We’ve all got a part to play in reducing climate change, but it can be hard to know where to begin. There’s a lot of information about the climate crisis in the news, and it can feel like our day-to-day actions don’t make a difference in the fight against global warming. In fact, England recycled just 45% of its waste last year, which shows we have a long way to go to improve our eco-friendly habits.To help get you started, We’ve put together a 30-day challenge to see if you can make 30 simple switches to your lifestyle that will have a positive impact on the environment.Get your friends and family involved, and we can all make a difference, one switch at a time.
1 Let’s start simple, when you’re brushing your teeth in the morning and at night, don’t leave the water running
This may seem obvious, but a family can save up to 20 litres of water a day by making the switch
2 Only have a bath once in a while
No, we don’t mean go eu naturale! Showering uses two times less water than a long hot bath. You’ll also save energy by heating less water
3 Don’t rinse the dishes
Before sticking the dishwasher on, it’s standard practice to rinse the dirty plates and bowls. Skip this step and scrape your dishes, this will save up to 90 litres of water a week!
4 Cut your shower short!
Don’t compromise your cleanliness, but by reducing your shower by a few minutes (or verses of your chosen shower song) each day will save litres of water every year, and save you money on your energy bills
5 Get your food shopping delivered
Not only will this save you time, one driver doing several food deliveries is far more environmentally friendly than lots of cars heading to the supermarket
6 Switch to energy saver bulbs
If every household in the UK switched to energy-saving lightbulbs it would be the equivalent of taking roughly a quarter of a million cars off the road
7 Switch off standby!
Working from home, or watching tv at night, it can be tempting to leave your appliances on at the wall overnight, but if everyone turned off their devices instead of leaving them on standby, it would save almost 40 watt-hours per day
8 Make your printing double-sided
We throw away millions of kilos of wasted office paper each year. Cut expenses and excess waste by printing double-sided where you can
9 Go paperless!
Even better, switch to paperless options where you’re able to! Most concert and flight tickets are now available via email, as are many bills and bank statements
10 Invest in an Electric Vehicle
Okay, this one’s a slightly bigger switch, but swapping your gas guzzler for an EV has a hugely positive impact on the co2 emissions in the atmosphere
11 Air dry your clothes
British summer can be unpredictable, but don’t be tempted to bundle everything in the dryer. Air drying clothes saves loads of energy, and it’s much kinder on the environment
12 Go veggie (one day a week)
It takes about 15,000 litres of water to produce 1kg of beef! Going meat-free once a week (or more) is great for your health and the environment too
13 Up your recycling game
We all know to split our plastics and papers, but what about glass? Recycling glass bottles reduces air pollution by 20% and non-recycled glass can take years to decompose
14 Keep your hands off the thermostat
By constantly changing the temperature on your thermostat, you’ll use far more energy than necessary, where you can leave the temperature alone for as long as you can
15 Buy local
Supporting your local community by purchasing your fruit, vegetables and other items locally reduces air travel and benefits your local economy
16 Switch to organic soap
You may not have thought of this one, but soaps can contain products that are full of pesticides and nasty chemicals that can irritate your skin, and are terrible for the environment. Going organic is kinder to your skin and the planet
17 Wash your clothes at 30 degrees
Research shows turning the temperature down on your washing reduces your energy consumption by 60% per cycle
18 Turn off the lights
Don’t sit in the dark, but if you’re leaving a room for more than 10 minutes, flick the light off when you go. It’ll save money, prolong the bulb life and keep your energy bill down
19 Mend and make do
Just like your grandparents used to do, mending your clothes before throwing them away can save a family hundreds of pounds a year, and means your clothes won’t end up in an already overflowing landfill
20 Bring your own bag
Remembering to bring a reusable bag to the supermarket can be a pain, but once you’re into the swing of it you’ll never look back. Also, think of the 10p’s spent on single-use plastic bags over the years mounting up!
21 Ditch the baby and makeup wipes
While they might be convenient, single-use wipes are notoriously bad for the planet. Rethink your use with reusable cloth options or trusty soap and water
22 Get a reusable water bottle
Treat yourself to a fancy one, or pop down to your local supermarket, but stop using plastic water bottles! Almost 90% of plastic bottles aren’t recycled and they take hundreds of years to decompose
23 Grab a travel mug
While you’re at it with your water bottle, pick up a travel mug for your morning beverage, too. They’ll keep it much hotter for longer and you’ll probably get a discount at your local coffee shop too. Win, win!
24 Give away, don’t throw away
Having a clear out? Give your clothes to charity or sell them using an app like Depop, you could make some cash and save your clothes from a landfill
25 Invest in an EV charger
If you’re already an EV convert, you’ll know the benefits of charging at home. Find out more about vehicle charging options here
26 Think about pre-owned items
If you need to make a big purchase, scope out second-hand before making the investment on brand-new. Facebook Marketplace, eBay and even charity shops often stock nearly new items
27 Plant a tree (or some garden plants)
Help the bees, and the planet by planting a tree or garden plants in your yard. No space? Head to the National Trust to have a tree planted in your name with a small donation
28 Swap up your shopping habits
With a staggering 10,000 items of clothing sent to a landfill every 5 minutes, we can all switch up the way we shop. Try to reduce the number of clothes you buy, go vintage, or even rent clothes for special occasions
29 Think about the way you travel
Once international travel restrictions are lifted, you can be forgiven for wanting to jump on the next flight to sunnier climates. Air travel is one of the biggest contributors to climate change, so why not think about a staycation or eco-vacation for next summer?
30 Switch to solar panels in your home with Project Solar!
Start your renewable energy journey today with Project SolarYou can download your free checklist here. How many switches did you manage to complete? Download your certificate once you’ve completed the challenge!If switching the way you generate energy for your home is one of your goals to help the planet, get in touch with our friendly team today.