24/09/2023
ECO-FRIENDLY LIFESTYE CHALLENGE
For one full month, we encourage you to practice an environmentally friendly habit and then share your experience on social media to inspire others. Some of the environmentally friendly habits you can pick from include:
(1) Use biodegradable trash bags
(2) Carry your own containers for takeout
(3) Invest in energy-efficient appliances for the home
(4) Buy ethically sourced/produced food
(5) Buy loose produce (Buy your vegetables and fruits loose to further reduce your plastic waste. Instead of buying packaged fruit and vegetables, buy them loose. You can pack your produce in small reusable bags.)
(6) Buy in bulk (This is another trick to reduce waste at home. Buying in bulk is friendly to the environment and saves you money. You can buy food in bulk from food stores. Some supermarkets are now offering stations where you can refill your shampoo, soap, and other toiletry items.)
(7) Shop local (Local shops normally sell products loose thus promoting the use of reusable packaging. So go on support your local economy by shopping at the local farmer’s market or green grocer’s.)
(8) Use reusable containers. (Don’t get tired to carry a water bottle, coffee mug and lunch box with you daily. The environment will love you for it. Store leftovers and your dry cereals in reusable containers instead of plastic disposable ones. Use reusable sandwich bags for lunches.)
(9) Take eco-friendly bags for grocery shopping. Keep forgetting to carry your reusable grocery bag? Put one reusable bag in every bag that you take out with you and you will never forget again. Switching to reusable bags for your grocery shopping can make a huge impact on the environment.
(10) Bring your own coffee cup. Instead of buying coffee in a paper or plastic cup every time you need a coffee fix, buy an insulated coffee mug and fill it up at home with your daily coffee. That one plastic/paper cup of coffee daily can quickly accumulate as waste by the end of the year.
(11) Use a refillable water bottle. Instead of buying bottled water all the time, buy a good quality non-disposable eco-friendly water bottle and use it on the daily.
(12) Rechargeable batteries. Batteries contain extremely toxic chemicals that can cause soil and water pollution. Batteries normally end up in landfills. Reduce this waste by using rechargeable batteries. You will save money and the earth.
(13) Use what you have. Practice living an eco friendly lifestyle by always checking around your home for what you already have that can minimize wastage. For instance, if you need to store food away use empty glasses instead of buying plastic storage tins. Also, consume your leftovers instead of throwing them out, as long as they’re still fresh of course.
(14) Donate unused items. I’m pretty sure you have stuff around your home that you no longer want or use. Don’t throw them out, donate them instead. There are people who could use these things.
(15) Start biking or walking: If you are eco-conscious and want to reduce carbon emission ditch the car and start biking or walking more. You can start small by doing a few errands on the weekends then keep adding to your car-free time.
(16) Use public transport: he more people take the bus or train, the fewer cars there will be on the road, and the fewer emissions there will be. Another good alternative is to carpool with friends or colleagues.
(17) Wash your car on the lawn: As you wash your car you rinse a number of pollutants and detergents. If you wash your car on the street these pollutants end up in the street drain and finally into streams and lakes. But if you wash your car on the lawn the plants will soak up these pollutants and limit the amount that enters into the street.
(18) Grow your own food. You will be surprised at how easy it is to grow your own food. Start with cherry tomatoes, salad greens, and green beans. You don’t need a garden to do this, simply grow your foods in flower pots, sacks and other containers.
(19) Do not waste food. So much food, millions of tonnes, is wasted every year. Buy or cook just what you need to avoid having leftovers.
(20) Have your groceries delivered. Instead of having to drive to the supermarket every time you need to buy something, shop online and in bulk and have your stuff delivered at home. This way, you not only reduce your carbon emissions, but you will also be less likely to impulse buy which can help to reduce food wastage.
(21) Eat more plant-based. Add more plant-based foods into your plate for not only a healthier lifestyle but also a more sustainably conscious lifestyle. Every little change you make will have a large impact.
(22) Start a compost pile. Start a compost and compost as much as you can. Instead of using fertilizer, use your compost for your lawn and garden. Most foods that take long to decompose in a landfill, take just a couple of months in a compost pile.
(23) Do not litter. Littering is one of those habits that we all should strive to quit whether at home or abroad. Throw away your trash appropriately. If you can avoid having any trash in the first place the better.
(24) Reduce energy consumption. Do your best to reduce your energy consumption during your travels. Some good energy-conservation habits include turning off lights, unplugging your chargers, using water sparingly, etc.
(25) Keep a bottle or jerrican of drinking water in the fridge. Do you always run tap water to cool it off for drinking? You are not alone, we all do it without even thinking about it. Unfortunately, it is wasteful. Store drinking water in the fridge in a safe drinking bottle and have it cool every time you need to quench your thirst.
(26) Use every drop. Learn to repurpose water. There are so many ways you can reuse water around the home. Rinse your veggies and fruits and reuse that water to water your garden. Redirect water from your bathroom to your toilet tank and use it for flushing the toilet. Water from the washing machine can be recycled and used to wash the car.
(27) Water by hand. If you have a small garden, water it by hand instead of using a hose. Watering by hand uses 33 percent less water than hose pipes.
(28) Fix your leaks. It may just be a drop but it will add up to gallons of water lost. Fix all leaks around your home or get a plumber to do and save water.
(29) Cut your showers short. The more time you spend in the shower the more water you use. Take shorter showers to save more water. Also, don’t let the water run as you soap up. Turn on the tap when rinsing yourself.
(30) Install a rain barrel. We lose so much rainwater that we could otherwise use. Harvest roof water from gutters and downspouts and use it around the home.
(31) Turn off all appliances and electronics, not in use. Turning off appliances and electronics not in use is another everyday habit that will save you a lot of energy. You can also use power strips that efficiently distribute energy to your appliances when in use wasting less energy.
(32) Air dry dishes and clothes. Yes, a dryer means less work but it also means more energy and higher electricity bills. Let your dishes air-dry instead of using your dishwasher’s drying feature. Hang your clothes outside to dry.
(33) Clean or replace air filters. Air conditioners and heaters use a lot more energy if the air filters are dirty. Keep a regular cleaning and replacement schedule to ensure the filters are always clean and working properly.
(34) Consume less. We accumulate so much waste through our consumer habits. Many of us are guilty of buying stuff just because they look good at the moment. To truly live an eco-friendly lifestyle, practice buying just want you NEED. The less you consume, the less there will be to waste.
(35) Plan your meals. This is a smart trick to reduce food wastage. By planning your meals before you start making them, you’ll know exactly what to buy and avoid having excess food in the fridge that may go bad in a few days. This habit will also encourage you to cook at home more and avoid takeout.
(36) Go paperless for all your bills. We live in a digital era where almost everything we need is available on our phones or computers. Cancel all your paper bills and bank statements and instead subscribe to receive them online.
(37) Go digital. An employee uses on average two pounds of paper every day. So many people are still using too much paper even though we are in the digital era. Take notes on your laptop instead of a notepad. Use email instead of paper when communicating with your colleagues.
This list may seem overwhelming but we just want you to see all the possibilities. Choose a few things that are doable for you. It doesn’t matter how many you choose as long as you get started today with this ECO-FRIENDLY LIFESTYLE CHALLENGE.
This challenge has been set by Emmanuel Mwesige. Whatsapp: +256704004263/+256778954346 or email: [email protected].
We shall be waiting for your experiences on social media platforms! TOGETHER WE CAN CREATE A BETTER WORLD FOR THE FUTURE GENERATIONS TO ENJOY AS WELL!
