By Air, By Road, By Sea

Every day we all make choices that affect the environment around us. Whether it is at home or at work, we can all make some small changes that will make a big difference.

Turning off your computer at the end of each day can save up to 25% of the annual energy bill and at home turning down your heating by even a one degree can take up to 10% off the annual heating bill, and with oil prices currently continuing to climb, this will help to keep some extra money in your pocket! Phone chargers that are left plugged into a live socket will continue to burn approximately 20% of the electricity even if there is no phone connected to them, so plug them out, or switch off the socket once you have completed charging your mobile phone.

Another way that we can all help to reduce our impact on the environment is to ensure we are recycling as much of our waste as possible. The majority of local authorities are now providing wheelie bins to residences that are specifically for cardboard, paper, plastic, aluminium cans etc. In addition to this, Recycling Centres are located throughout most towns and villages to aid in the effort to recycle as much material as possible. Remember to rinse out plastic shampoo & conditioner bottles as these are also recyclable once they are clean. Recycling can be a family event too; by giving each member of the household one area of responsibility for a recyclable material. For example, divide up who will look after paper, plastic, tins and aluminium cans and glass etc.

The majority of waste that is generated ends up in one of two places, either Landfill or Incineration. Landfill involves the burying of waste in land that has been suitably lined and prepared for this purpose. The disadvantages of landfill are that it attracts rodents, there can be some run-off from the site, there is usually methane gas in the air, and the decomposing matter produces Carbon Dioxide (CO2). Incineration involves the burning, or Thermal Treatment, of waste under highly controlled circumstances. The downside to this form of waste management is that it can be expensive to operate, it needs to be strictly controlled and the incineration plants themselves can be unsightly.

One way to reduce the amount of food waste we generate is to look at our purchasing habits. When it comes to food shopping, only buy what you need. Try and resist offers of ‘buy one get one free’, unless it’s a non-perishable item, or you had actually intended to buy the product in the first place. If you are filling your bin at the end of each week with food that has not been consumed and has subsequently gone off then you may need to examine how you shop and what proportion of the wasted food was an impulse purchase because there happened to ‘special offers’ or promotions on in the store whilst you were shopping. And try to avoid shopping when you’re hungry!!

If there is a composting system in place, this can be used to recycle food waste. If you are in an area that has a Pay By Weight refuse collection system, this will reduce the bill as food tends to be the heaviest of all waste.

The air we breathe forms a great part of our environment, and it is vital to maintain the balance of what makes up that air. It is made up of approximately 78% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen and 1% other gases. CO2 is one gas that is considered to form the blanket term ‘Greenhouse Gases’. It is caused by the burning of Fossil Fuels and it forms part of the Carbon Cycle.

One of the most recent changes to help the environment has come in the form of Carbon related taxation for vehicles on Irish roads. This is a measure that we may see being extended to other parts of Europe in the coming years and is designed to reduce the levels of harmful CO2 in our atmosphere. It means that the more environmentally friendly your car is, the less you will pay in Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT), as well as a reduction in the annual road tax of the car, which previously was related to the size of the engine. For example the BMW 5 Series Diesel will go from an annual road tax of €590 to an annual road tax rate of €150, this is an annual saving of €440.

Need more info? Environmental Awareness Course just added to the EazySafe Learning Centre,
click here for further details.