When it comes to environmental conservation, everything we do matters.  And most of the time, it’s the little things that make the most difference in the long run.  One full day in our lives is composed of activities that can either contribute to, or lessen our impact on the climate crisis.  And as every individual aware of this global emergency knows, such things as the consumption of energy and water creates an impact on the environment’s condition. 

In light of this, let’s examine some of these little things that compose our round-the-clock lives, and consider any possible changes that can be made for the sake of good ol’ Mother Nature:

 

Morning

  1. Replace your electric alarm clocks with the one built in on your mobile phone.  If fully charged, it can last the entire night without you having to plug it in.  If it’s running low on juice, consider: even if you plug it in, that still equals less electricity consumption compared to your phone AND your alarm clock sucking in power the entire night.
  2.  If you have some spare time to exercise and can’t do so without distractions, avoid switching on the television or the radio.  Go outside and have a brisk walk or jog instead.  Get back in touch with the outdoors.
  3. Time to shower for work.  Reduce the amount of running water you use by cleansing your whole body before turning on the shower.  Shampoo your hair, wash your face, lather, scrub, and even brush your teeth; turn on the water afterwards.

    And make sure to leave the shower or faucet valve tightly closed.  Remember, every drop counts.

  4. Be aware of the makeup you’re using.  Instead of the traditional brands you buy, there are a lot of organic cosmetics readily available in the apothecary section of department stores or even online. Try eBay, alibaba and sulit.com. You don’t just save your skin from harm, you also save the environment from producing less of unwanted chemicals. To learn more about the benefits of organic make-up click here.
  5. If you’re planning on frying anything for breakfast, reuse your cooking oil.  You might argue that there are some reports claiming that this is unhealthy practice. If done properly, there is nothing to worry about. For tips on how to safely reuse oil, click here
  6. If you have an after work or school engagement, make sure to bring with you everything that you’d need for the night, like your outfit.  This would be an excellent tip especially if you’re bringing a car: this avoids the unnecessary trip back to your house, and to your destination for later in the day.
  7. Before leaving the house, check for any plugged appliance. Turning them off is not enough. Batteries, cellphones and mp3 players left charging also consume energy.  Also, televisions and computers plugged in still use a particular percentage of electricity.  To prove it, what do you think is powering that little red standby light on your TV?  It may be small, but in the long run, it’s not as small an effect as you’d probably think.

Click here to calculate your carbon footprint.

 

On the Road

  1. Instead of using the family car, opt for public transportation.  A popular suggestion with practical logic, doing so reduces the amount of fossil fuel consumption, as well as the pollutants from the vehicle exhaust. 
  2. If you have to use the car, why not offer to carpool?  Pick up a friend or two whose residential areas you pass on your way.   If your home or office is bicycle friendly, then pedal your way there.  If it’s reasonably near your home, walk.  Either one will do the Earth, and your body, good.
  3. Take the least uncongested roads.  Getting to work or school faster saves time, and fuel consumption.
  4. Watch your speed.  Remember that the faster you drive, the more fuel you burn.
  5. If possible, switch off the engine when stationary.
  6. Check if you can get to your destination by walking.  If it’s significantly close to your home, there’s no sense burning fuel for a trip that short.

Click here for an article on cutting carbon emissions from transportation

 

At Work/School


  1. Use less paper by maximizing the blank space. Use narrower margins when typing documents for printing.  Stack up on unneeded, printed documents and use them as scratch paper.  Print on the clean side. 
  2. Replace your desk knick-knacks with plants – a natural sponge for carbon dioxide.
  3. During breaks, make sure you turn off anything that consumes electricity. Simply turning off the lights would do.  And perhaps ask maintenance to turn down the air condition in the hallways.
  4. During lunch, make sure to say no to Styrofoam – a generic term for polystyrene, which is a form of plastic. Plastic products take about 1,000 years to decompose.  Use reusable materials instead.
  5.  Check the waste management of your school or office. How do they take care of everyone’s waste? Do they practice waste segregation? Some schools and companies are not only limiting sorting of trash into biodegradable and non-biodegradable. Some of them are particular in segregating paper, plastic cups, empty cans, and empty plastic bottles.

    Learning about this helps you figure out how you can contribute to making the place a bit more on the green side.

  6. Before heading home, double-check the appliances. Computers must be shut down completely, and unplugged, instead of being left on sleep mode.  It would also help if you turn off the air-con at least twenty minutes before everyone leaves.
  7. Clean as you go. Cleaning may be the custodian’s job, but your trash is your responsibility.

Click here for more advice on cutting energy usage at work

 

On the Way Home

  1. Follow the suggestions given for your morning transportation, and you’ll be fine. 
  2. If you’re heading straight home, pick up anyone in your family from wherever they are, and ride home with them.  It’s a great stress reliever – for you, and the Earth.
  3. If you have time, try to accomplish some of the week’s errands like grocery shopping, or a trip to the mall, on your way home.  This saves on gas, and time.

 

During the Evening


  1. If you plan on cooking dinner, check the fridge for leftovers.  Reheating and defrosting consumes less energy than cooking a brand new meal.
  2. If you have a multi-burner stove, make sure to use the range that matches the diameter of the pot.  This reduces the amount of wasted heat.
  3. Learn to find alternative ways to unwind without using energy: read a book, bond with your family by talking about your day, or play with your kids or siblings.
  4. Open the windows during cold nights.  Let the cool evening breeze rush through the room, instead of the wind coming from the electric fan, or the air conditioner.
  5. Perhaps the most practical way to save energy at the end of your day is to adjust your bedtime: sleep earlier.  Retiring a few hours ahead of your usual schedule would cut back on the things you’d usually do during the evening, most of which include the use of electricity.
  6. Just as when you’re leaving the house, switch off AND unplug all possible electrical appliances before going to bed.  That television still sucks electricity when in standby mode.

Click here for tips reducing your home energy consumption.