The one feature of our world that has been around since the beginning of time is the environment!
Nature is what surrounds us and what has been part of our Earth before any of us humans were even a thought. Now that we have arrived, it is a concern that our ways of life will eventually destroy our environment.
Our Impact on the environment…
The environment has become a very important topic within the last couple of decades.
The way that humans are treating our surroundings has become a concern for our present and our future. To show their support, big businesses have made changes that have started reducing their wastage. Brands such as Woolworths and Coles have gotten rid of their plastic bags and have proposed to stop selling plastic straws by the end of the year.
They have also started donating produce waste (fruits and vegetables) to local farmers to further help our environment. It is hoped that these big businesses creating awareness with change the way Australians treat the environment. So how can us individuals contribute?
There are a lot of ways that we can help improve the environment. From wastage to electricity and even how we get to and from work. A lot of us know how to reduce our usage of water thanks to the many droughts that this country has encountered. The last one to impact Melbourne and Sydney was the ‘Millennium Drought.’ This drought introduced a lot of water saving techniques that are still useful to this day. These include:
- Having showers rather than baths.
- Reducing your shower time to 2 minutes or less.
- Turning off the tap whilst brushing your teeth.
- Instead of the traditional way of draining your washing machine water, move the drainage pipe into the backyard to feed your garden.
- Don’t wash your car as much; as well as a lot more techniques.
Besides from saving water, there are also more costly changes you can make to your home. These include buying an electric car to reduce emission and installing solar panels. More of the recent environmentally changing techniques include shopping with reusable bags, taking a ‘carry up’ and using a reusable straw.
But what are some other ways people can help the environment that is just as easy and important?
1: Cleaning your gutters and downpipes
What many of us do not realise is how polluted our gutters can make the water that runs off them.
Depending on how many trees surround your house, there could be a number of items blocking your gutters. This can lead to rusted gutters, gutter overflow and damage to your house.
It is also common for animals such as birds to create nests in them. The pollution is created by these items and the toxicity from the rust. In the end, it means the water running into our stormwater system is polluted. Most of the time, this water is sent to Water Treatment Plants where any rubbish and chemicals are removed.
But our stormwater systems are not supportive enough for a heavy downpour of rain. When the system becomes flooded or a machine/pipe breaks, the water is drained into the local waterways. When this happens, it is suggested that people do not swim or use these waterways for 48 hours after a storm as it is that badly polluted.
So getting your roof gutters cleaned is a useful and commonly unknown way of helping the environment.
Experts say that cleaning your gutters at least once a year is important for a number of reasons, not just the environmental factors. Though, cleaning them two times a year is the recommendation.
Another good way to recycle your stormwater is to install a water tank that connects to your downpipes. This way you can use the water stored to hydrate your plants during a drought. Just make sure there are no toxic chemicals in the water.
2: Meal Prep
Commonly known for its health benefits and as a money-saving technique, meal prepping is also a great way to help the environment.
Knowing exactly what you want to buy for every meal of the week, including snacks, results in less product waste. Product waste includes leftover food as well as the packaging the foods are wrapped in.
Research conducted in 2009 showed that household food wastage Australian wide was costing close to $8 Billion a year.
That $8 Billion does not include all of the rubbish that is being produced, meaning the cost of packaging wastage is more than this figure. By planning your meals, food is less likely to expire, you will know exactly how much a serving size is and (hopefully) have no leftovers.
3: Second-Hand Shops
Everyone loves the experience of buying something brand new.
Whether that be clothes, accessories or toys, there is a good feeling that comes with it. A new trend that has risen over the last couple of decades is shopping at Second-Hand stores.
These include St. Vinnies, a Vintage Shop and the Salvos. There are so many of these stores that are collecting old items that were essentially going to become landfill.
A study conducted in 2017 suggests that in a year, 75% of Australian adults will throw away clothes, 24% stating that some of the items were only worn once. To create a new wardrobe every season might be good for your Instagram, but not the environment. Shopping and donating to a second-hand store can create new looks, save your money and save our environment.
Another option for getting rid of old items is selling them online, which brings us to the next tip.
4: Online Shopping
There are so many different forms of online shopping these days. You can sell and buy items on sites such as Gumtree, eBay and now, Facebook.
It is a great alternative to buying and selling items from second-hand stores. Besides the second-hand items, you can also do your grocery shopping, buy clothes and pay your bills online.
Depending on how the items get delivered, this method of shopping can be better for the environment. It can reduce fuel emission as well as lower the wastage of packaging that may come with items that you are now able to download.
Remember in the good old days when you had to go to the shops to buy a movie? You would have to go and buy a hard copy that holds the content. This disc or videotape and the packaging it came with is all waste. Thanks to the internet, you are able to buy a movie or program just by downloading it. No need to drive, no need for a plastic bag and most of all, no need for the disc. The invention of online shopping and the ability to download has helped our environment.
These alternative methods to save our Earth are easy and can be cost-effective. They are only slight changes in your life that can promise a healthy future for the next generations. What other unknown methods do you use to save our environment?
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