Five simple steps to becoming more eco friendly this Earth Day
22nd April 2018
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This Earth Day, make some simple changes in your life to help save the planet.
It sounds dramatic I know. How can you have any significant impact on the planet, or on the damage being done to it, just by making a few small changes? You're only one person after all. However, if everyone makes even just one small change in their life, it can have a huge impact! Some doubted just how successful the 5p tax would be for plastic bag use, yet a few years after it's introduction the number of single-use plastic bags has dropped by over 80 percent!
If doing something as simple as carrying your own bag to the shops can have such a significant impact, just imagine what else can be achieved in the next few years.
Many people want to help the environment, but they aren't sure how to or they are just too stuck in their habits to do so. For such people making lots of changes at once can be overwhelming, leading to only short-term success. The only way to truly help the environment is a lifestyle change, where we are more aware of what we buy, what we use and what we waste. However, this doesn't have to happen all at once.
It is surprisingly easy to make those first few changes, which will inevitably get you thinking more about what you are using and how you could be helping the planet, rather than hurting it. Simply put, you just need to start making a few simple changes, the rest will happen organically as you realise how easy and important it is.
To help get you started we have come up with some easy changes you can make:
1. Cut down on plastic consumption
If you haven't bought into the bags for life craze yet, try getting started now! It can be a little difficult to remember at first, but if you leave a bag in your coat pocket or the handbag you always carry you should find you always have a bag for the occasion. Also, bring your own bag for loose fruit and vegetables, rather than relying on the ones provided in shops.
It's not just plastic bags though. There is still an inexcusable amount of plastic being wasted each year, a great deal of which ends up in our oceans killing wildlife.
Resist the urge to buy plastic straws and refuse to accept them in restaurants and cafes. They really aren't necessary and add little, if anything, to your dining experience.
Similarly, avoid disposable cutlery, carry a reusable water bottle around rather than buying lots of plastic bottles and carry a reusable coffee cup instead of buying a new one each time. For lunch, bring your own re-usable containers rather than buying food from a shop, as you use less packaging and save money. These small changes are easy to make, though they might feel strange at first, and will help lessen plastic wastage.
Additionally, avoid buying products with excessive packaging and buy bar soap and shampoo rather than the bottles.

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