Think local, act global

By GRAHAME BARRETT, PAUL PAYTEN & STEVE GOLDSMITH - Fairfax Media | Thursday, 05 June 2008

 

It's easy to make a difference at home and work – here are 100 ideas to get you started.

Climate Control

- Properly insulate and seal your home against heat and cold.

- Dress for comfort to suit the ambient temperature rather than artificially heating or cooling internal or external environments.

- Use a small, low-emission gas heater when necessary to gently warm and cycle air, with a bowl of water nearby to maintain humidity.

- Use small, energy-efficient fans in separate rooms in use instead of the main air-conditioner.

- Install shutters or adjustable blinds externally on windows and skylights to moderate temperature.

Energy

- Sign up for the green electricity tariff with your supply company.

- Convert or replace household water heating with a solar-powered system (use a gas booster if needed).

- Install low-processed insulation (eg wool, recycled cellulose).

- Use trees or shrubs to establish natural shade on walls and rooftops.

- If not possible to turn the air conditioner off, turn it down a degree or two.

- Run your fridge no lower than 4C and turn off your spare/bar fridge; use it for parties or celebrations only.

- Turn off all appliances and electrical equipment at the power point.

Clothing

- Wear garments and accessories made from natural recyclable and biodegradable fibres: cotton, hemp, wool, down, leather.

- Buy and wear garments and accessories dyed and processed with natural, non-toxic substances.

- Don't discard old clothes. Pass on pre-loved clothes to others.

- Buy locally produced clothes made from locally produced natural materials that don't contribute to energy consumption and produce harmful emissions in excessive processing or transportation over long distances.

- Get creative in your spare time. Make, mend, alter and repurpose your own clothing and accessories.

Food and drink

- Choose food and beverage products that are locally produced, low-processed and have little or no packaging.

- Choose food and drink made from whole fresh foods with little or no chemicals or preservatives.

- Make your own tasty cakes, chocolates, sweets, biscuits and breads from organic products and local or home-grown fruit and vegetables.

- Provide filtered tap water and phase out water bottled in plastic. Get together with friends and make your own soft drinks or beer.

- When disposing of food scraps and their packaging, do so in a manner that will ensure they can be recycled or otherwise appropriately disposed of.

Gifts

- Buy green gifts from your local environmental store, nursery or flower shop.

- Buy potted flowers, plants, trees, bird baths and other products that enhance and support your local wildlife.

- Make or buy gifts made from non-toxic, low-processed, recycled or partially recycled materials.

- Shop for gifts at local markets, craft shows, galleries or charity shops – handmade and pre-loved gifts are often very much appreciated.

- When disposing of gifts at the end of their useful life, dispose of them in a manner that will ensure they can be recycled if possible.

Investment

- When making investment choices, invest in ethical companies with sound sustainability policies and practices. Seek information from knowledgeable, reliable, trustworthy and successful investment advisers who specialise in ethical, green and sustainable investment.

- Embrace sustainable technologies and processes as a business choice, positioning and differentiating from your competitors as a marketing edge to attract customers and investors.

- Direct your superannuation or other investment funds to an informed, reliable, trustworthy and successful fund manager who supports and practises ethical, green and sustainable investment.

Lighting

- Change your light bulbs from incandescent to CFL or LED type bulbs. 

- Install double-glazed skylights or reflector tubes to increase natural light.

- Turn lights off when anticipating longer periods of unnecessary use. Use timers or sensors to automate the process where possible. Rather than lighting a whole area, install low power direct lighting where concentrated light is required.

- Use absolute minimum levels of lighting for security purposes. Install solar-charged external lighting where suitable.

- CFL globes typically contain small, safe amounts of mercury so arrange for their disposal at your local recycling centre.

Learning and Education

- Ask your council or neighbourhood centre about workshops and other activities that provide information and education in becoming self-sufficient at home.

- Contact your local community college, polytechnic or university and ask about courses addressing environmental and sustainability issues that interest you.

- Look to nature for eco-friendly and sustainable solutions or approaches to solving problems. See if the problem has already been solved in nature by some system, process, substance or organism – that is, take a biomimicry approach.

Leisure

- Keep it simple and low-tech.

- Choose leisure and exercise activities that do not require the use of elaborately manufactured aids and equipment.

- Buy leisure, sporting and exercise garments and accessories made from natural non-toxic, low-processed, renewable, recyclable and biodegradable fibres and materials.

- Choose exercises that have a low impact on the environment, such as walking, yoga, rock-climbing, cycling, swimming and meditation.

Packaging

- Choose low-processed paper, cardboard or natural fibres over synthetic packs. Avoid polystyrene packaging and containers.

- Choose containers that can be reused and recycled, such as glass or PET.

- Choose and use bags made from low-processed, recycled, reusable, recyclable and biodegradable paper or natural fibres. Avoid plastic bags.

- Join a packaging alliance or initiate one with businesses in your industry or area.

Pets

- If you have a cat, put a bell on its collar to ensure local birds, small animals and wildlife are alerted to any danger.

