Most people have an opinion on climate change and the environment, whether they believe the science behind it or not, it is clear something is accelerating and causing the weather to change at an alarming pace. From wildfires raging out of control across many countries to sea levels rising, and extremely cold weather for many, climate change is occurring whether natural or not. Steps such as countries agreeing to reduce pollution and encourage recycling on a national level are being honored by many, but some have a way to go to meet the agreed levels of reduction.

But all the responsibility does not fall on the shoulders of politicians or the government as a whole, individuals also must play their role in reducing their individual impact on the environment. And there are ways to do this quite easily, remembering to turn off electrical appliances when not in use, if the car is not needed then walk, install solar panels, and reduce water consumption, you can also save your rainwater for everyday uses, visit  https://rainwatertanksdirect.com.au/slimline-tanks/ for further advice. Every bit helps, even if it is only small steps taken. Here are a few ways in which you can help save the planet and yourself some money by doing so.

Reducing The Amount of Meat in Your Diet Can Help

The next time you sit down for a meal with the family it may be worth considering what you are eating, steak dinners may taste great but they are causing serious damage to the environment. Agriculture accounts for a very large amount of carbon dioxide emissions that are produced each year, the clearing of forests for grazing land not only produces more emissions but also deprives the planet its best natural fight against global warming, trees, and plants.

By even having one day off from eating meat and having a vegan meal does make a difference. Vegan meals have come a long way and internationally renowned chefs have some great recipe ideas available on the internet or in cookbooks, give them a try, and you will be pleasantly surprised by the flavor and range of meals you can make. 

The Amount of Power Used in The Home Can Be Lowered

The amount of energy that is used in homes today that can be reduced can make a big difference to the climate, here are a few ideas of steps that everybody can follow to help lower the power use in your home:

• By simply changing your incandescent light bulbs, which use so up so much power and waste 90% of energy producing heat, to LED lights which are cheaper and last up to 25 times longer you can help reduce the energy bills, and energy consumption of your home by 75%. 
• Remembering to turn off lights and appliances when not in use is extremely important.
• Turning down the temperature of the water heater or shower, especially in the summer months.
• Try to reduce air conditioning use, use fans that are more economical, open doors and windows and let the natural breeze through your home.
• Taking less time in the shower can help save the amount of water you use and reduce electricity consumption.

Small steps taken can make a big impact on helping to reduce your carbon footprint, not only helping the planet but also can save you money.

Reduce The Amount of Waste Your Home Produces

For years we have come accustomed to using plastic bags for our groceries and other items that we shop for, the number of problems the manufacturing of these bags causes is huge. Try to reduce the use of plastic bags and refuse them if offered, hemp or cotton bags are much better for the environment and can last for years before you need to replace them. Also, on birthdays or Christmas when everybody enjoys the pleasure of giving gifts, remember the amount of waste that is thrown away each year, try to reduce this by reusing wrapping paper.

Recycling is Something That Many People Still Don’t Do

The need to recycle can not be overstated, the earth has limited resources and the current rate of consumption is impossible to maintain. Households can do a lot to reduce their carbon footprint by reusing and recycling the materials that come into the home. Separating your trash can help the garbage disposal teams to recycle your waste. Not only does recycling reduce the amount of trash that ends up in landfills each year decaying into the earth, but it helps reduce the manufacturing process to create new items, this also helps reduce emissions from factories.

Consuming Less Water in Your Home Can Help  

Water is becoming a scarce resource on the planet earth and even wars are being fought over it. To help reduce your water consumption try to take shorter showers or baths, check for any leaks that you may have in the bathroom or kitchen, use water saving devices on your kitchen taps or bathroom appliances, and a small but unnoticed step if you are shaving turn of the tap and only use when you need to.

It may not seem important to save water but as places such as Australia and the Southern United States increasingly have water shortages the problem is becoming evident. Even the United Kingdom has begun introducing hosepipe bans for watering the garden to help reduce the amount of water consumed by the household.

Changing How You Travel From Your Home to Work Can Make a Huge Difference 

Everybody likes the idea of using their new, shiny car to work or the shops but car sharing is a much more environmentally friendly way of getting to these destinations. By sharing the driving into the city to your place of work with 2 or 3 people who are heading in the same direction, you can not only help save the gas consumption and emissions that are produced but save yourself money in the process. 

Also making the most of public transport which is cheap and very efficient in most countries the savings to the environment and your bank account is significant. Leave the car at home and share, it is beneficial to everybody concerned, gas is not cheap and you can invest more in other projects within your home to help save power costs, etc.

Conclusion 

Everybody should all be aware of the damage to the planet that humans cause and it is not always the fault of governments or large corporations, it starts at home, and there are steps that can be taken to make a difference. Simply by reducing the waste produced at home is a start, but any waste that is produced can often be recycled, which benefits everybody and the planet the most. Water is something we all take for granted, it shouldn’t be, it is a precious resource that the planet only has a limited supply of https://rainwatertanksdirect.com.au/slimline-tanks/. Trying to collect rainwater and using it for the lawn or cleaning your car helps, every drop helps. 

Power consumption within the home is a major issue, turning off appliances when not in use and buying products that use a low amount of energy is great for the environment and can save you thousands of dollars each year also. There is only one earth and it is everybody’s duty to help preserve it, starting at home is a great way to help.