bemoreeco

Becoming greener often feels like an impossible task – there is so much to think about and so many ways in which you could change your lifestyle. Taking small steps, making one little change at a time, is the best way of dealing with this feeling, and gives you that warm glow of doing good without forcing you to make a seismic shift in how you run your life. These top ten were taken from Green England’s top 50 tips.

1. Mugs arn’t for mugs - Ditch those nasty polystyrene cups at work, and bring in your own mugs instead. While you’re at it, keep a supply of plates and cutlery to hand to use instead of plastic ones.
2. Drink tap water not bottled - Drink tap water, not bottled and save money as well as helping the planet. If you don’t like the taste use a filter. UK tap water is more tested and regulated than most bottled waters. The industry uses around 2.7 million tonnes of plastic in packaging not to mention the transport cost in fossil fuel. Even the plastic that is recycled has a transport overhead.
3. Decide what you want before you open the fridge - When you open the fridge door up to 30 per cent of the cooled air escapes. Have it open for the minimum time possible. Save energy and money.
4. Recycle your mobile phone - When you have finished with your mobile phone, find a way to recycle it. Many charities take them or look online to find companies ready and willing to take your phone and may be even pay you for it.
5. When your lightbulb needs changing, use energy saving bulbs - Next time a light bulb needs changing, replace it with an energy saving light bulb. It will use 20% of the electricity of a normal one and last up to 12 times longer. Saves money and energy and the hassle of changing bulbs so often!
6. Always cover your pans with lids when cooking - Keeping the lid on you pans whilst cooking saves energy allowing you to turn the plate or gas ring right down. Keeps your bills down too.
7. Turn off the oven 10 minutes before the food is cooked - Turning off the oven 10 minutes before the end of the required cooking time and the oven will retain enough heat to finish the cooking. Ovens are so well insulated that they retain the heat often beyond this 10 minutes. Save energy and money.
8. Defrost food before cooking - Cooking food from frozen can use twice the electricity than cooking defrosted food. If you do this regularly you can significantly reduce both the the energy used and the cost of running your oven.
9. Always buy recycled toilet paper - Anything other than recycled paper is not necessary for toilet paper. It is often cheaper than the main brands. Plus if you buy recyled paper it increases the market and thus further encourages recycling.
10. Don’t run water when brushing teeth or washing hands - Save water by turning the tap off whilst brushing your teeth and only using what is necessary. The same goes for washing hands or dishes.