2023 Author: Anita Thornton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-22 03:30
It will soon be time to make good resolutions for the coming year. Be sure to put eco-friendly values on your list if you haven't already!
By becoming a parent, a new consciousness descends on us. We want to bequeath a he althy world to our children. And soon, our house undergoes green transformations and we pay particular attention to the products we use. No question that our treasure crawls on a floor washed with dangerous products or that it breathes in the smell of pesticides. Now is the time to act so that tomorrow is just as green as now!
The Three Rs: Reduce – Recycle – Reuse
Overconsumption stalks everyone. Too often, we tend to buy without thinking too much. We also throw at a crazy speed. Indeed, consumption is highly valued. In the years to come, the trend should be reversed and recycling and reuse should be just as important, or even more so. A study conducted by the American environmental organization Redefining Progress shows that the Earth would need more than 14 months to replenish what humans consume in 12 months, recalled Radio-Canada in 2002.
Before buying or throwing away, better ask yourself a few questions
- Do I REALLY need it?
- Who could use this item I want to get rid of?
- How could I transform it for reuse in other ways?
Several reasons can justify a reduction in our consumption
- to encourage other valuesto simplify life and lighten our home (not to accumulate useless things);
- to do a good deed for the environmentfor a better sharing of we alth;
- so as not to go into debt or spend the money you don't have.
Did you know that there has been a Buy Nothing Day for 17 years now? This initiative offers citizens not to buy anything for a whole day. It is a way to bring a truce to the pre-Christmas shopping frenzy and to protest excesses and abuses. This day takes place on the last Friday of November. Put it in your diary!
8 easy gestures
Biodegradable and non-toxic productsAdopt new biodegradable products. And to find them, you don't need to deviate from your habits. You will find Hertel, Quebec and biodegradable products almost everywhere, Method products in Pharmaprix and Attitude products at Jean-Coutu. If you have dangerous products at home and you want to get rid of them, do not throw them in the trash. There are special collections ordeposits provided for them. Check with your municipality.
Energy-efficient appliancesThere's no question of depriving yourself of appliances, not even your precious dishwasher. But for a “green” choice, choose one that bears the Energy Star designation, which identifies the most energy efficient in their category. The Department of Natural Resources Canada points out, for example, that your refrigerator accounts for 11% of your household's total energy consumption, but that energy-efficient appliances consume 50% less energy than models manufactured 10 years ago. Hence the importance of choosing them well!
Double Your Recycling BinOften you don't recycle as much as you could because the sight of the overflowing bin infuriates you and the box of macaroni takes the edge of the trash can. Also, check with your municipality if you can install binoculars in your garbage can that only contain recyclable materials. Here is a simple idea to encourage you to recycle quickly and abundantly. No more reason not to recycle when everything is under our control.
Less bags
The days of plastic bags are numbered if you put some of your own into them. Get reusable bags in several grocery stores or stores (IGA, Métro, SAQ, Yves Rocher, etc.) or fabric bags at merchants. If you have nimble fingers, create one in your image! To be sure of using them, make a habit of using them.leave in your vehicle or get one that folds up to fit in your purse.
Fewer bags (2)Swap your tribe's sandwich bags and buy good washable and reusable dishes. A small investment that lasts a long time!
Less paper
You subscribe to a daily newspaper, but day after day, you accumulate them without being able to read them? Read your daily newspaper on the web. Cyberpresse invites you, among other things, to subscribe to its information email sent every day a little before lunchtime to give you the right time on everything that makes the news of the day. It is even possible to subscribe for a few dollars to the online version of La Presse!
Is your mailbox overflowing with flyers you don't read? Affix a sticker indicating that you refuse all forms of solicitation. Do you pay your bills online, but continue to receive them on paper? Subscribe to all online billing services. You will receive everything in your email inbox. Awesome!
Get informed
Read about the topics that interest you in order to better consume and make better use of the resources around us. Participate in rallies or organizations to make a difference. Some programs raise awareness among viewers, such as La vie en vert.
Wash eco-friendly!
Install a washing line to reduce your consumption. Also chooseeco-friendly laundry products. There are more and more on the market, you just have to look carefully at the label to make sure that it is indeed an eco-friendly product. See a test made on the show La vie en vert.
For more information, visit Ecoaction.
