Now that the season of feasting, revelry and popping champagne corks has come to an end, 2020 is a good time to re-introduce a note of sobriety and to reimagine how families can lighten our impact on the environment around us, writes Tony Carnie.
There is no easy 10-step guide to saving the world, but here are some ideas to start recognising the damage we cause to the vanishing world of nature.
Reimagine your garden: Many suburban gardens look “green”. However, look a little closer and most are ecologically-sterile deserts with neatly-mowed lawns and brick-paving, roses and other alien plants which provide very little food or benefit to local birds, small animals and insect-life. A good place to start is to buy a copy of Charles and Julia Botha’s book Bring Nature Back To Your Garden. (To order, contact Marylynn Grant on 082 663 8266 or email nflora@mweb.co.za)
Some of the ideas in this book may challenge your comfort zone, but you don’t have to change everything overnight. Start slowly, gradually replacing exotic plants with indigenous varieties that will provide edible fruit, nectar, seeds and berries during the different seasons.
Reduce water waste: The biggest water-guzzler in your home is the toilet. In most households, 35% of the water bill gets flushed down the loo daily. No one wants smelly toilets, but do they have to be flushed after every visit? Can we redesign our homes to harvest rainwater for flushing?
Don’t waste expensive tap water on topping up your pool. Rather buy a detachable length of PVC gutter pipe and hook this up to a gutter down-pipe to catch rain water off your roof. You’ll be amazed how quickly the pool fills up after a heavy downpour.
You can also install a JoJo tank to catch more rain to water the garden during dry months, but also select local, water-wise plants that are adapted to survive in dry weather.
Reduce your electricity footprint: This is not just about saving money. Most of South Africa’s electricity comes from burning coal in Eskom power stations which produce greenhouse gas emissions that heat up the world and change the climate. Consider installing a solar-powered-geyser the next time your electric geyser bursts. Solar systems are getting cheaper, and will continue to get cheaper as more people make the choice to switch over to greener power.
For starters, ditch the air-conditioner and open the doors and windows when it gets hot. We have survived quite well without air-con for centuries, even in Durban. Also consider taking expert advice from an electrician and plumber on smarter ways to reduce your power bills and your climate-change footprint.
Reuse, recycle and refurbish: Whenever possible, try to repair or refurbish your household appliances and fixtures instead of replacing them with new products. (This is not always easy, because manufacturers design products to wear out quickly and force you to replace them). But, if you ask around, there are still some skilled handymen who can fix things professionally. Rather than hauling bags of leaves and grass cuttings to the nearest garden refuse dump, build a small compost heap at home and start producing your own fertiliser. All you need are a few gum poles, wooden slats and some nails to bang together a simple storage area.
The inconvenient truth is that we have to find ways to fly less, drive less and buy less while we navigate a very difficult path back to a less glamorous but more environmentally-sustainable future.