One of the biggest misconceptions about going green is that it is difficult to achieve, time-consuming and most of all, expensive but here's the thing - you can actually save money.
Not only will you notice the long term discounts by switching to eco-friendly alternatives, but you can also ensure the safety of families and the planet, and feel better because you are doing something remarkable.
If you're thinking about swapping to eco-friendly alternatives, here are some things to consider:
Invest in a Keep Cup.
Takeaway coffee is big business, and according to a Government-funded study, up to 200 million single-use coffee cups are thrown away every year in Ireland. That's 22,000 cups an hour. Shocking, right? Invest in a Keep Cup and use it 15 times and it will pay for itself in an environmental sense, and of course, most places now offer discounts for bringing your cup.
Use rechargeable batteries.
If you find yourself buying batteries regularly, this might be the perfect switch for you. While the initial investment may be expensive, using rechargeable batteries is a long-term, cost-effective way of powering devices around your home.
Compost food scraps.
Good for the garden and your wallet, composting your food scraps could save you a fortune over a year. Not only does composting food waste reduce your bin collection bill, but it also leaves you with a free organic fertilizer for your garden.
Join a zero waste group.
One man's junk is another man's treasure. Next time you're doing a clear-out consider offering your unwanted items to another family on social media. You never know they may return the favour when you're looking for a buggy cover, baby bouncer or kitchen appliance next.
Buy a reusable water bottle.
If you buy just one bottle of water a day, that equates to over 300 single-use bottles going to landfill costing you over €400 a year. Instead of throwing your money away, invest in a water filter (if worried about fluoride consumption) and a keep cup and save the money for a rainy day instead.
Say goodbye to cling film.
There's been a lot of buzz around beeswax wraps lately, and we can see why. A fantastic alternative for cling film and tinfoil, beeswax wraps are reusable, made from ingredients that you can feel good about and when finished, it compostable.
Join the library.
Consider borrowing books from your local library instead of buying them in a bid to save money. You can also sign up to RBdigital Magazines with your library and check out an unlimited selection of magazines and newspapers online free of charge.
Ditch paper towels.
And finally, a simple and super effective swap everyone should try. Stop buying one-use kitchen paper towels for spills and wiping down countertops instead use an old towel cut up or reusable wipes that you can throw into the washing machine after each use.
As humans, we all have a responsibility to take care of everyone and everything around us but remember it's not about a small group of people doing sustainability perfectly but rather a larger group of people doing sustainability imperfectly.
