Being green isn’t just a cool trend. It’s literally saving the planet. Natural resources are being used up, needlessly. Climate change isn’t the future; it is very much something that is here now. The environment is continuously being irreparably damaged. We all have a habit of thinking these huge problems are too big for us to do anything about. This isn’t the case. If every household made a few small changes, the world could potentially be in a much healthier condition.  These are just some of the changes you could make to your day to day life, which could make a huge difference.

Switch Off

Most of us hit stand by on our remotes, or close laptops without fully powering them down. This can be a huge waste of power over a long period of time. Especially if you are studying, such as an online MCE program from Norwich University, or working online, using your computer a lot. Fully powering computers down, turning off the TV, and turning lights off when you leave a room can save you money, as well as reducing harmful CO2 emissions.

Use Energy Saving Bulbs

Using energy saving light bulbs saves you money, both in electricity, and from not having to replace them as often. Energy savers are incredibly good today; you probably won’t even be able to tell the difference.

Save Water

Save water by taking shorter showers, only using what you need for washing up, and installing a pedal powered hand wash sink. Saving water means less water needs to be pumped and treated, meaning less chemicals and electricity are used.

Turn Your Thermostat Down

Turning the thermostat down by a degree or two saves a lot of power over the course of one year, but for even greater savings, put a jumper on, and make sure your home is sealed and insulated.

Wash at a Lower Temperature

Another way to save power is to wash your clothes on a cooler setting. Modern detergents mean washing at 30 degrees, instead of the usual 40, or even on a cold wash, won’t make much difference to how clean your clothes come.

Cycle or Walk

Electric cars are great for reducing pollution and cutting your emissions, but if you can’t afford this, or want an even better alternative, buy a bicycle and complete any short journeys on foot. If you do need to use the car for work, try and carpool where you can.

Reuse Shopping Bags

Plastic shopping bags are one of the biggest wastes of our time. They get used once, then thrown away, or stuffed in a cupboard, never to be used again. We go through so many unnecessary carrier bags. Reuse them. Cut down on wasteful plastic manufacture.

When we’re busy, perhaps working, or studying an online MCE degree, it can be easy to take the fast options. Like driving places or switching to stand by. However, with climate change and other environmental effects already starting to take hold, it is incredibly important that we all make more effort. Not just for our children’s generation, but for our own.