Whether you want to reduce your carbon footprint or you want to reduce your bill size, we could all be a little more environmentally friendly. Of course, some people think that being environmentally friendly automatically means walking around barefoot and being a stereotypical “tree hugger”, when in actual fact, you can make a huge difference with only a couple of small changes.
Grow Your Own Veggies
An easy way to keep your wallet and your tummy full is by starting your own veggie patch. Perfect for any skill set, you can grow your own yummy veggies in your backyard, which is not only a great hobby to pick up and an easy way to eat healthier, but it’s also a great way to help the environment. You can start small, only growing a couple of veggies at a time, and then work your way up. Keep your tools in a quality garden shed from MyDeal, and watch your love for eating healthy and saving money grow (as well as your veggies).
Fix Stuff When It Breaks, Don’t Just Replace It
If you have a broken item in your home, such as your washing machine, instead of just replacing it, try and fix it yourself. Replacing something broken can be expensive, and it also creates unneeded waste.
Trench Composting
Jennifer Forest from Carrot Patch shares her advice. “We bury our food waste directly into the veggie garden rather than via a compost bin. This was a common method used by Italian and Yugoslavian immigrants decades ago which we just rediscovered. You chop it up small and bury it a good 30 to 50cm down and leave it a couple of months, when it will have disappeared into the soil.” Find out more about Carrot Patch by following them on LinkedIn.
Get A Better Shower Head
One of the largest wasters of water in the house is a leaky shower head. If your showerhead tends to drip after you’ve had your shower, chances are you need a new one. A modern, stylish shower head is more often than not, adjustable, and can have its flow power reduced. This, in turn, can save you heaps of money on your water bill, and is better for the environment, as you’re using less water and stopping that annoying leak!
Waste Less
Helen Andrew from Spare Harvest shares her advice. “One of the easiest ways to reduce your carbon footprint in your own home is to waste less. When you throw away food and garden resources in the bin, they end up in a landfill. Your waste then contributes to the production of methane gas which is 20x more toxic than carbon dioxide. If you can't use everything, then try and share it with your community. Jump onto Spare Harvest and share, swap or sell what you no longer need with your community. Share glass jars, food scraps, excess produce, plants, seeds, pots, scoby starters and leftover landscaping materials. It's time we wasted less and shared more.” Find out more about Spare Harvest by following them on Facebook and Instagram.
Shading
Bridget Puszka from BP Architects shares her advice. “Shading your home from the summer sun is the best approach towards a cooler home. Shading can block up to 90% of the summer heat before the sun heats up your home stopping the sunlight before it radiates into your home. north, East and West Shading - The sun travels high overhead in the middle of a summer day. eaves or horizontal shading this will shade your windows from the high summer sun. On the east and the west sides of your home, the sun will be at a lower angle as the sun rises and sets. Vertical shading works well on these sides of your house.” Find out more about BP Architects by following them on Facebook.
