Climate change issues do not lose their relevance. Everything we do leaves a carbon footprint. Every time we use transportation, do laundry, buy new appliances, and even just listen to music on social networks, fossil fuels are used. This process is accompanied by the release of greenhouse gases that accumulate in the atmosphere and trap heat. Violation of the temperature balance of the planet is expressed in the melting of glaciers and an increase in the number of natural disasters.
“Green” initiatives aim to slow, if not stop, climate change. Anyone can contribute by example to others, for example, at home or at work. And the easiest way to get started is with the following five simple steps.
Rule number one: turn off lights and electrical appliances.
The most obvious step is to reduce energy consumption. Its production in any case requires the use of fossil natural resources. That’s why we turn off the lights, replace the light bulbs with energy-saving ones, and don’t leave the chargers in the socket when not used for their intended purpose.
It turned out that we care not only about nature, but also about our own budget. Energy savings save you money that could be spent on useful purchases or savings.
The second rule: less plastic – cleaner rivers and seas.
Between 5 and 12 million tons of plastic waste ends up in the world’s oceans each year. This is a huge amount of garbage. You also need to remember that the production of disposable cups, convenient containers for household chemicals, packages consumes the same resources, the supply of which is limited.
Therefore, it is worth giving preference to those things that can serve us faithfully for more than one day. For example, replace a plastic bag with a canvas shopping basket and immediately weigh the vegetables and fruits in the store in their own bags. Choose local products that are not transported remotely, as transportation also leaves a carbon footprint.
Use reusable water bottles, drink coffee from vending machine but ceramic mug. Take shampoo or shower gel in a large container and pour it into special small containers at home. And by the way, this is also cost savings, because cosmetics and household chemicals in such containers are usually much cheaper.
Third rule: frugal life.
And don’t forget about good habits in daily life. There are special shower heads that reduce water consumption. By the way, a lot of electricity is used to heat the water. And if the temperature of the water for showering is a matter of personal preference, then for washing you can choose programs that do not require strong heating of water, especially today there are many modern tools that allow you to carefully clean. things even in such conditions.
The fourth rule: recycling and upcycling.
Each of us has many things that we no longer use. Pickling is helpful. First of all, when it comes to textiles. It is estimated that approximately 2 million tons of textile products end up in landfills in Russia every year.
Second Wind containers are now being set up all over Russian cities where you can donate old clothes. They also accept paper, cardboard, plastic, metal, pet food spiders, old toothbrushes and more. Recycling allows you to reduce the amount of waste and find the right raw materials for remanufacturing. The most difficult thing is to accustom yourself to sorting waste. But it’s a very useful habit.
And upcycling also came into fashion – the secondary use of things. There are many resources you can recommend what is collecting dust at home. There will be people who will need it. Finally, there are things that can be sold profitably. And again, who cares about the extra money?
Fifth rule: Awareness vector.
Conscious consumption is first and foremost a change in worldview. It is clear that there are situations when transport with an internal combustion engine is indispensable. But cycling, skating, walking – all this is much more beneficial for health, wallet and planet.
There are many examples like this. It is worth analyzing your habits, thinking about what is really necessary and what can be easily abandoned.
Eco-friendly habits save real money and free up significant money. Where should I send him? Everyone decides for himself. But there are many useful expenses – that’s education and learning something new, playing sports, hobbies, eventually getting an insurance policy that includes annual medical checkups and allows you to take care of your health.
Sber has a special website called Saving Together, dedicated to eco-knowledge and good habits in this field.