In this article we will provide our tips for going green, but let’s be sure we are talking about the same thing first! The term “going green” is the popular term for sustainable living used to describe a certain lifestyle that helps to reduce the impact that humans have on the environment. Today, sustainability is a term that is often used informally by those who advocate living green in order to “play green”. Even though “playing green” can be a fun and light activity, “living green” is better for the planet and must be better for humans, too. Humans must live as sustainably as possible, otherwise, there will be great suffering for generations to come.
While “going green” is admirable and will do more than anything to show businesses and politicians everywhere that the wholesale deprivation of future generations by stripping away the resources needed for future living has to stop. Going green is in reality only the start of a revolution in commerce which will underpin all our green playing and living efforts and it’s known as the “circular economy”.
The ideas of a circular economy are designed to replace the current “consume and dispose/ throw-away” economic system of today. They bring together the use of resources such as energy and production materials ain new ways which go way-beyond the good but outdated model of simply “recycling“. They are a mean by which to implement an economy in which the vast bulk of all activities use nothing more than renewable energy to circulate the materials we all use, with minimal demands for new raw materials and the main material input being renewable natural materials such as wood, and crops grown once again only on renewable natural fertilisers.
Human beings must understand that living green will be better for the environment as well as humans. There are a few simple steps that help to reduce the human impact on the environment. It’s our responsibility to do our part so that future generations can enjoy and thrive in the beautiful and pristine environment that we are in charge of protecting. As citizens of the earth, we have an obligation to the earth and all inhabitants of it.
Here are five simple steps that help to reduce the human impact on the environment:
1. Use less plastic bags
If you do your part, you’ll never need to use a plastic bag again. There are now many options that are convenient and practical for all of us. You can get bags that are made from hemp, cotton, or yarn. These products can be washable and can be used for many things. These are durable, and can be used many times. These are not likely to break or rip, and are durable enough to be used for grocery shopping. These are convenient as well as good for the earth. They are washable, and so convenient that many people use them as primary bags. Buying in bulk is another option for bulk shopping. This makes shopping easy and economical.
2. Use non-cotton clothes and towels or return your garments to be recycled to the original seller when worn out
Choose clothes and towels which use the new fabrics made from bamboo, and hemp. It saves money and reduces the amount of non-renewable fuel, chemical fertilizer and pesticides it takes to make cotton products. These new sustainable fabrics will soon to be available for house towel, bed sheet, and sheet sets. But, if these new sustainable fabrics are not available to you locally you can still go green. Just buy your clothes from stockists who will take back you old clothes shred the cloth and remake new garments for you.
3. Go eco-friendly with electronics and appliances
Your phone, laptop, and TV are all extremely useful products. But, you can easily do without one or both. You can buy a cheaper device that has a small environmental footprint. Alternately, you can repair an old device and upgrade it to make it a better device. It is easy to upgrade many old computers to an all-new computer internally. Alternately, you can get refurbished electronic appliances that were factory refurbished after being returned by a previous buyer. They are usually easy to care for and are remade and guaranteed for their intended use. Auction sites such as eBay are opening new categories for refurbished goods so that these devices are easy to find and bid for online. Also, buy an energy-efficient TV.
4. Compost biodegradable materials and reuse
You can compost many natural biodegradable materials on your garden compost heap and reduce the fertiliser and manure you buy. Also, never buy peat based garden compost, because peat is defined as a non-renewable resource. At the same time always look for opportunities to reuse your old and worn out products. There can be many ways to reuse materials items such as carpeting, clothing, curtains, furniture, and other products.
Many of the products you use in your daily life can be made from items you already have in your house, including your clothes, towels, and bedding. To make these items, you simply take a sheet of material (like old rug or fabric) and use it to make the product. People who take courses in home crafts take great delight in making many things from the bits and pieces of materials which they would otherwise have thrown away.
At the start of the pandemic a retired friend was making beautiful and functional face makes from old offcuts of fabric rolls. They were so popular that she now has her own business selling these and other new craft products which she has since devised. She makes all her products from recycled materials with her friends and sells them online. To go green you can use the Internet to find companies in your local area that sell these sustainably produced items. These companies often also run training courses. If you take these courses they will help you to start your own sustainable business. Choose a product to create such as a clothing item or carpet that can be made from a piece of material you already own. This is an eco-friendly business model, it could not be greener, and it can even both save you money and put more money in your pocket!
When you follow these tips, you can find yourself on the path to an environmentally friendly alternative way of living. You can also help by shopping smarter and reusing and recycling your unwanted goods. Not only that you will be using recycled items instead of buying new, whenever possible. When you shop smart in this way, you are helping the environment, you are saving money, and you are doing your part for the planet’s future.
Author: Steve Last
Steve is a regular contributor of "going green" style articles at the IPPTS Pier H blog where they have another article on this topic which you may also find interesting: Eco Living Tips For Beginners.
