Eco-Tips 2018
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Eco -Tips 2018 Each week we will add one helpful eco-tip to the list: 1. Wash clothes at 30° 90% of a washing machine’s energy expenditure is spent on heating the water, so wash at 30°C to save a substantial amount of energy. 2. Hang up your laundry rather than tumble dry.
3. If you do occasionaly use a tumble drier take clothes out before they are completely dry - they'll iron much quicker and you'll use less energy.
You can find the first three and more energy saving tips on www.ecocongregationscotland.org
4. Recycle your old glasses by donating them to Vision Aid Overseas. Many of us have several pairs lying somewhere forgotten in a drawer. You can hand them in to Specsavers or Vision Express in Corstorphine or Boots in the Gyle and they will pass them on to this worthwhile charity.
5. Try to avoid using Cling Film which is a single-use plastic product which cannot be recycled and is bad for the environment. Cover dishes in the fridge with alternatives such as a plate or saucer or a cover such as a silicone lid. For the microwave you can use a plate, saucer, kitchen roll or a reusable microwave cover.
6. When you need to buy new food storage containers glass or stainless steel ones are far more eco- friendly than plastic ones as they can be recycled.
8. As Easter approaches, consider buying Fairtrade Easter eggs. Also, avoid Easter eggs with lots of excess packaging that just creates waste. You can buy online at Traidcraft
9. Save energy as much as you can - unplug electronic devices when they're not in use, TURN OFF your switch at the wall and install energy-efficient light bulbs. Show your commitment to the planet by participating in Earth Hour on Saturday 24 March 2018 at 8.30pm . Switch off you lights for an hour.
10. Face wipes, baby wipes, wet wipes, floor wipes etc are not eco-friendly. Usually a washable flannel and warm water will do the job. e.g. for make-up removal use cleansing lotion and remove with a wet flannel.
not eco-friendly
11. Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth. 12. Ditch single use plastic drinking straws. Stainless steel ones are an eco-friendly alternative. 13. Use cloth napkins instead of paper ones and wash, when necessary, along with your normal wash.
14. To save on printing make margins on documents narrow. 15. Slow cookers save on energy and washing up.
16. Bananas are great for the garden. Chop up the peel or whole overripe bananas and put in the soil round about plants. 17. Put your computer to sleep if you will be away more than 20 min. 18. Bananas attract butterflies. If you have bananas that are overripe, don’t throw them out. Butterflies love mushy bananas so will be attracted to your garden if you open the skin and place the fruit in your flower beds. 19. Kitchen roll may be handy, but it’s a nonrenewable paper product. Re-usable sponges and cloths are eco-friendlier than kitchen roll. 20. Since you can't put plastic plant pots or plant-carrying trays in your recycling bin you may wish to take them to a garden centre to be recycled if you are not able to reuse them. 21. Add slug-resistant plants to your garden. Begonias, geraniums, impatiens, nasturtiums and poppies can be placed among the herbs and vegetables that attract slugs to create a natural barrier.
22. Flatten plastic milk and soft drink bottles and cartons before adding to your recycling bin. It is also helpful to put the lid back on to stop them refilling with air.
23. Buy food without packaging or with minimal packaging.
24. Why not pay a visit to the One World Shop underneath St John's Church in the Cornerstone Centre at the foot of Lothian Road. There is an amazing range of Fair Trade products which would make great gifts.
25. Eat less red meat. This can have quite a significant impact on reducing your carbon 26. Recycle water. Ordinary washing up liquid, shampoo, and soap is harmless to plants. That means that you could save your dish water and bath water for using in the garden. 27. The bags pharmacists put prescriptions in are a good strength for storing bulbs for the
28. Household batteries can be placed inside a clear bag and put on top of your blue 29. Wash clothes at 30°. For dark, bright colors that bleed or delicate fabrics, you can even use cold water.
30. You can recycle ink cartridges at supermarkets 31. Buy a plant for your home. Plants can remove toxins from the air and improve air quality in a number of ways.
32. Decide what you want before you open the fridge; when you open the fridge door up to 30% of the cooled air escapes. Have it open for the minimum time possible. Save energy and money.
33. Measure and then fill. Only heat as much water in your kettle as you need for the amount of tea you’re making
34. You can save energy by turning the iron or the oven off a few minutes early. Both will retain heat for 5 minutes or so.
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