Your Guide to Becoming an Eco-Friendly Family
Are you and your family eager to do your bit for the environment? If yes, then you’ve come to the right place!
'Going green’ can sometimes feel like a pretty arduous task but it’s important to remember that even small changes to your lifestyle can create a huge impact.
We’re on a mission to Klean up our act and be as environmentally conscious as we can in every aspect of our lives and we’re delighted that you’re joining the evolution too!
If you’re ready to jump straight into drastically changing your diet, kitting your home out with solar panels and ditching the car all together then that’s fantastic news, but you may also be looking for a more gradual transition, which is great too. Every change makes a difference!
The Independent reported that 93% of families said they were trying to use fewer plastic items but only 17% said they were able to afford pricier alternatives. We understand that it can sometimes feel like there are plenty of barriers in the way of living a more sustainable lifestyle, but we promise that changes can be made by simply trashing some of those bad habits in the home.
To make eco-living as easy as possible we’ve created a guide for you and your family to follow, so why not give it a go and see which of these lifestyle-hacks stick.
A big thank you from us all for being open to going green and make our beloved planet a cleaner place for us all. Good luck!
Let’s start with the shop
The supermarket can be a hive of non-eco goings on, but there some simple swaps you can make in the aisles which will have a huge impact.
Top tips: Go organic, take your own tote shopping bags, shop local where possible and finally opt for an online shop if you can; it reduces the number of cars driving to the supermarket and generally makes your shop more efficient meaning less waste.
Say no to single-use plastic
It sounds simple, but we understand this can be a difficult behaviour to squash. As hard as we may try, single-use plastic is consuming our lives. So, here’s a list of things for you to avoid in starting to say no to single-use plastic.
Avoid: Pre-packed products, carrier bags, disposable cutlery, plastic straws, drinks bottles, takeaway food containers, frozen food and ready-meals.
And of course, the best way to make these changes is with a Klean Kanteen in hand!
Fancy a cuppa?
It’s a simple and small alteration but you may not realise that not all teabags are fully biodegradable. Don’t worry, there are plenty of well-known brands that are use plastic-free bags, plus you can always opt for loose leaf too.
Get crafty
If you’ve got little ones to keep entertained, then home crafts are a great idea. Make use of recyclable items or even task the kids to create posters, cards, charts or rules to display around the home to remind the family of ways to be as environmentally friendly as possible.
The recycle ethos
It goes without saying that the behaviour of recycling should be ingrained in us all by now, but the principal can be taken even further by being more considered in your purchases as the first step
When it comes to shopping for clothes or toys could you swap more and shop less? Charity shops are a great way of disposing of unwanted items and finding new buys. Or make a night of it with your friends and host a ‘frock swap’ where you can all route through each other’s unwanted clothes before doing a charity shop drop off. It’s a great excuse for a get-together and you’re less likely to buy new clothes for a while!
Keep it clean
Cleaning products can be some of the biggest household offenders for bringing both chemicals and single-use plastic into the home. There are a number of cheap and easy hacks you can try to spruce up your eco-cleaning.
Various combinations of water, vinegar, lemon and bicarbonate of soda can be used to create fantastic cleaning formulas. Find the right solution for each room of the house and refill your old cleaning bottles with these homemade solutions. You can even make your own air freshener with a mix of water, baking soda and essential oils!
It’s a waste of energy
Simple changes like turning off lights when you leave a room and switching TV’s and appliances off at the plug, can actually make a big impact. Also, why not cut back on your shower time or the number of times you use your washing machine, dishwasher or tumble dryer each week?
Go-green in the garden
Time spent in the garden is a great way to spend downtime, so these eco-hacks shouldn’t feel like a chore. Our top tips for making use of your garden start with planting trees if you have the space. This is a great way to contribute to a stable ecosystem.
Also, put your green fingers to the test and have a go at growing your own produce to cut back on the veg and herbs you’re buying at the supermarket.
Give ready-made meals the chop
Cooking from scratch helps to cut back on unnecessary packaging and helps to keep the family healthy too, win win! Take the time to challenge what’s in your trolley on your next food shop – have you picked up products that use plastics, jars or wrapping where there’s an alternative you could buy or make at home? Ready-made sauces, microwave meals, snacks and pre-packed produce are just some of the culprits to lookout for!
We hope you enjoy making these small changes to create a big impact for the environment.
We’re so pleased you can join us in working together to look after our wonderful world.