- Install a cat run to allow your cat exercise while still containing it during the day.

- Make a point of keeping your cat inside at night and dogs in an enclosure, so as to protect native wildlife.

Shed and Garden

- Plant native species of trees, shrubs, plants and grasses. Compost organic kitchen and garden waste to nurture them and renew the soil nutrients.

- Avoid the use of synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilisers.

- Use herbal or pyrethrum-based sprays (and pet cleaners) to reduce unwanted pests and insects.

- Dispose of old pesticides, herbicides, pet-care products, drugs, chemicals, oils, paints, batteries, cell phones, computer equipment and
CFL light bulbs at your local recycling station.

- Use grey or recycled water on your garden.

- Select untreated, plantation timber for house and garden projects.

- Use only water-based, non-toxic paints and finishes.

 

Recycling

- Put a ‘No Junk Mail' sign on your letterbox. 

- Return plastic bags to your supermarket for disposal and recycling where possible.

- Recycle your unwanted clothing and household goods through resellers or charity collection facilities, garage sales and media and internet trading outlets.

- Investigate your community's recycling programmes and resources starting at your local council, and ask how you can best participate.

- Survey staff at work for ideas on how to achieve maximum recycling in their areas.

- Share contacts and information with your friends, relatives, neighbours and work associates. Encourage them to implement these actions and suggestions and to make use of the programmes and resources available in their local community on an ongoing basis.

Shopping

- Choose products that are locally produced, low-processed and loose rather than packaged where possible.

- Buy and use non or low-toxic, biodegradable cleaning products. Buy and use natural cleaning substitutes such as salt, vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice.  At work, get information from your local council or industry association about purchasing choices that support green practices.

- Choose locally made appliances created from recycled and recyclable materials, which use minimal energy to make and run.

- Buy flooring, carpets and home furnishings made from locally produced, natural fibres.

- Choose nappies, feminine hygiene products, toilet paper etc made from low-treated, recycled natural fibres.

- Buy and reuse pump sprays with refills.

Transport

- Through thoughtful planning, eliminate unnecessary journeys.

- Choose the most energy-efficient, least-polluting transport.

- Walk or ride a bike.

- Catch public transport, share a lift or car-pool.

- Choose a fuel-efficient, low-emission car.

- Convert your current car or truck to use alternative, low-emission fuels. At work, develop a compensation package to encourage staff uptake of these more efficient less polluting vehicles.

- Have your car or truck regularly maintained and serviced.

Waste

- Put as little in the garbage bin as possible. See waste as a resource by using it in innovative ways to save on disposal costs and reduce consumption of new or raw materials.

- Reduce, conserve.

- Reuse, repurpose

- Recycle what materials and packaging you can and provide for safe disposal of toxic materials. Dispose of old pesticides, herbicides, pet-care products, drugs, chemicals, oils, paints and batteries, cell phones and computer equipment and CFL light bulbs at your local recycling station.

- Compost food waste for garden use.

 

Water Use and Management

- Reduce water usage.

- Install low-consumption shower heads and diffusers to household taps.

- Turn off water between brushing and rinsing when cleaning your teeth.

- Capture cold water when waiting for hot and use it on the garden.

- At work and at home install filtered water systems to provide clean drinking water instead of buying bottled water.

- Install one or more rainwater tanks.

- Wash and clean the car on a lawn.

Wellbeing

- Eat locally produced organic food and drink. If no local organic options are available, choose local, chemically untreated fruit and vegetables where possible. Choose non-genetically modified (non-GM) food.

- At work, implement triple bottom line accounting in your business practices by including environmental and social elements, as well as financial considerations, in decision-making and measurement of sustainable business success.

- Pursue simple pastimes and exercise routines that nurture the spirit, mind, heart, body and the planet. Meditation and walking can have positive effects on our health and happiness.

 

Getting Involved

- Become an active supporter. Take practical actions to nurture the environment, reduce global warming and achieve a sustainable future.
- Become a sustainability champion and model the way for others in your family, community and at work.

- Start a library of relevant information, reports, magazines, books
and CD/DVD resources for your children and friends, work colleagues and clients so they can learn about global warming and other sustainability issues.

- Promote and support environmentally friendly behaviours among family, friends, work associates, clubs and members of your community.

- Talk about your eco-friendly ideas, practices and actions so as to help spread the message to others.

- Start or join a Sustainability Street or similar project. See your local council or government environmental department or website information and contacts to get started.

 

Before You Buy choices

- Which choice uses least materials and energy to make, store, transport and consume, and dispose of producing the least toxicity, waste and emissions?

- Can I do without it?

- Can I use less of it?

- Can I buy in bulk?

- Does it consume the least generated energy to make, distribute, run and
dispose of?

- Does it contain the best recycled content and is it reusable, recyclable
and biodegradable on disposal?

This is an edited extract from Your Eco Handbook – achieving a sustainable future, by Grahame Barrett, Paul Payten and Steve Goldsmith, published by Fairfax Books.