37 Everyday Practical Tips and Tricks to Help Protect the Planet

Climate change is real and it is only by sourcing and using the Earth’s precious resources sustainably that we can make a material difference. At the individual level, each one of us could do more. 

As one environmental campaign aptly puts it, “recycling and buying environmentally-friendly products is a start, but only a start. We need to protect our environment by consuming less and driving less. Our society is based upon massive over-consumption, and it is this over-consumption that is driving the ‘machinery’ that is ravaging the earth.”

So, where do we start? With the simple things, of course. People from all walks of life can do small things every day to make their routines more environmentally responsible. No superhuman efforts are required – just some little tweaks here and there to become more eco-friendly. As an added bonus, many of these are also healthier lifestyle choices and they’re easier on the wallet too. What have you got to lose?

If you need a jump start, here are lots of handy suggestions you can implement straight away and turn into daily earth-friendly habits. You’ll be surprised at the difference you can make.

1. Turn down your central heating by 1 degree, and put on a jumper if you feel chilly.
2. Invest in heavy curtains to keep more heat in the winter, and ban window blinds.
3. Save water by taking a brisk shower, not a leisurely bath.
4. Run your washing machine on a full load only and at the lowest temperature.
5. Invest in a washing line for air drying; tumble dryers devour electricity.
6. Cleaning the coils behind the fridge can decrease energy consumption by a third.
7. Buy energy-saving compact fluorescent light bulbs that last eight times longer.
8. Dine by candlelight, improving the atmosphere while saving electricity
9. Turn off all electrical/electronic devices rather than leaving them on standby.
10. Get cavity wall insulation and reduce heat loss by up to 60%
11. Paint your walls in a pale colour to reduce the need for artificial light.
12. Use sustainably sourced wood instead of formaldehyde-releasing MDF in your home.
13. Donate leftover paint to a community project rather than throwing it away.
14. Fill your home with house plants to help cut indoor pollution.
15. Drink tap water rather than buying bottled water.
16. Cook for friends or batch cook, which uses less packaging and less energy to cook.
17. Low phosphate washing agents won’t boost algal growth and protect marine life.
18. Substitute plastic sponges and scourers for cotton, loofah or coconut scrubs.
19. Store food in reusable Tupperware or glass containers, not plastic bags.
20. Conventionally grown hops are sprayed up to 12 times a year. Drink organic beer.
21. Generate solar energy in your home and use it for free.
22. Neighbourhood watch groups are more effective than high-energy security lamps.
23. Reducing your driving speed from 70mph to 50mph saves 20% in fuel consumption.
24. Cars with 3-way catalytic converters emit 90% less nitrogen oxide and hydrocarbon.
25. Air travel generates 3x more carbon dioxide emissions per passenger than rail travel.
26. If you must commute by car, join a car share scheme to find a passenger.
27. Where possible, leave the car at home and cycle or walk.
28. Cancel your expensive gym membership and walk to work instead.
29. Take a mug into the office instead of using one-way plastic cups.
30. No need to buy new books; join a library instead.
31. Buy quality preloved clothes that will last, and mend them as needed.
32. Wrap gifts in reusable fabric and tie with a ribbon, without the need for sticky tape.
33. Collect cloth or string bags for shopping rather than plastic carrier bags.
34. Start a compost heap in the garden to reduce landfill waste.
35. Buy local or grow your own food to reduce your carbon footprint.
36. Don’t buy cut flowers as gifts, give homegrown bouquets from your garden instead.
37. Include your wishes for an eco-friendly funeral or woodland burial in your will.

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