5 ways to go green
With energy bills on the rise and growing concern for the future of the planet, most of us are looking for ways to live a greener lifestyle. The good news is that making small changes can make a huge difference and there are countless ways you can do your bit, from driving low emission cars to turning off lights when you leave the room.
Green living has become something of a hot topic over the course of the last decade and most of us have stepped up our efforts to go green. If you’re looking for ways to join the cause and start supporting greener living, here are some ideas to get you started:
1. Save energy
This is perhaps the easiest but most effective means of adopting a greener lifestyle, while also helping to save you a huge amount of money in the long-run. It may seem almost too simple to be true, but switching off lights, using energy efficient light bulbs, washing your clothes at 30 degrees C, hanging your washing out to dry and using a thermostat in the home, will help to cut your bills dramatically, as well as saving considerable amounts of energy.
With energy bills increasing year on year and most people struggling for extra cash, now is the perfect time to start keeping a watchful eye on the amount of energy you use.
2. Move with the times
Low emission vehicles, such as hybrid cars, are a fine example of advances in technology and feats of engineering; they are specifically designed to cut fuel emissions and reduce the carbon footprint, by using a combination of power sources. Car manufacturers, such as Honda, have invested huge amounts of money in developing environmentally friendly vehicles, with cars from the eco range doing more than 60 miles to the gallon and emitting just 101g/km of carbon dioxide. These cars reduce the amount of fuel you use and your expenditure on fuel, which is a definite bonus considering the price of petrol has rocketed. Green cars also have much lower road tax.
3. Think outside the box
There is a feeling among some people that green living automatically means missing out on things and cutting back, but this is not always the case. There are some cool and innovative ways to go green, thanks to weird and wonderful inventions, such as toilets that have a tap fitted to the top, meaning you can use water recycled from the loo to wash your hands without even having to walk across the bathroom.
4. Save water
You can save both buckets of water and cash by following a few simple rules in the home; showering instead of bathing, turning off taps when you are brushing your teeth, washing full loads of clothes and dishes and avoiding going crazy when you water the plants, will all help to reduce the amount of water you use, which will cut your bills, as well as helping the environment.
If you’re looking for funky gadgets to help conserve water, the eco-kettle is a great idea, as it lets you release the amount of water you need into a separate boiling compartment, rather than heating all the water in the kettle.
5. Car pool
Car pooling has been a great success in the USA and it is becoming increasingly popular in the UK; there are roads which allow you to drive in a faster lane if you have more than two people in the car and sharing lifts on the way to work or on the school run will save you time and money, as well as reducing your carbon footprint.
There are many ways you can go green and make a difference; some of the changes are so simple you will hardly notice them and in most cases, going green is good news for your wallet, as well as the planet.
