This week has been incredibly hectic for lots of us. Work is always busiest in winter and everyone is bustling around, absolutely exhausted by the time Friday comes. Regardless of this, Greta Thunberg still does her weekly climate protests and keeps alive the hope for a future not tarnished by global warming.
Before you put your feet up for the weekend, have a think about how important climate change is and just how much it will impact on your future. On my own doorstep, the flat Fens are at risk of being submerged under water again in the next decade. Further afield, ice sheets are continuing to melt, causing destruction of ecosystems and extinctions.
Having mentioned these things, perhaps we can make subtle changes now to quickly make our lifestyles more ecofriendly.
1) Share car journeys
Some of us don’t live close enough to work to be able to walk there but perhaps we can car share on the journey to and from the office. When taking children to clubs and events, picking up their friends too can reduce the number of vehicles on the road.
I have taken to walking to town whenever I want shopping now. Although it adds fifteen minutes to that journey, I find I enjoy the stroll and feel better about making one less car trip. Be prepared to have to walk whilst carrying the bags though. You way feel like a sit down on the way home. Or it may prevent you from instinct buying.
There will be ways in which all of us can reduce our car journeys or at very least make them shared experiences.
2) Turn the heating down
My heating used to be set at 21 degrees but now I have switched it back to 19 degrees. This saves energy and cuts back my power bill. It also means that occasionally I feel the need to put on an extra layer or sit beneath a throw whilst watching television or not being mobile.
Ensuring your house has appropriate insulation will also help with keeping your home warm and reducing energy usage. Carpets and curtains also make a difference by holding in the warm air.
3) Boil less
When boiling water in the kettle, only put as much water in as you are likely to need. This sounds silly but makes a difference and the idea applies to espresso machines too.
If you are making a quick cuppa for yourself then don’t boil a full kettle. You will then not need to use as much energy and the kettle will boil more quickly, which means a win-win situation for you as the thirsty tea drinker.
I know that these suggestions are fairly obvious but they follow some basic principles which incorporate a more ecofriendly approach to daily tasks. We need governments to make big changes to reduce pollution but these manageable changes will help to make a difference if we all consider them. For a previous post about the environment, please click here.
Always good to remember the small stuff cause when millions make the small change it’s not small.
These are awesome tips Jamie! With me working from home full time and my partner going into office we can’t share car rides too much, but we do plan our shopping days to all be one big day so we aren’t making an extra trips throughout the week. As well, we also keep our heating lower than most and just add a layer or two, or put on the fireplace!
That is great to hear!
I actually never even thought about that with boiling water. If nothing else, it’s a good way to save a bit on energy costs. I wish it were easier to walk places where I live. When I lived in a bigger city, I would walk for my groceries but it’s simply not possible now. I definitely recommend it to those who can, though!
These are some great ideas! The point about boiling only as much water as needed is a great one, I’ve been trying to keep it to a minimum lately.
Yes every little change matters.