Over the years, it seems more and more people have decided to make the switch and adopt some greener and economically beneficial habits, and a large majority would have to agree that many are clearly the smarter and exceedingly eco-friendlier option. So why make the green change aside from the obvious environmental benefits? A new year’s resolution? An opportunity to save money? Perhaps you just want to do your bit for the planet. Whatever it is, everyone needs to start somewhere when changing their day to day routine. So, here are a few tips on how to reduce your carbon footprint for 2016 and onwards.
Fair trade items
Although when you’re eating that bar of delicious chocolate the last thing going through your mind is ‘I wonder if this is fair trade?’, it’s a very important point to consider if you’re looking to go green as the buyers of fair trade products are required to pay a stable cost to cover the proper and safe management of waste and the safe usage of agrochemicals. This is something you should take into consideration if you are determined to become and eco-friendly individual. As a retail or hospitality business you could perhaps even consider offering fair trade products to clients.
Reusable bags
It’s no secret that plastic bags are an all round environment destroyer. People tend to throw them away as quickly as their shopping goes into them! The build up of plastic bags that have been thrown away causes huge amounts of debris that pollutes the Earth in colossal amounts – adding to the effect of global warming. Reusable bags are a great environmentally friendly alternative to plastic – and choosing this method instead instead of buying and discarding not only benefits the environment, but also helps save those 5p coins!
Green packaging
When sending goods via post or courier service, consider the packaging you’re using to wrap them up in. Paper and cardboard packaging is now mostly sustainable or recycled – envelopes, jiffy bags and boxes. But polystyrene and plastic wrap is still often produced using a great number of chemicals and doesn’t degrade easily – so where possible try to opt for intelligent corrugated inserts to protect breakables or good old-fashioned newspaper scrunched up into balls to pad out boxes.
Reduce the usage of vehicles and transportation
Many courier companies are now investing in bicycles and greener mopeds with smaller engines to reduce their carbon footprint – whilst businesses using vans and cars are also looking at ways to reduce their emissions overall and save on fuel bills. Whilst of course it is easier to jump in the car or on the bus, motored vehicles greatly increase the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere which adds to your carbon footprint, so this is not an eco-friendly form of transport. We all know this, but it can be a tricky thing to bypass when going green as you may not so easily be able to walk everywhere. If you’re looking for a form of transportation that is eco-friendly and doesn’t always require walking, a bike is a great way to get from A to B without increasing pollution and it’s also quicker than walking – you may find that more bike riding leads to a healthier lifestyle, so not only is it beneficial to the environment, but it’s good for you too!
Reduce the amount of electricity you use
One of the most common ways to be harmful to the environment is to contribute to the extreme over-use of electricity. Nearly everybody must be guilty of having those lights or appliances switched on when they’re not actually needed or completely forgetting to turn things off after they’ve been used – and many of us forget that the over-use of electricity is not only dangerous to the environment, but dangerous for us too. When electric items are left switched on and not being used, they are still emitting heat and power and this is adding to the ever growing problem of global warming and increasing fire hazards in your home or workplace.
Going green in 2016 (or now) is a brilliant way to reduce your carbon footprint and do your bit to help the planet! If you’re thinking about becoming an eco friendly individual or family, replacing little things in your life with eco friendly alternatives is a great way to start. You may find that not only will going green improve your contribution to environmental awareness, but it might even help you live a healthier lifestyle. Contact us today to find out more about how we’re going green in 2016.
