Of course, charity begins at home, but also saving the environment begins at home too. If you are concerned that your children are not doing enough to reduce your carbon footprint, are you actually setting a good example? The average person has a carbon footprint of 11 tons of C02 a year, and the long-term goal for environmental sustainability is only 2 tons of C02 in a year, so there’s a lot to be done. And you can begin right now, right at home.
Do you recycle?
I hope you do. Just by recycling, you can cut down the amount of waste going to landfills by 50% or even more! A lot of people find it’s a lot of effort, so it all goes in the waste bin. Depending on where you live in the world there is a big crackdown on cutting down waste, and some organizations are even planning on fining those who don’t take the right measures. So if you don’t want to add any more stress to your home life, start to recycle!
Do you use the car a lot?
Maybe it’s time to start walking a bit more rather than taking the car on a journey around the corner to the shop. Of course, if your local shop is very far away it might not be feasible, but why don’t you make the most of the latest trend of electric cars. But they are quite expensive so you could invest in an electric scooter instead. The cost of fuel is only how much it would be to charge the scooter, helping you save money and save the environment. It is good news all round!
What are your eating habits like?
Meat-free days are a simple way for the whole family to cut back on your carbon footprint, and while a lot of people think food is boring without meat, there are some great meals you can make that are really tasty. Lentil curry, or charcoaled vegetable skewers, or even pizza are simple vegetarian meals that are packed full of flavor. You don’t need meat to make a meal tasty.
Are you green-fingered?
A great way to spend time as a family, growing plants and vegetables for you to feast on is a very therapeutic way to spend a day. Set up a little space in your garden to grow potatoes, carrots, or whatever vegetables you’d like, and you are taking the first step to becoming self-sufficient and helping the planet.
Do you turn out the light?
If your children are anything like mine, they leave the lights on in every room in the house. Getting into the habit of turning the lights out when they leave a room is plain common sense. The same goes for TV, games, or computers. You can set up computers to go into standby mode to save some power, but once the kids are done, they should unplug and turn off. It’s a long journey, but getting the whole family into the habit of looking after the environment begins at home.
