Once the domain of activists, environmental issues are now an everyday concern for the mainstream population. While we have come a long way to make ‘eco’ a term that is accessible for all, there is still a misconception that to be environmentally friendly and ecologically ethical you need to wave goodbye to convenience and money. Here are ways that you can save money at home, while fulfilling your desire to be more eco-friendly.
- Go paperless
Just as day follows night, every month you will receive paper copies of credit card, utility and telephone bills, but often, your providers attach a cost to providing the paper version. Devote an hour for contacting your providers to switch to paperless billing; quite often they charge you sending out paper copies, so it worth spending time reviewing the situation. You may even receive a discount for switching to direct debit.
- DIY beauty
Beauty products have traditionally been tested on animals, that is because they can contain toxic chemicals and synthetic compounds that, in higher doses, can cause serious reactions in mammals. They also pollute the environment once they enter our water: mercury, formaldehyde-releasing agents, and parabens to name but a few. However, it is relatively simple to create your own DIY skin and hair products that are fabulous for your beauty regime, gentle on the planet, and your purse.
- Recycle
While your experience of recycling may be limited to wheelie bins, you can also recycle your old car. The EU has strict directives about how cars can be scrapped – old vehicles generate between 7 and 8 million tonnes of waste in the EU alone! If your car has come to the end of its life and has seen the last of its days, you can contact Scrap Car Network who will come and collect your car and give you cash – safe in the knowledge that your car will be recycled and disposed of ethically and in an environmentally friendly way. Don’t forget to reclaim any outstanding insurance and tax that you will be owed!
- Unplug and turn off
You will have been told since childhood about turning lights off when you are not using the room, but with the excess of electrical devices that we have in our homes nowadays, we need to apply this mentality to them too. You must get into the habit of switching off plugs when you are not using the device or appliance; to make things easier, invest in a power strip so that multiple sockets can be turned off at one time (get one with power surge protection so that your appliances are safe from damage).
- Stop wasting food
When there are so many people that struggle to put food on their family’s table, the issue of food waste is made all the more distasteful. There is no real reason to waste food, other than a lack of foresight. Plan your meals and buy accordingly. If you find that you have food left over and can freeze the food to be consumed at a later date or make a heart-warming soup – eco and convenient!
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