6 Steps to Green Living in 2013

green living tips

Do you reckon you’re a green babe? See how many boxes you can tick of the below green living tips, or follow our pointers to reach eco stardom:

1. Start a garden

This is not as intimidating as it sounds. Start with something small like a herb garden and with a little TLC you’ll soon find how much satisfaction gardening can bring – and how eating something you’ve grown yourself just doesn’t compare! Check out the veg garden workshops local NGO Soil for Life has on offer.

2. Recycle

Start a recycling system in your home: you can collect, sort and take it to local drop off points such as Woolworths, or you can make use of one of the many recycling collection services available in your area.  Just remember to rinse everything otherwise it can end up smelling pretty dreadful! This recycling centre guide covers most of South Africa.

3. Compost

One of the most simple ways to green living is to compost all of your organic kitchen waste. A perfect formula for amazing soil (note all thee green fingers), there are many ways to process your compost; you can use earthworms, a bizarre Japanese powder called Bokashi or just pile it all up somewhere outside and wait for nature to run its course.

4. DIY

Doing it yourself is the new cool, and there are loads of fab upcycling projects to get stuck into. Ransack markets and junk stores, then transform the ordinary into awesome with a lick of paint and bit of hands on attention – not only will it save you money, but you will be helping the environment too! See Pinterest for inspiration.

5. Try vegetarian

Meat is one of the most environmental damaging industries around.  It is also very cruel – so try switching to a more plant based diet for a while and see how you feel. You can even step it up a notch and dabble in veganism. But if you find this all too much, try meat that is more ethically reared.

6. Buy less

Consumerism is a pretty eco-unfriendly venture. The more we buy, the more we seem to trash – and we all know how long it takes things to biodegrade on the landfill site. So think twice next time you want to purchase something, as you may not need it so much after all. Watch The Story of Stuff now to open your mind to the effects of overspending.

Image via here

More from Rachel Briant
A Future Cape Town
Is Cape Town city designed in a sustainable, ‘liveable’ way? Rashiq Fataar,...
Read More