5 ways to go green this summer

Want to up your eco-cred? Here’s 5 ways to go green this summer. As being eco-friendly is becoming more and more important. And not only does it have benefits for the planet, it can also lower your living costs. There’s always time to start going green and no matter what you do; no matter how small, it’s always a contribution.

Summer is just around the corner and this season is the perfect time to start, so turn off your heaters and forgo meat just once a week. There are plenty of ways to get going and we’ve got a few tips to help you start.

Meat-free Mondays
During the week, take one day out to not eat meat. Meat-free Monday is a non-profit campaign launched by Paul, Mary and Stella McCartney with the aim to raise awareness of the detrimental environmental impact of eating meat. Now we understand that eating meat is a great source of protein, but according to the NHS if you are eating more than 90g of red and processed meat a day you really need to reduce that to 70g – as there is a link between bowel cancer and processed meat. Plus, swapping meat for plant proteins, such as dried beans, lentils, nuts, or quinoa, is much cheaper for you too.

Visit meatfreemondays.com

Reduce your carbon footprint
Carbon dioxide contributes to global warming. When you drive a car, the engine burns fuel and creates it, as does heating up your home with electricity and gas. How much energy you use adds to your personal carbon footprint, so here are a few ways to reduce it. Turn off your lighting when you’re not using it and turn off your heaters. Eat organic and local produce, to cut down the energy used for the production and transport of food. Lastly, instead of driving, cycle or walk – if the distance is suitable. You can even make your own bike with the Bamboo Bicycle club, using environmental-friendly material, all from scratch!

Visit bamboobicycleclub.org

Stay off the bottled water
Some say bottled water is better for your health, but there’s also evidence that plastic contains harmful chemicals and can contaminate the water. Plus, it adds to waste, and transporting bottled water to the market adds more carbon dioxide into the air. So get a reusable water-bottle this summer. The Bobble water bottle is a good alternative, as the bottles are reusable, self-filtering, PVC, BPA and phthalate-free. Just fill with tap water, as the filter will remove chlorine and impurities.

Visit waterbobble.uk

Recycle
This might be a bit more obvious, but the simplest things sometimes have the biggest effect. Recycling can stretch quite far, so instead of throwing your food out, add it to your compost. Oxygen helps waste to decompose and you get a fertiliser for your garden and plant pots (if you like gardening). You can also recycle your clothes – as different styles can be made out of the material, or donate them to charity.

Get involved
There are plenty of campaigns to raise awareness about environmental issues and it’s becoming a huge global movement. If you have passion and want to get involved, find the latest campaigns to get involved in and do your part. Check out greenpeace.org.uk to get the latest information, both globally and locally.