Did you know that each year millions of trees and billions of gallons of water are used to create junk mail, most of which never gets recycled? There are several things you can do to reduce how much junk mail you receive: Arrange to take your details off national mailing lists. Register with the free Mailing Preference Service by visiting: www.mpsonline.org.uk. Every-time you subscribe to a magazine or buy something from a catalog or online store, request that your address to be not added to any third party mailing lists. When you receive unwanted mail from a company, call them and ask that you should be removed from their mailing list. Any junk mail that you receive, remember to recycle it or use as scrap paper if you can.
• Make your home more energy efficient. This will save you a lot of money. Seal up windows, gaps around air conditioners, and other cracks with some inexpensive products found at most hardware stores. Unroll "rope" caulk (made of putty and sold in a long coil) and press it into the gaps, or apply heat-shrinkable plastic sheeting to your gaps with double-sided tape and shrink it to fit with a hair dryer. Other simple tips include leaving open your surtains or drapes on southfacing windows during the day to let sunlight in – while leaving other draperies closed as much as possible, cleaning your air filters every month, closing vents in and doors to unused rooms, and getting a check-up on your heating equipment. Also, make sure your water heater is insulated - many hardware stores sell insulation kits quite cheaply.
• Switch off your mobile phone charger when it has finished charging. If you don't it will keep drawing almost as much energy as when charging and you will generate 35-70 kg of avoidable CO2 each year. In fact, 95% of the energy used by mobile phone chargers in the UK is wasted energy.
• Buy rechargeable batteries. If you do buy ordinary batteries, recycle them. Some shops advertise a service where you can leave your old batteries to be recycled. Alternatively, have a look at your local council’s website for details on their recycling procedures.
• Did you know cleaning your home can be harmful to your health? Many common household cleaners contain toxic solvents, fragrances, disinfectants, and other ingredients that can pollute the air and cause respiratory, skin, and other reactions. Try to buy greener / vegetable based cleaning products (supermarkets have a wide range of them now). You can even make your own – which is cheaper still! There is plenty of online information on this to help you get started.
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