. Unfortunately, we need cars to get around. Or do we?
Sometimes you can’t get away from your need for a car. But you do have options. You could try to cut down on the amount of time you spend behind the wheel, only using a car when you have to. Or you could consider more sustainable and eco-friendly options, like electric cars. The technology for electric cars still means that there is some damage to the environment, but they are completely emission free.
So how else could you travel if not in a car? Cycling is a fantastic way to get to and from work, as you aren’t just saving the planet, you’re also saving yourself. Riding a bike is a great cardiovascular exercise and can be very handy for commuters.
Another option is to use public transport. If you live in or around a city, most public transport systems are relatively reliable and can be cheaper than running a car. They’re also much better for the environment and reduce traffic congestion.
Gardening and Composting
Finally, it’s well worth talking about gardening. Many people view gardening as a hobby and nothing else, but this can be a fantastic way to save money, the environment, and improve your health. It’s like a triple threat for making your life better.Setting up a vegetable garden is a lot of work, but it’s worth it. Grocery shopping is necessary for most people, but it does come with downsides. A lot of groceries are shipped from around the world, which means they travel miles before getting into your kitchen. They might be packaged in plastic and grown in a way that isn’t environmentally friendly.
If you grow veg at home, you are reducing your use of these food products. But this doesn’t mean that you have to set up a huge allotment right away. Sometimes it's best to ease your way into gardening and find methods that you enjoy.
Build one vegetable bed first and consider raised beds as they are comfortable to use and more efficient than growing in the ground. Start small and build your way up. Concentrate on vegetables that are easy to grow and that your family enjoys and eats a lot. You can also pick some more interesting vegetables that are hard to access in stores.
Even a herb garden is a great place to start, because it’s small and easy to work with. If you enjoy your gardening experience, you’re more likely to catch the gardening bug.
Speaking of gardening, a great way to have a good impact on the environment is to compost. Household waste makes up a huge part of our carbon footprint and finding new ways to reduce our waste will help a lot.
Recycling is a good start, but composting will help you get rid of a lot of vegetable scraps that would otherwise take up space in landfills. Even better, the compost you produce can be used to give your veggie garden a helping hand. A quick and easy way to transform kitchen scraps to compost is through the use of a kitchen composter machine.
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