Thinking about Global Warming, it is easy to become overwhelmed by the issue and not be able to manage the implications of all our actions. And yet sometimes just a few minor changes in our daily habits are more effective than we can imagine…
Stop harming, start helping
Never before has a generation been bombarded with so many global pressures. Poverty, drugs, genocide, global warming, raising sea levels, deforestation, slavery, terrorism, human trafficking and aids- these are just some of the topics that have become part of our everyday conversation.
Gone are the days when owning your own car was a symbol of freedom and leisure; now it’s a symbol of carbon emissions and someone who doesn’t care about the environment. A trip to the supermarket, which used to be enjoyable, now has pressure intertwined in every aspect: the guilt of taking the car on such a short trip, even though it would’ve been impossible to carry everything home; the stress involved if we accidentally forget our green bags; the fretting over which items to buy that would amount in the least amount of packaging.It’s easy to become so overwhelmed by these issues, that it seems easier to switch off- especially when it’s an issue that’s as big as global warming. Yet by making a few small changes in your own life you can stop harming, and start helping the environment. Read the –eight tips below and discover how you can transform your life and start living ‘green’. And the good news is, they won’t take up a lot of your time or money!
- Transform your transport - Walk, ride, catch public transport or car pool
- Save water - take shorter showers or shower with a friend
- Opt for op-shops - Vintage is in!
- Eat less meat - Go the veggie option more often
- Be energy efficient - Turn the lights off when you leave a room
- Change your washing habits… Wash in cold water, it saves energy!
- Turn it off - If it’s still flashing, it’s still on
- Say no to plastic - Avoid, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Australia is one of the biggest contributors to global carbon emissions in the world. In 2007, a World Bank report showed that between 1994 and 2004, Australia’s carbon dioxide emissions (the principle greenhouse gas contributing to global warming) increased by 38 per cent. The average Australian contributes approximately 19.36 tonnes of carbon emission per year, which is three times that of Sweden and Switzerland, more than five times that of China and 70 times that of the average Bangladeshi.
Motor vehicles are a major contributor to carbon dioxide. So reducing how many kilometres you drive will dramatically decrease your carbon emissions. Rather than drive, walk or ride a bike to work or uni. If you’re going somewhere further than biking distance, catch public transport or get some co-workers together and car pool.
Being a drought-stricken country, we all know how much water we are wasting when we take 15-minute showers. But did you know that showers are not only heavy on water use, they also use up a lot of energy?! As energy consumption contributes heavily to greenhouse gases, taking shorter showers not only saves water (and money), but also reduces your carbon emissions.
In the market now there are also available a range of innovative water-saving devices, from showerheads to groovy shower clocks that you can program yourself. Check them out online.
Op shops are a great place to grab yourself a bargain, you can pick up a summer dress, a skirt and a shrug for a total of $13! Not only are op-shops great for those on a budget, it seems that sustainable fashion is the latest trend to hit high street.
In November last year, Sydney hosted Australia’s first sustainable fashion parade, the Eco Runway. Well-known Australian designers including Akira, Nudie Jeans, Gorman, Camilla, Romance was Born, S!X took part in the parade, showing that the hottest looks of today can be created using recycled or natural materials and sustainable manufacturing processes. So rather than spend money on new clothes, help a charity and buy recycled clothes for an eighth of the price, then alter it to suit your own style.
The UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation has estimated that meat production accounts for nearly one fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions. These emissions are generated from the gases produced by animals (methane fluctuance), as well as from the production process meat goes through before it hits our supermarket shelves.
By eating even one less portion of meat per week, you will be helping to reduce the demand for meat and lessen the negative impact that meat production is having on global warming.You’ll also be doing something positive for other environmental problems that are affected by meat production, such as habitat destruction, deforestation, air and water pollution, water scarcity and loss of biodiversity.
Incandescent light bulbs account for approximately 25% of an average household’s energy bill. Not only do they use up a lot of electricity, but during its lifetime, an average incandescent light bulb costs approximately 5 to 10 times the amount of the light bulb itself!
Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) are energy-saving light globes that provide the same quality of light, but last up to 10 times longer than incandescent light bulbs, and use 50-80% less energy! Not only are CFLs more cost and energy efficient, they are also available for free!
When we put a load of washing on, where the used dirty water will end up is not always at the top of our list of thoughts. Yet unless you have an eco-system which filters grey water onto your garden, the grey water goes down the drain and ends up in our rivers and the ocean. The problem with this is that many washing powders and detergents contain high amounts of phosphates, which are toxic to aquatic life. So when you see a river with dead fish floating on the top, it can be a sign that the water contains high levels of phosphate.
Planet Ark and Aware produce environmentally friendly laundry powders that do not contain phosphates or petrochemicals. Their products do the same job as regular washing powders, yet do not harm the environment and are also biodegradable. These washing powders are available from Safeway, Woolworths, Coles and Bi-Lo stores.
Approximately 10% of energy used in Australian homes is from appliances that are left on standby. Stereos, TVs, video recorders, DVD players, microwaves, coffee machines, computers, laptops and other appliances that are left on standby are not only producing unnecessary carbon emissions, but they’re also costing us money when we’re not even using them! The simplest way of cutting out this waste is to turn things off at the wall. An easier way of doing this may be to get a multiple outlet power board with a master switch, so with the flick of one switch you can turn off multiple appliances.
Every year 80 million tonnes of plastic is produced around the world. The majority of this plastic is made using natural resources, such as coal crude oil and natural gas, which cannot be replaced once they are depleted. As well as using up natural resources, most plastic is not biodegradable, so it will stay in our environment for hundreds of years, or indefinitely in the case of plastic bottles. Current landfill capacities are almost exhausted in Australia, with a lot of discarded plastic ending up in the sea, killing marine life. The production of plastic also generates greenhouse gases, which is heavily contributing to global warming.
The best way to reduce your waste is to follow the advice form ‘Clean Up Australia’. First, avoid buying plastic whenever possible. Invest in a stainless steel drink bottle rather than buy plastic bottles . Second, reduce the amount of plastic you buy. Buy refill packs and products with minimal packaging. Third, reuse the plastics that you do buy to give them a longer life; use margarine containers for left-overs, or donate to a local school to use in craft. Lastly, recycle all other surplus plastic.
These are all simple steps that we can all implement in our daily lives. No excuses, make a change now!
For help making changes you can find green businesses in our food & drink, home & garden, recycling & waste, transport, water and energy sections of our Green Business Directory.
Written by Lauren Robertson
