As human beings, we are living on a finite resource: Earth. In today’s society, we are unfortunately notorious for not being eco-friendly but instead destroying and eliminating many of the natural resources of the planet, including mining fossil fuels, deforestation, and a sharp increase of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Here’s how to be eco friendly by following the reduce reuse recycle mantra!
How to Reduce Reuse Recycle
Global warming is on the rise, fuel is running out, and we are fast realising that we are running out of time to sit up and take action before it’s too late. Thankfully, there are a number of steps you can take to help you live a more eco-friendly lifestyle, many of which have the added benefit of increasing your overall health and wellbeing, as well as that of the planet: bonus!
So before you do your next spring clean, read on for the top eco friendly tips, and start doing your bit today:
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Reduce
One of the easiest ways to become more eco-friendly is to reduce. As a society, we consume a record amount of food, material items and resources, with the UK alone producing over 100 million tonnes of waste a year; the equivalent to 100 million small cars worth.
Fast fashion, cheap goods and mass production mean that it has never been so easy to fill your home and life with stuff that you may never use again. Food and goods come in layers of plastic and packaging, none of which can be broken down and will lay in a landfill for generations to come.
The good news? You can help to reduce this by reducing the amount you consume. By being more mindful of what you buy, you can help to reduce your carbon footprint. Take a moment before you buy something to think about it.
Is it an impulse buy? Do you really need it? Do you have something similar? Will you still want it in a week? Two weeks?
If buying food, consider buying fruit and veg loose, rather than wrapped in plastic, and make an effort to reduce the amount of plastic you bring into your home. Only by reducing the demand for plastic can we make a difference, and by reducing the amount you consume, you can reduce the waste you create and, at the same time, improve your health.
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Reuse
In a similar vein, many items have more lives than we give them credit for. Reuse, where possible, to reduce waste and environmental impact. Clothes can easily be given a new lease of life with a little creativity or used for cleaning rags if they have worn beyond repair.
Before you instinctively throw anything away, take a moment to consider if there is anywhere else you could use it in your life. Charity and second-hand shops can also be a hidden treasure trove, allowing you to pass on unwanted items, and pick up bargains without having to create and purchase a brand-new object!
Use what is already there; you might surprise yourself! Try and pick objects that are made from reusable materials; it may take you a few seconds longer but will have beneficial wider impacts.
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Recycle
Recycling is one of the easiest ways to make your lifestyle more eco-friendly and can have a big impact on the planet. Take the UK for example; Two-thirds of paper in the UK is recycled, a big deal when you consider that the average UK family throws away 6 trees of paper in their household bin every year.
Paper can be easily transformed and reused and is just one example of how recycling, as opposed to merely throwing it away, can make a big difference in being eco-friendly.
Most local councils will provide recycling facilities for glass, cans and paper, and there will often be local facilities to recycle everything from batteries to electronics, to clothing.
Taking the time to search for and make use of these will help you to become more eco-friendly and do your bit for the environment.
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Make good choices
It is early evening on a decent day when you discover you have run out of milk, and need to run to the local shop to grab some more. You have time before it closes and are in no particular hurry. Chances are you grab your car keys and take a two-minute drive down the road and back.
We’ve all done it; it is, without a doubt, the easy solution. This doesn’t necessarily mean, however, that it is correct or the right thing to do. Short journeys can be massively harmful to the environment, as the car engine doesn’t have a chance to warm up properly.
This means it is running less efficiently, burning more fuel and increasing pollution. If all short journeys were done on foot or by bike rather than in the car, we could cut car mileage by one-sixth, making a massive difference in being eco-friendly.
Walking or cycling also gives you the opportunity for some easy exercise, making a difference not only to the environment but to your mind and body too!
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Eat clean and green
Another easy way to become more eco-friendly is to consider your diet. Many foods can come with a large carbon footprint, once they are transported by plane, lorry or boat from their country of origin.
This is especially true for a number of fruits and vegetables not native to your country and for a number of processed foods. Try to eat locally and seasonally, researching the things, that would naturally be available to you at different times of the year, and sourcing local produce wherever possible.
This will also have the added advantage of creating a healthier diet, making it a win-win situation for everyone!
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GasanMamo’s Reduce Reuse Recycle Environmental Initiatives:
Here at GasanMamo, we believe in the reduce reuse recycle mantra and that it’s of utmost importance that we play our part in being an eco-friendly company to take on initiatives that combat against waste that causes damage to the world we live in. You can read more about all GMI initiatives in our news section.
Some of the initiatives that GasanMamo has taken on include: using expired stationery as rough paper, using recycling bags for waste separation with the addition of recycling bins and the recycling of glass, which can be found in the canteen, offices, and kitchenettes.
We dispose of electronic waste and use mugs to reduce the use of Jablo cups, as well as make use of non-plastic cutlery. Apart from the above, we also collect used batteries and donate plastic bottle caps that we collect; recycle toners, used bulbs and tubes; and have an energy-efficient A/C system installed.GasanMamo also believes in encouraging its staff members to carpool by offering benefits.
The company purchases online subscriptions to reduce /eliminate the purchase of physical newspapers. During 2017 we also supported the new environmental project of textiles recycling by RefabMalta.
