Environmental responsibility isn’t just a pie in the sky idea — it’s something that everyone can address in their own homes. If you want to have a more eco-friendly home but don’t know where to start these tips will help you.

1. Unplug

You’d be amazed at how much electricity appliances use when they are left on standby. Standby is another word for “I’m not using this right now”. If you’re not using it there is no need for it to be plugged in. Computers, DVD players, televisions, gaming devices, chargers for cell phones and cameras and MP3 players — all of those can be unplugged. The easiest way to do this is to plug them into a power strip and then you only have one thing to unplug each day. As a bonus, this will also reduce your electricity bill.

2. Streamline your journeys

If you have to go out in the car then you can save on fuel by optimizing your journeys. Many of us go out to do one thing, return home, remember something we forgotten and go out again. If we make a list of everywhere we have to go and group tasks according to their location we can make more efficient journeys and help the environment.

3. Go energy efficient

Make your home more energy-efficient by ensuring that it is well insulated so you require less heating in the winter and well ventilated so you need less cooling in the summer. Switch to energy-saving light bulbs which will cut your energy usage for lighting by about 75%. Although these bulbs have a higher upfront cost they last far longer than regular light bulbs. If you have to buy new appliances, check their Energy Star rating to make sure that they are as efficient as possible.

4. Buy local

Local shopping is a good idea for a couple of reasons. The first is that you are supporting your community. The second is that neither you nor the food has to travel far. Basically, you’ll be saving on food miles. And you can make this strategy even better by purchasing fair trade or organic food. You can also apply this to the vegetation around your home, using local shrubs rather than expensive imports.

5. The three Rs

Finally, one of the best ways to reduce your carbon footprint at home is to reduce, reuse and recycle. You can reduce the amount of packaging you use by doing things like using a reusable shopping bag instead of lots of little plastic bags when you shop at the supermarket. You can reuse wrapping paper and other packaging for other purposes (think craft projects). You can also take advantage of your local recycling system to make sure that any waste you generate is recycled. You can start a compost heap to recycle your vegetable waste as fertilizer. These are just a few ideas for how you can live a more eco-friendly life and reduce your carbon footprint.

 About the Author

Sharon Hurley Hall believes in environmental responsibility. She writes for Eden Springs, the first in the UK to provide certified carbon neutral water and the UK’s No 1. supplier of  office water coolers.

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