27
GOINGgreen can make abigdifferenceinhow
you impacttheworld around you. Whenitcomes
to doingyour partfor theplanet, thefirst goal isto
reduce carbon emissionssoyou can helpslow down
temperaturerisefor aslongaspossible.Whilethelion’s
share ofcarbon dioxide productioncomes outofAsia–
accountingfor awhopping75percent oftheworld’s coal
consumption,withChinaaloneeating up50percent –South
Africans can still dotheirpartwhenitcomes to carbon-free
goals. Theseten simplechanges are agreat way to start:1.THEgenerationofelectricityisbadfor theenvironment.
Whenitcomes to how you conduct work, laptops are almost
always more efficient thandesktops.Theexact fraction varies
dependingontheprocessor,display andotherfactors, but
laptops on average use about a third as much electricityas
desktops.- BECOMING more energy efficient is a great way to prevent
pollution. LED lightbulbs use up to 80 percent less energy
than conventional incandescent. They are also cheaper inthe
long-run. - SAVING water reduces carbon pollution because it takes
a lot of energy to pump, heat and treat your water. So take
shorter showers and turn off the tap while brushing your
teeth. - BOIL just the amount of water that you need
instead of overfilling the kettle, and unplug
appliances that are not in use.
5.ELIMINATEelectronicsthat sleepon a standby10
Ways To
Go Green
At Home
setting; they continue to pulla
current even when‘turnedoff’.6.DRIERS gobble upalotofpower,
soputtingupalineinasunny spotin
your garden andletting your clothes
get somefresh airisagreat energy
saver.7.TAKE your own bagswithyou to
thegrocery store. You reduce the
useofplastic, andwe allknow how
dangerousplastic isto theenvironment.8.PLANTatree. Even onetree can make
aseriousimpactanddogreat thingsfor
theenvironment.9.PAY allofyour billsonline.Thiswillnotonlysave you timebutwill
alsohelpto reduce paperwastage.10.DOrainwaterharvesting.Collectrainwateranduseitto water
your lawns andgarden.D
id
You Kn
o
w
?I HOPE touse my celebrity to
motivate people andcontribute
to movingour global society
back fromthe brink. I am surprised
environmentis not atthe top of the
agenda.What is moreimportant
thangood andclean air?
- DonCheadle,actor andUNEnvironmentGoodwill
ambassador
CLIMATE
change is
the greatest
threat to our
existence in
our short history
on this planet.
Nobody’s going
to buy their way
out of its effects.
- Mark Ruffalo, actor and
environmentalist
NEXT week we focus on the many benefits of a
plant-based diet, how to grow your own food in your
backyard, the ins and outs of recycling, and what you
can do to tackle the plastic problem head on!INCREASINGLY,
businesses around the world
are responding to a global
imperative and consumer
demand to go green. In addition,
more than 80 percent of people
respect companies and brands
that adopt eco-friendly practices,
according to an international
survey.