Get Eco Friendly Now

4 eco-friendly tips for around the home that you need to do today!

With the news dominated with pledges from world leaders at the COP summit this week it is a great time to make our own smaller, but worthwhile, pledges to help tackle global warming. By taking time to make a few changes, big or small, we can ALL help contribute to building a greener future and reduce our impact on the environment.

Give these four ideas for a more eco-friendly home that require minimal effort and won’t cost you a fortune.

Swap out ‘single use’ items

Switch paper towels for reusable, cloth towels that can be washed and reused time and time again or start buying paper towels made from recycled paper

Swap plastic straws for reusable metal straws

Buy a reusable drinks bottle and/or coffee cup instead of using single use bottles and cups. Many coffee shops offer a discount on your coffee and other hot drinks if you bring your own cup! 

You may have come across beeswax wrap as an eco-alternative for plastic wrap– it requires an initial investment but as it is reusable it will save money in the long run. If you look after them they can last for years and can be refreshed by buying a beeswax block

Whilst not strictly ‘single-use’, cleaning clothes and sponges are thrown out regularly and end up in landfill. Biodegradable sponges or eco-friendly dishcloths (reusable, washable and biodegradable) are perfect for reuse and can be put through the washer when dirty. Once the dishcloth reaches the end of it’s life you can compost it – earth friendly fibres won’t sit in landfill for years and years to come

Recycle

Recycling is one of the most important steps we can take to live more sustainably. It is also one of the easiest, so make it a priority if it is not something you already do. 

So much of our household waste can be recycled or composted like paper, cardboard and food scraps. 

Paper and cardboard are easy materials to recycle and doing so is well worth the effort. Recycling paper and cardboard not only prevents further deforestation but also reduces the amount of waste that ends up in landfill. Paper and cardboard release harmful methane gas as they begin to decompose in landfill, further contributing to environmental pollution. 

Here at Enava we are equipped to recycle over 52,000 tonnes of paper and cardboard every year, making us one of the largest fibre processing plants in the UK. We collect, process and bale all types of fibre-based material before sending on to accredited paper mills across the globe for recycling into new products. Recycled paper and cardboard can be remade into tissues, toilet paper, printer paper, napkins, paper towels and many other paper based products.

Check online with your local recycling centres to find out what recycling they accept, what the collection day for your area is and how to get the appropriate recycling bins to ensure waste is separated correctly (and easily). 

Insulate your home

If your home isn’t insulated properly then you could be losing a lot of money and wasting huge amounts of energy. Effective insulation keeps your home warm in winter and cool in summer- keeping a more stable temperature throughout the year. Insulation increases the energy-efficiency rating of your home significantly –saving both money and energy. And for an added eco-friendly benefit, many companies offer insulation made from recycled materials.

Buy recycled toilet paper

There are a number of companies offering toilet paper made from recycled paper. Look for ones who also have plastic-free packaging. By choosing recycled loo roll you are helping to lessen the impact producing virgin paper has on the environment. Producing recycled toilet paper uses less water and energy, does not require felling of trees and uses paper otherwise headed to landfill. 

Many people believe that they cannot make a difference to climate change but that is simply not true. With small changes we bring on big impacts. 

Start with a few simple swaps you can make easily, get comfortable with these changes and then consider what else you can do to make your home more eco-friendly. Making gradual changes makes your switches far more sustainable and likely to become your new normal.

Harriet England, Enava Marketing and Sales

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