Sometimes the environmental challenges this planet is facing can seem just too great and it can be easy to get dispondent. There is so much we need to do to pull things around that sometimes it's tempting to question whether such efforts are really worthwhile. Yet as most environmentalists and scientists will tell you - every little change *does* help. Everything you do to help the planet makes things just that little bit better, and hopefully encourages other people to do their bit too. So let's take a look at some simple tips that you can apply to your own life to make your own carbon footprint smaller and reduce the effect you have on the worlds resources. 1) Unplug Appliances Most of us know that leaving household appliances like TVs and DVD players on standby uses a huge amount of energy, but many still eat power even when they are turned off. THis, to me, was a shocking revelation recebtly and so it is important to not just turn off appliances you aren't using but also to unplug them to save the drain on your power. 2) Buy Locally To avoid the use of unnecessary fossil fuels, try to buy local foods that haven't been shipped half way across the country - or even worse - the world. Try to buy only fruits and vegetables that are in season and grown in your local area rather than tropical fruits that have been flown in from abroad at great expense to the planet. 3) Insulate I recently read an article that suggests that properly insulating your home works out now at virtually free. By properly insulating your loft, cavity walls and adding double glazing, the average household will save enough money over the next 3-5 years to fully cover the cost of all those improvements. And of course after that you're saving money every day. What a nice feeling! 4) Don't Waste Water Water is a precious commodity and it is easy to waste it. For example, try taking showers instead of baths, wash your car by hand rather than in a professional car wash and turn the tap off when you are brushing your teeth. 5) Recycle Reduce your effects on the planet further by reusing and recycling whatever you can. Turn it into a game for best effectiveness, trying each week to throw away less than the previous week. This will enourage you to find uses for your rubbish and also to think carefully while shopping about what packaging can be recycled effectively. We all throw away an average of 4-5lbs of rubbish a day in the western world so this should be a simple way to make significant reductions. 6) Invest In Green Transport Ditch your car and try to rely on car sharing, cycling and trains to get around wherever possible. If you live in a rural situation or need a car for work then try to find yourself a hybrid car which stores some of the energy produced in a battery which is then fed back into the motion of your car and can reduce fuel efficiency by an impressive 50% according to experts.
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