Now... I may be an ageing hippy, and I definitely care about our environment, but Swampy the Eco-Warrior I'm not! So if you're expecting me to to say we should all go out in little rubber boats and harrass the Japanese whaling fleet, or impede cargo-ships transporting nuclear waste, then I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed! (Please don't get me wrong, I think Greenpeace do a fine job, but that's just not my style...)
So, what can you and I do to help to preserve the environment and make the world a better, healthier place for our children and future generations? Well, we can do a lot of things that WILL make a big difference! Let me throw a few ideas at you...
Use and waste less energy - Instal low-energy light bulbs, insulate and draught-proof your home, fit thermostatic valves on radiators, turn your heating down a degree or two. Turn lights off when they're not in use, don't leave TV sets or PCs on standby....
Transport - use the car less - If public transport is available, use it. Walk or cycle for short journeys, for longer journeys try to arrange car-sharing. Consider using a motorbike, or maybe converting your car to run on cheaper, less polluting LPG fuel...
Use less packaging - Buy products in reusable / recyclable packing (for example, buy your fruit and vegetables loose in paper bags, not shrink wrapped in plastic trays). Try not to buy take-away food in styrofoam packaging. Re-use non-biodegradable plastic items like carrier bags, and even cups...
Recycle as much of your rubbish as you can - Why bury it all to pollute the countryside? Most councils provide facilities to recycle paper and card, tin-cans, glass and plastic, and you can make FREE compost from your vegetable waste... (If you're not sure what facilities your local council offers, click HERE to go to a list of all the County and District Councils in the UK, with links direct to their websites, where you'll be able to find all the information you need.)
Parents of babies / toddlers - Try not to use disposable nappies! I know they're convenient, but re-usable terry-towelling nappies save a huge amount of rubbish that otherwise gets buried in land-fill sites... and some councils (check link in the paragraph above) actually provide a subsidy to parents for towelling nappies!
If you have a garden - Conserve water... save rainwater in a water-butt for watering plants...
Nothing too radical or civilisation threatening there, I know, but if we all do a little, then overall we achieve a lot. So it really is worth making an effort - after all, we're talking about the future well-being of the only planet we have!
Of course, there are a lot of other things we can do... and the ideas and information are all out there on the web. So I've put together a list of links to other sites of a green nature. Check 'em out, you might find something more you can do to help!
And finally, if you'd like to suggest any other simple environment-saving ideas, or pass on details of a good eco-friendly website, then click HERE to e-mail details to me for inclusion on this site.
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