Climate change is a reality, all we need to do is watch the news to see how the world is being affected far and wide. World Environment Day is celebrated on 5 June and the theme this year is Only One Earth.
But how do we as individuals make a difference? Bronwyn Ragavan from laundry brand Personal Touch says that every small thing we do can and will make a difference.
This year World Environment Day 2022 will be highlighting the need to live sustainably in harmony with nature by bringing transformative changes – through policies and our choices – towards cleaner, greener lifestyles. We are slowly being forced to adapt our lifestyle choices for the better of the environment, one of the most recent drives that was very popular was the push to reduce one-time plastic usage, in particular plastic straws which have been replaced in most outlets and the use of plastic bags for groceries.
Ragavan says that when considering your impact on the environment, there are a few elements in our day-to-day activities at home that we can be conscious of:
Water and electricity usage is one of the biggest environmental impacts in the home. We can help to curb this, by putting in place some of these tips:
Turning off the lights when leaving a room is an easy habit to put in place. To encourage the rest of the family to participate in this by placing a jar in the kitchen filled with daily tasks or parent spoils, such as washing the dishes, feeding the pets, making mom coffee, etc and whoever forgets to turn off a light has to complete a task from the jar.
When showering, place a bucket in the shower and use this to water the garden. Water is a scarce commodity so this should not only be done during droughts.
Washing our clothes is another activity that has a significant impact. Many moms will testify to the washing machine running most days. In addition, the more we wash our items the more wear-and-tear, requiring us to replace the items sooner, which then has an entire impact of its own. Try implementing the following:
- Where possible wear items more than once, common items that this can be done for are jeans, jerseys, jackets and scarves. Sometimes all an item needs is airing outside on the washing line.
- Drying your washing on an outside drying line or a drying rack inside rather than in the tumble dryer. We are lucky to have gorgeous winter sunshine in South Africa, so let’s maximise that in all ways.
- Choose a washing powder that is kinder to the environment. Personal Touch Washing Sheets are not only easier to use but they are environmentally friendly, coming in packaging that is completely recyclable and is made of 64% less plastic than an ordinary 2kg bag of washing powder.
- Visit thrift shops, these have become even more popular with many influencers participating by selling their preloved clothes via online stores and Instagram.
If it is possible to walk or cycle there then do it. Many of us are so quick to jump in our cars but often a quick walk could get us there too. The added value is that this is a great opportunity to get some exercise in and why not encourage a family member or your pet to join for some company.
Create recycling bins for glass, paper and plastic – you won’t believe how much recyclable waste one household can produce. Get the whole family involved and to encourage them to participate by showing them how they are making a difference.
Ragavan says, “Not only will these tips help you feel good about doing something to make a difference but a lot of them will have the added bonus of helping to save money and with petrol price and interest rate increases this is more necessary than ever.”
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