We all are more conscious nowadays about our planet. We try to do our bit to help but not always realising that helping our environment can be actually very beneficial for ourselves. Here are our tips that not only are good for the planet but good for your wallet too.
- Whether you are on a quick shopping spree or your weekly grocery shop, the question we all hear is “do you need a bag?”. The charge on single use plastic bags was introduced in the UK in October 2015 to help win the battle against plastic waste.
It is clearly working because there has been a dramatic 86% drop of single use plastic bags. Personally I keep foldable bags in my car, my handbag, in the draw in the kitchen and even next to the shoe rack, similarly to everything else, if you make it easily available to yourself, there is no way of refusing to use it.
2. Have you ever read the writing on the back of the toothpaste? Most toothpaste brands include a very obvious message that may sometimes skip our minds – turn the tap off! Not just during brushing your teeth but also washing your hands, doing the dishes and any other activities that require water. Simple and yet so often forgotten.
3. The next one is something that I was guilty of myself! There is no need to fill up the kettle all the way to the top if you only need enough water for one small tea. It takes twice if not more times as long to boil and results in wasting electricity. (Thank you boss lady for this important life lesson).
4. Bring your own reusable cup to a coffee shop, and extra kudos to you if it’s made of sustainable materials like bamboo for example. An increasing number of coffee shops are following the big brand initiative and encourage people to bring their own cups into the shops. You will be charged less as you will not have to pay for latte levy which is currently 25p, and help to reduce the huge amount of cups being thrown after just one use – 2.5 billion a year in the UK alone!
5. Following the previous idea, we also strongly advise thermal reusable water bottles. There are many bottles out on the market which are high quality and comfortably maintain your drink cold for up to 24 hr and hot for up to 12. I have had my bottle for over a year now and cannot remember my life before it. Thinking of the amount of plastic bottles I haven’t used and money I saved makes me proud!
6. Switch the tv off for an hour and go for a walk. Walking and exercising have been a recurring theme the last few months, given lockdown and not many places being open, we have all adapted and learnt to appreciate the outside life a lot more. We can only hope we follow this pattern and stick to our healthier lifestyles, and take in nature as much as possible before the winter gloomy seasons make it a bit less enjoyable.
7. Swap four wheels for just the two wheels. Most people growing up have heavily relied on cycling when getting from place to place but for some reason as soon as you start driving, bikes do not seem as tempting. Just think of the fuel you could be saving, and alongside it – the planet will thank you for not releasing pollution. Cycling is fun and can be great family time too.
We hope you enjoyed reading our first blog written by our talented Paula and that we gave you some ideas and inspiration.
Let’s save the planet together!
The Highworth Emporium Team