Eco Tips

Recycling is one of the best ways to help the environment as it reduces the overall level of waste in landfills and saves energy by reusing the same materials.

Create a tree-friendly home by reducing your households use of non-recycled paper. Replace paper serviettes with cloth ones and use toilet paper produced from sustainable sources.

Only 3% of water on earth is freshwater and these water reserves are being depleted rapidly. Try conserving water by showering instead of bathing and turn taps off when not in use.

Turn air conditioning units off when the outside temperature is low to medium to save electricity and money.
 

Don't consume seafood products from unsustainable sources or from companies that allow bycatch fishing practices. Alternatively, stop eating seafood altogether to help protect the world's oceans.

Make your home as eco-friendly as possible. If you can afford to, invest in double glazed windows, energy efficient boilers and appliances as well as roof and wall insulation.

Set up a rainwater harvesting system to allow you to store rainwater. The collected water can then be used for non-drinking purposes such as to water your garden, wash your car or clean your windows.

Replace existing shower heads and taps with low flow products. By doing so, you will reduce the amount of water you use when showering and washing your hands.

When possible, turn off all switches when an application is not in use. 75% of all power generated by plug sockets is wasted and an average of 10-15 watts of power is wasted each hour per device.

Buy recycled goods such as second hand furniture, recycled paper and clothing made from recycled materials. Also try to buy products that have recyclable packaging.

Cut down on your household waste. Use different recycling bins for materials such as cardboard, aluminium, tin and glass to reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfill sites.

Make your garden or backyard wildlife-friendly. Add a bird bath, a variety of plants, bird houses, bushes, trees, animal feeders and rocks to attract insects, birds and small mammals.

Become an environmentally friendly gardener. Try to use low-emission garden products like push mowers and organic compost instead of gasoline-powered mowers and peat-based composts.

Harness the power of the sun. Investing in solar panels may be costly in the short term, but it can be very cost effective in the long term. You can also purchase solar powered chargers to charge batteries and gadgets.

Reduce your car usage by walking, cycling or using public transport. Avoid rapid acceleration and braking as this consumes excess fuel. Driving more smoothly could reduce your fuel consumption by a 1/3.

Keep temperatures down during warm and temperate weather. Each time you turn your thermostat down by a degree you could save up to 10% on your heating.

Deliver a presentation on the importance of conserving nature and the environment and offer people eco-friendly ideas. You can also share eco tips with friends and family.

Browse the Internet for additional eco tips and for in-depth information on climate change and the impact humans are having on the planet.

Form a tree planting group and set your group a goal to plant a certain number of trees. A single tree can absorb a tonne of CO2 during it's lifetime.

Send a letter or email to your congressperson, senator or member of parliament asking them to push for environmentally friendly bills.

Encourage others to recycle. Lead by example and show others how easy it is to recycle items by reusing them or by putting them in a recycling bin.

Invest in fuel efficient vehicles and household appliances. Most of the CO2 in the earth's atmosphere comes from driving vehicles. A more fuel efficient vehicle will also help you save money.

Choose an eco-friendly energy company to supply electricity to your house. Opt for a company that invests in alternative energy sources like solar power, wind turbines, hydroelectric power and wave power.

Share these eco tips and others on social networks, with friends and in the workplace. By doing so, more people will be encouraged to adopt simple lifestyle changes that will benefit the environment.