Will Blue and Yellow Mean Green?

The Government Signs-up to 10:10 from 10:10 on Vimeo.

David Cameron’s ‘Liberal Conservatives’ have pledged to go more Green by adopting efficiency style savings such as cutting 10% carbon emissions on all government estate – something which has been welcomed by the campaign group 10:10.

But what can you do to do your bit in cost-cutting energy efficiency matters?

Going green is something we all want and need, to do to help save the planet. But it seems many people think the things you need to do are either very costly or overly complicated. Most of us just simply don’t know where to begin. There are some very easy, simple things you can start doing right now that will help reduce your carbon footprint. Some of them will even help save you a little money.

WAYS YOU CAN GO GREEN

The smallest things count. One of those small things involves paper towel usage. By using fewer paper towels it will help lower your carbon footprint. While this may seem like a small thing, every little bit adds up! One easy way to lower paper towels usage is to buy some good quality kitchen towels you can wash and reuse. Make sure they are always handy for drying your hands, wiping up spills and drying dishes. Limit your use of paper towels to the really nasty messes. It doesn’t take much effort and once you get in the habit you’ll discover you’re spending less money every week on paper towels!

STOP USING PLASTIC BAGS – HAVE YOU GOT YOUR BAG FOR LIFE YET?

Another simple thing you can do to help the environment is to stop using plastic bags. Buy a few canvas tote bags you can use over and over again. Plastic bags may be convenient but there are literally millions of them piling up in landfills every year and they may take up to 1,000 years to decompose.

Plastic bags are bad for the environment. Plastic water bottles are bad for the environment and for your health. Invest in a few travel mugs for your ‘to go’ water instead of buying it in plastic bottles. This will provide you with two benefits; you’ll help reduce plastic in the landfills and you’ll be saving your body from harmful toxins that can leach into the water you are drinking from those bottles.

FULL INSPECTION OF THE HOME

Another area where you can help the environment and save money is in the heating of your home. To be sure your furnace is working at the peak of efficiency, have it serviced regularly. Inspect your windows and caulk them when necessary to eliminate air leaks. Install a programmable thermostat to help keep your home at a steady temperature. Try keeping it set at 68 degrees or below when you are home and 58 degrees when sleeping or at work. This is an area you will need to experiment with to find the most comfortable temperature for you and your family.

SIMPLE THINGS DO MATTER

It’s common knowledge that using energy-efficient appliances can help reduce your carbon footprint and save on utility charges. But not everyone can afford to buy new energy-efficient appliances. However, there are some things you can do that will help reduce electric consumption and are also good for the environment. In this day and age a large majority of people have a home computer. Be sure to turn it off when you’re not using it. Always turn lights off when you leave the room. Take a good look at appliances and electronics you normally leave plugged in all the time. Do they have little LEDs, lights or clocks? You might consider unplugging them as these lights do consume energy, even when the appliance is off. Charging units, such as your cell phone charger, are drawing electricity even when the phone is not attached to it. Unplug all charging units when they are not being used.

Going green doesn’t have to mean taking extravagant measures; like converting your home to solar energy, or driving an electric powered car, or erecting a windmill. Every little step you take counts towards improving the environment, no matter how small. You’ll find all the little steps added together lead to bigger steps and you’ll be making a less negative impact on the environment. If everyone in the world, or just the U.S. for that matter, did these little steps everyday, think of the huge improvement it would make on our environment?

HELP THEM, HELP US

The environment needs help from all of us and you can begin doing your part right now by getting going HERE.

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