Hello! Today I have a really interesting post written by freelance writer Emma Holm on being more energy-efficient and environmental-friendly, something I’m quite passionate about.
Technology is slowly becoming more energy-efficient in the home, however the differing amount of technology that we all possess is actually maintaining and increasing the energy we use. Energy companies have tried to facilitate the process of switching to more environment-friendly options, for example by providing customers with free smart meters as the switch from analogue to digital equipment gathers pace. Smart meters in British homes have been commonplace, and I have also noticed apps such as Nest mobile that allow you to manage your energy use away from the home become more popular. Attractive, mobile and easy to use interfaces have made saving energy more interesting and accessible. There are also more unusual inventions that help you monitor your ways, such as bags you drop in your toilet that reduce the amount of water you use. It goes in the watery section of the toilet where that big orange ball bobs up and down.
I am also looking to be economical with energy at home and thinking of the high usage technology that I use. This can range from energy saving kettles and choosing to pay a monthly fee for boiler maintenance and upkeep. Every time I brew up it costs something like 5p – I might put an honesty jar next to the kettle for friends and family!
I am currently pondering my energy choices at home as I try to live a simple life so any financial savings I can make will be beneficial. Heating takes up a lot of energy in the house, and switching to environment-friendly heating is one of the best things you can do, even on a low budget. Electric radiators like ones from Verismart Heating are easy to install and allow you to only use the amount of energy that you really need, saving you money in addition to being environment-friendly. Lighting is another key factor in monthly energy usage and the slow removal of traditional lightbulbs by the European Union has slowly me into using LED and other energy efficient lighting options. A clever mix of education and regulation is making us all more energy conscious and I do try and do my bit to help the environment.
One of the biggest changes you can make in terms of becoming environment-friendly is buying eco-friendly food products. From packaging to production, food damages the environment in a number of ways. Organic food is still popular in 2015 and one look at the Tesco website will demonstrate the continuing importance of organic and eco-friendly food in the marketplace. There has also been a movement to buy local as this reduces the amount of air miles that is involved with keeping unseasonal food on the shelves all year round. Bananas are one of the highest selling foods in volume due to their versatility but the average banana travels around 4,500 miles from countries such as Costa Rica, Ecuador and Brazil but often retails at a minimal cost. A mango would have once been a seasonal fruit but it takes around 4,600 miles to travel from India to the UK! Buying local and organic ensure the consumer makes an ethical choice and ploughs money back into local economies.
Eco-friendly living is getting easier and cheaper, and it’s a step everyone should take – that’s the only way we can have a lasting positive impact on the environment and still be able to enjoy our four seasons and beautiful nature and wildlife. Besides, it makes you feel better about yourself too, knowing that you are doing your part.
Does environmental factors influence the choices you make when it comes to your home?
Does where a product come from in a supermarket affect whether you’ll buy it or not?
What steps have you taken to be more environmentally friendly? For my current house I request a compost bin so I could get rid of food waste in a better way than it just ending up on a landfill site. I also recycle everything I can.
With the new place, we’re definitely going to have something like NEST. And, having just read that Christmas Fairy Lights can add £20 to your energy bill, I think we’ll be upgrading those to LEDs. I’m very keen to have LEDs. I’m religious about closing blinds, turning the heating down, using hot water bottles and blankets. And we recycle way more than we bin.
I do have a weakness for avocados…but I like to try and buy British if possible. In season asparagus is a great treat…
Jane recently posted…We went for a meander yesterday
It’s hard isn’t it when you go shopping for food as there are so many factors…cost, seasonality, where it’s come from, nutrition. It can make food shopping quite stressful.
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Coming out from the slump
I do a lot of DIY stuff to be more environmentally friendly, like cleansers and such. I would love to do a compost though now that I have such a big back yard! I am going to start a garden in the spring time, and I think the compost would be so helpful, not to mention a fun project for me. I do know it stinks, but its so helpful !!
Kat recently posted…The Great Pumpkin Workout
Yeah compost is such a good idea because it really reduces your rubbish as well. I feel quite saintly when I do mine.
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Coming out from the slump
We are so lucky here because our council now recycles pretty much everything- including plastics, card, glass. When we first moved they didn’t collect plastic so we left it in the garage in big bins and every few weeks would take it all to the recycling point but it was a bit of a pain. I think making things like that as easy as possible is so important. Also, I think public bins need recycling sections too- some of them do, but so many places just have rubbish bins and I do wonder if any of it is ever sorted.
Maria @ runningcupcake recently posted…Iceland? More like Snowland! (Part 1)
Wow that’s great! Our council does recycling, glass and compost which isn’t too bad I suppose. I’m such a stickler for recycling it hurts my soul when I’m at someone’s house and they just throw paper in the normal bin…I literally wince.
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Coming out from the slump