Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without
On a local level, we have a responsibility to keep our town clean. On a global level, we have a responsibility to keep our planet clean.
As February is the month of love, let’s talk about loving our environment, our planet.
Climate change.
Global warming.
Words we hear often, but what are we really doing as individuals to try and save our planet?
Don’t look to your neighbour to make a change, each and every one of us has a responsibility to love and cherish our environment.
Talking green is easy, but adapting your lifestyle to be ‘more green’ can be difficult.
There are a few simple things we can all do and small changes we can all make to our lives that could have an enormous impact on our environment.
Read:Â Recycling project turns waste into school shoes
Firstly, save water! Here are a few tips: Don’t leave the tap running whilst you brush your teeth.
Defrost frozen food overnight in the refrigerator, not in a sink full of water.
Wait for a full load of washing before switching on the washing machine.
Water your lawn at night! There is far less evaporation so you’ll need less water to achieve the same results.
Put the cover over the pool to prevent evaporation.
Secondly, get recycling!
All of your recyclables; paper, card, tins and glass can be put in a clear plastic sack and left out on the same day as you put your rubbish out.
Tzaneen Municipality will collect the black refuse bags and a second recycling vehicle will collect your clear sacks.
But isn’t there recycling at the landfill you may ask? Yes there is, but it is near impossible for all of the recyclable items to be removed.
Plus, by the time it gets to the landfill, it has been mixed in with all the grotty bits and will require cleaning, therefore wasting water. If we separate at source, in other words, in our homes, it streamlines the whole process.
Next up, let’s talk about food wastage.
Simple meal planning for the week ahead and a visit to the supermarket equipped with a list can help to reduce wastage at the end of the week. Perfect your portions too.
No need to cook enough pasta for the whole of Rome if you’re just a family of four. It’s also simple economics. Wasting less food and less water will ultimately benefit your pocket too.
Read:Â Promoting plastic recycling in Rosebank
And the simplest of all, pick up your litter!
Or even better, pick up someone else’s. Is that plastic bottle in the car park irritating you?
Don’t wait for somebody else to do it, put it in the bin.
On a local level, we have a responsibility to keep our town clean. On a global level, we have a responsibility to keep our planet clean.
Show your love for our planet this February by making a small ‘green’ change to your lifestyle.
Let’s leave with a quote that we can all live by:
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.” – Boyd K. Packer
