We all know the importance of being kind to the environment, and doing what we can to save the planet. But did you know there are tonnes of things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint right from your own home? If you're looking to make a difference, here are some of the things you could do.
Recycle
Recyling is so easy- it's literally a case of separating your rubbish and putting it into a separate bin. But so many people still don't bother, or make as much effort as they should. When you throw away materials such as plastic, they go to landfill where it won't degrade for a thousand years in some cases! There they will sit and leak pollutants and chemicals into the soil and water, and lead to further landfill sites needing to be created. These are ugly and extremely bad for the environment. Anything that can be recycled should be, it takes a few extra seconds of your day but can have a massive impact on the planet.
Compost
As with recycling, when you compost you reduce the amount of waste that's being sent to landfill and incincerators. Having a compost bin in your garden means you can break down any recyclable waste yourself, and as a bonus this can be reused in your garden. All of the broken down material is high in nutrients and has an incredible impact on the fertility of your soil. You can buy compost bins, or just make one yourself if you're handy. Every time you have things like fruit and vegetable peels, tea bags and cardboard egg boxes they can go onto the compost heap rather than in the bin. You can also use this for prunings and cuttings from around your garden too, such as fallen leaves and grass cuttings.
Upcycle and Re-Use
Every time you buy something new, you're feeding the demand for factories which burn fossil fuels. While it's sometimes unavoidable, if you can reuse and upcycle where you can you will reduce your carbon footprint. Things like solid wood furniture is built to last, it doesn't need to be thrown away just because it looks a little dated. Instead of buying new, revamp it with a coat of paint and things like new handles. You'll get a unique piece of furniture and it's better for the environment.
