Did anyone else catch that Leo DiCaprio documentary on global warming? Leo brought the message home that it is time to put on our game face and take the environment seriously. Here are 7 great ways to help the environment (and save you money too!).
1. Take a Staycation
Planning a trip this Summer? Skip the long flight and take a road trip instead - or (environmentally) better still - hop on a bus or train!
Ireland has so much to offer between the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland's eye, the river Shannon and Ireland's Ancient East there is plenty to keep you and the family busy while reducing your potential carbon footprint.
2. Carpool
Can you imagine if we all called a friend and organised to drive to work together, take the train or grab a bus instead of staying in our own individual rides? There'd be a lot less traffic on the M50! Quieter roads mean lower fuel consumption, fewer accidents, less noise and less stress.
3. Save water
Water is a precious commodity so skip the bath and have a shower instead. Another way to save is to drink tap water - which is perfectly drinkable in most parts of the country so keep a BPA-free reusable bottle with you and stop buying plastic bottles of water in the shop. It's better for the environment plus it will save you money!
4. Turn it off!
We are a busy bunch of people these days. Not only are we watching TV in the evenings but we're cooking our dinner, listening to music, Snapchatting friends and Googling the latest fashion trends. But how often do we actually turn all of these devices off? If you see that little red dot, your machine is on standby which means it's still using 10% of your electricity!
5. Defrost your freezer regularly
If your old freezer has turned into an ice-filled igloo then it's time to defrost. Frosty freezers devour much more energy than nice clean ones.
6. Use energy saving light bulbs or LED bulbs
Replace your incandescent and halogen bulbs with energy saving bulbs or LED bulbs. They use up to five times less energy.
7. Reduce, reuse, recycle.
Think before you buy! Do you really need another knick-knack for the house? Is there a more eco-friendly kitchen paper you could buy? Do you have a bag for life? Be aware of your daily shopping choices and be sure to teach your kids the importance of 'waste not, want not'.
Source: Aha!
