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6 Ways to be More Environmentally Conscious in 2019

Author: Sandy Abram   Date Posted:7 May 2019 

6 Ways to be More Environmentally Conscious in 2019 6 Ways to be More Environmentally Conscious in 2019

If you’ve already switched your single use shopping bags, coffee cups, water bottles and cutlery for reusable versions and you’re a superstar reducer/reuser/repairer/recycler, then you’re probably looking to become even more eco-conscious. Here’s six ways you can boost your eco credentials even further!

 

Being environmentally conscious means doing all we can to reduce the footprint we all leave behind on the environment on a daily basis. We can’t have a completely invisible impact, but we can strive to make our tread as light as possible.

 

You may already be doing wonderful things, but perhaps you’re looking to go that bit further?

 

As ever, we’re here to support you - so here’s six more awesome ways you can help protect our planet.

 

1. Use Less Water

Showering uses far less water than taking a bath, but you can save on water consumption even further.

 

If your shower takes ages to heat up, catch the dozens of litres of water, that will otherwise get wasted whilst you’re waiting for it to heat up, in a bucket.

 

Then use this water to water houseplants or outdoor plants, or to flush the loo! (Just be careful lifting a heavy bucket of water.)

You can also buy small cartridge devices that fit into the head of your shower. These aerate the water, reducing the amount of water that comes out by at least 50%, and you won’t even notice the difference. Get into the habit of turning off your shower as you lather up or wash your hair too.

 

To save even more water, check out our tips on making your laundry super green!

 

2. Banish the Bottle and Embrace the Bar!

This might sound like it’s got everything to do with drinking alcohol, but what we really mean by this, is switching your pump bottle of liquid soap or shower gel for traditional bar soap.

 

Bars of soap don’t come in plastic packaging, they cost less and last longer. We use six times less soap and 30% less water when using a bar of soap compared to liquid soap.

 

Bars of soap therefore have multiple benefits to the environment.

 

Our soap bars are made using natural ingredients, with zero parabens, SLS or harsh detergents. And they’re available in a glorious range of delicious scents, all fragranced using pure essential oils.

Here, we’re also fans of shampoo and conditioner bars, so join us on our quest to Bring Back the Bar!

 

3. Switch Off Your Lights & Devices & Switch to Low Energy Lightbulbs

Sometimes it’s the simple things that make a big difference.

When you leave a room, don’t forget to switch off your lights as you head out the door and switch off your devices and plugs instead of leaving them on standby.

I know kids can be notorious for this one just putting the lights on in every room (when you don’t even need them) and leaving them on as they walk around the house. Keep nagging and hopefully they’ll learn soon – after all it’s their future we’re thinking about.

At night, don’t forget to turn off your TV, computers, entertainment gadgets and media centre at the plug. You’ll be surprised how much different this can make to your electricity bill and our environment.

Speaking of lights again, next time you have a light bulb that needs replacing, it’s worth considering an LED light bulb.

 

LED bulbs cost more initially, but they last much longer and are very energy efficient.

 

This means lower energy bills for you and less strain on the environment in terms of both energy usage and in terms of waste as you’ll need to replace them less frequently, if at all.

Whilst we’re on the topic of energy saving, make sure that in your home - off means off. Switch off lights when you’re not in the room and don't leave chargers plugged in or TVs on standby. Inconvenient maybe, but far better for your green credentials.

Install a smart meter if possible too, so that you can see how much energy you’re using (or even better, saving) on a daily basis.

 

4. Choose Ethical Clothing

Choosing to buy locally sourced, seasonal produce is a fantastic way to reduce food miles and your carbon footprint. But did you know that you can also shop ethically for clothing too?

 

Sustainable clothing is sooo this season, dahling.

 

Eco Warrior Princess has 12 Australian ethical clothing brands to choose from. Or, you could use the good on you app, which allows you to browse their eco brand directory or search for your favourite brand to see how they fare on the eco stakes. Both are ideal for finding brands that put sustainability, ethics and the working conditions and fair pay of workers over profits.

 

5. Go Plant Based Diet

Animal agriculture, including the dairy and egg industries as well as the meat industry, contributes more to climate change than all transport added together. It’s responsible for shocking amounts of deforestation, species extinction from deforestation, water use, waste and land use.

 

According to the Environmental Working Group, if one family of four skipped one steak meal a week for a year, it’s the equivalent, in terms of benefits to the environment, to taking their car off the road completely for three months.

 

Going vegan or plant based means giving up all animal products including meat, fish, dairy, eggs and even honey.

It’s a big commitment, so perhaps going completely vegan or plant based overnight is too daunting. If you want to reduce your impact, then there are many ways you can do so with your diet. You could try going meat free once or twice a week or switching your cow’s milk to a plant based alternative such as oat milk.

 

6. Travel Less

Exotic travel to faraway lands has had its day - you heard it here first!

 

Staycations are the next big thing in eco friendly holiday making.

 

We have so many beautiful places to explore and beaches to visit in Australia, many on our own doorstep. So ditch the passport, leave the car at home and book your seat on a train adventure.

 

Believe That You Can Make a Difference

Each one of us, doing our own bit, collectively will make a difference. The health of our planet and our future generations depends on us.

 

We’d love to hear your eco ideas - share them with us below or on our social media!

 


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