Go green and save money

Thestar: :by CECILIA KOK | Mar 20, 2010

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cecilia_kok@thestar.com.my
The onus is on us to contribute to a greener and healthier environment. StarBizWeek looks at some of the ways we can adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle.
SCIENTISTS and environmentalists are pointing to the drastic climate change and weather-related natural disasters happening around the world to substantiate their claim that global warming is worsening and we urgently need to conserve our natural environment.
Just think about the extraordinary dry spells we have been having so frequently in Malaysia.
Herein lies the importance of a green reform. While most people will agree on its importance, many are just not practising an eco-friendly lifestyle.
The main barrier in going green is the wide perception that such a lifestyle is inconvenient and costly as most eco-friendly systems and products are expensive.
But at the household level, going green does not necessarily have to cost a bomb. Just a fundamental change to one’s lifestyle can go a long way. Most of the time, it helps us save money too. Lets look at some age-old tips to be eco-friendly in a purse-friendly way.
Reducing utility bills
For a start, one can conserve electricity and water to reduce utility bills.
Some basic steps include ensuring all electrical appliances are switched off when not in use (most appliances still consume electricity even when on standby mode), replacing conventional electrical items such as light bulbs with energy-efficient ones, and by not letting the tap run incessantly especially when brushing teeth, washing hands, rinsing dishes and cleaning fruits and vegetables.
Clean water is becoming an increasingly scarce commodity nowadays, so recycle water whenever possible.
For instance, the water used for washing vegetables and clothes can be re-used to flush the toilet, among other things.
Harvesting rainwater for watering plants or outdoor-cleaning is also another wise option.
Think before you throw
It is always good to think twice before throwing anything away. By reducing waste, less will be going to the landfill.
For example, food waste can be used as fertiliser as it contains nutrients and minerals that can be easily absorbed by plants.
What’s more, by doing so one does not have to spend money to buy synthetic fertilisers anymore. Requesting for less packaging when shopping is also one way of doing more for the environment. One can use reusable bags instead of plastic bags when shopping for groceries.
And for those who shop in Selangor on Saturdays (which is observed as “No Plastic Bag Day”), one can avoid paying 20 sen for each plastic bag used.
To prevent having more trees being chopped down, one can start by consuming less paper.


Going paperless
Going paperless can help cut paper usage and ink. For instance, ATM receipts and emails do not have to be on hard copy unless absolutely necessary.
Whenever possible, one should try using both sides of the paper when printing documents.
Another way to recycle is to use the clean side of used paper or post-it notes. This way, one can save on stationery expenses.
Driving less is also eco-friendly too and helps reduce one’s petrol expenses. For those who may find this impractical, why not consider carpooling with a friend.
For short distances, walking is the most ecological mode of transportation and a healthy form of exercise.
Nevertheless, whichever eco-friendly mode of transport one opts for, it is always important to exercise vigilance in view of the rising crime rate in the country.
The list of eco-friendly tips that we have here is not exhaustive. There are certainly many other ways but the onus is on us to contribute to a greener and healthier environment.