We've all been waiting for Spring, the magical day that officially takes us away from the harsh winter, and brings us one step closer to summer. Spring is the season of new beginnings, of blooming flowers and awakened animals. It is a time where the earth comes to life again and everything looks greener.
Here are 5 tips to encourage you to 'go green' and transform a few daily routines into sustainable, environmentally-friendly ones, and benefit from a higher quality of living for you, your family, and the world at large.
1. Start planting a food garden
It is easier than you might initially think. Certain vegetables such as tomatoes, radishes, peas, salad greens, and most herbs are incredibly easy to grow. You don't have to have a garden to grow your own food. Raised beds in a yard or a balcony can do the trick. You can even grow food on your kitchen window sill. In some ways, you will need to go through trial and error, but thanks to dedicated Facebook groups, you can ask for advice and learn from other's mistakes. Growing your own food is incredibly rewarding, and in such uncertain times, it is good to know that you can be a little bit more self-dependant.
2. Re-purpose and Recycle
Every year, the Earth yields billions of tons of natural resources and at some point, in the not too distant future, it will run out. That's why we must think again about what we throw away very carefully. We now need to look at waste as an opportunity rather than a problem. Think twice before throwing something away... Can it be fixed or saved? Can it be turned into something new and useful? Can it be donated? Can it be broken down for parts? Re-cyle is a good thing to do, but should only be done as a last resort.
3. Use earth-friendly cleaning products
Most cleaning products are full of toxins and chemicals that are harmful to humans, and harmful to the Earth, as they eventually all make their way to the bottom of the ocean. Eco-friendly products, on the other hand, are made with natural ingredients that don't harm people or the planet. But there are other reasons to make this switch. Green products save you money as they are so pure that you can use less in quantity. Most of them are all-purpose so your shopping list will be shorter too. Overall, they provide a better result and are safer to use.
The recent ban on single-use plastics is a good step forward, but we as individual consumers can do much more! Take reusable bags with you, not just for the entire shopping, but also for the vegetables, the fruit, the bread, etc. Get a reusable water bottle everywhere you go; it is almost impossible to find a drink that is not packaged in plastic most of the time. Get your own coffee cup and have it re-filled at your favourite coffee place. Remind yourself to say NO to anyone offering you anything made out of single-use-plastic. Food wraps are a great alternative to your lunch packaging, instead of plastic cling or foil. Many items at home can be re-used for a longer life-span and help you generate less waste.
5. Conserve water & electricity
Simple tasks you can do every day that result in a great impact over time, such as: turn off unnecessary lights, use natural light when possible, take shorter showers, turn off the tap when brushing teeth, fix any leakages, unplug what you are not using, use the dish-washer at nights, run full loads of laundry, wash laundry with cold water, and nature-dry your laundry and buy water and electricity efficient appliances when possible.
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