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Going green - ideas for families
It's simpler than you think help the environment, and it can be fun for the kids, too. Follow our quick guide
We are being told more and more that we should do our bit for the environment by reducing our waste and taking more rubbish to be recycled. The average household produces a tonne of rubbish every year - that's the equivalent weight of a Ford Fiesta! But for busy families going green can often seem a daunting prospect - how do you juggle the demands of a job, childcare and housework with caring for the environment?
Charlotte Walker is the project manager for www.recycle-more.co.uk, a website that offers practical advice and tips to families who want to do their bit for the environment. She admitted that taking the first steps to being environmentally friendly can often be quite daunting.
'Many people find the prospect of becoming green quite scary,' she admits. 'They think it will take a huge amount of time and effort on their behalf, and this can make them reluctant to take any steps at all.
'The reality is that there are lots of very simple measures that can be taken to reduce the amount of waste that we produce, and once adopted into your lifestyle, you don't even notice you're doing them.'
First steps
Charlotte recommends taking basic steps such as cancelling unwanted newspapers and junk mail through the Mailing Preference Service and avoiding heavily packaged goods when doing the weekly shop. She adds that: 'Even something as simple as reusing your carrier bags when you go to the supermarket can make a huge difference. Figures show that each person in the UK can use as many as 134 bags a year.'
Families with small children could also try a Nappy Laundry Service rather than using disposable nappies - the Real Nappy Association has tips on how to go about this - and sending kids to school with reusable containers for their lunches, rather than plastic wrappings and bags, can also help the environment.
She also recommends teaching children about environmental issues, so they grow up with an awareness of the environment and how to conserve it.
For further information on reducing, reusing and recycling your waste, visit www.recycle-more.co.uk
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