Saving the planet during the credit crunch

|PIC1|Whether your idea of going green is to recycle your household rubbish or grow your own veggies, there are lots of inspiring practical solutions to help perk up your green credentials - even during the credit crunch.

“We all have a lot on our plates as it is, what with juggling work, children and our personal lives, but going green can actually simplify your life rather than complicate it,” says Kate Aydin, sustainable development officer at the University of Oxford and author of How to Save the Planet on a Student Budget.

“Every little thing we do for the environment makes a difference and many small actions can add up to a significant change.”

In fact, in a recent YouGov survey, commissioned by Christian Aid, a staggering 90 per cent of adults in the UK have taken positive steps to reduce their individual carbon emissions – so why not stamp out your carbon footprint and join them?

Food, drink and eating out

“For those who want to look after their health and the environment at the same time, there are lots of different kinds of delicious fresh fish which are great value for money,” says Aydin.

“Whether you love salmon or tuna, lemon sole or prawns, just make sure that the fish you buy at home or in a restaurant carries the sustainable fish label, MSC or Marine Stewardship Council.”

When it comes to quenching your thirst, particularly during the hotter summer months, Aydin also advises against buying lots of individual plastic bottles of mineral water, and instead investing in a ‘bottle for life’ from an outdoor or camping shop.

“They’re very lightweight aluminium, come in all shapes, sizes and colours, and cost about £18 each, so you’ll more than make your money back in about a month if you regularly drink bottled water.

“Just making a plastic bottle actually uses between seven and 11 times more water than the actual water contained in it, so using a bottle for life helps you to maintain your green credentials as well as saving cash in the long run.”

Finally, whether you’re planning a special party or just a relaxing evening at home, Aydin says that the best environmental option when buying wine is to buy an organic version produced as near as possible to the point of purchase.

“Increasing numbers of English and Welsh farners are growing wines – have a look at www.englishwineproducers.com, and visit www.ethicalwine.com to check the wine’s carbon footprint.

|PIC1|“Organic vineyards use natural methods of disease control and maximise crop yields without damaging the environment, and you can usually pick up a decent bottle of French organic wine for about £5 at your local supermarket these days,” she smiles.

Making your home eco-friendly

“It’s really easy to make your home a lot greener with very little effort,” says Aydin.

“Even if you just change two or three ingrained habits it could make a huge impact – imagine the difference in the UK’s water quality for example, if everybody changed to an environmentally friendly version of washing powder and washing up liquid such as Ecover.

As well as recycling, another good idea is to start home composting if you have a garden no matter how small, she continues.

“This will reduce your household waste, help your garden to bloom with organic fertiliser, and also cut the time you spend cleaning out your bins in the house so they don’t smell," she says.

If you are buying anything made with or from wood for the garden or your home, check that it carries the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) mark on it to ensure that you are not contributing to global forest destruction.

“Another way to boost your green credentials is to stop leaving your household appliances on stand-by, but I appreciate that it can be a pain as it often involves crawling around under tables and behind appliances looking for plug sockets!" says Aydin.

“To make things easy and to save on your electricity bills, just buy an extension lead so that you can turn everything off with one flick when you’re off out, going on holiday or just going to bed."


Find out more:

Kate Aydin's 'How to Save the Planet on a Student Budget' is available from Oneworld Publications, priced £6.99.

You can get some great value 330 litre bins from www.blackwall.co.uk.

This article was supplied by international development agency Christian Aid which continues to take action to tackle climate change in the lead up to the UN summit in Copenhagen this December. For more information click please here: www.christianaid.org.uk/copenhagen