Green Your Lifestyle

You've heard that climate change is happening and that you need to start thinking about the planet when your making every day decisions. So here's some handy hints on ways to get started on your quest to green your life style.

SAVING WATER

Although it may seem like water is plentiful it's not actually as abundant as you think. It also uses energy particularly when you heat. So it's worth saving. Why not GET HOLD OF A SAVE A FLUSH? These ingenious little devices are really easy to use and save lots and lots of water. Simply pop them in the corner of the cistern of your toilet. After this you'll save a litre of water every time you flush. For more info see: United Utilities

EAT MORE VEG AND LESS MEAT

According to the United Nations FAO report, 'the livestock sector is a major player, responsible for 18% of greenhouse has emissions measured in CO2 equivalent'. By reducing the amount of meat you eat and going veggie for a couple of meals a week you can reduce your carbon footprint greatly. Start with meat free Mondays and then work your way up from there!

PEDAL POWER

Cars are bad. Aeroplanes are worse. Trains and buses are all right. But best of all are BIKES. Although cycling might be a little bit scary at first you can start off by attending critical mass (Facebook) that happens on the last Friday of every month where you can practise your cycling moves amid lots of other cyclists that scare off all the care. You can also hire a Bike from student action for just £1 per week. For more details see here. Also 'Find a Cycle Route' is a specific cycle journey planner currently available in Greater Manchester among many other Areas: Journey Planner.

Find out how to keep your bike secure and avoid theft here.

ELECTRICITY

Sticking with your conventional energy supplier will probably means that your using lots of non-renewable energy. But it doesn't have to be that way. Using a RENEWABLE ENERGY SUPPLIER such as ECOTRICITY reduces your personal carbon footprint massively. And at the moment UMSU has set up an offer with Ecotricity which gets you a FREE ECO-KETTLE when you switch over to Ecotricity! To sign up please visit: ECOTRICITY

SAVING FOOD MILES

Obviously the further your food has travelled the more nasty fumes that will have been pumped out into the atmosphere for it. As a result UMSU has sorted out a 10% student discount with a FRUIT AND VEG BOX scheme as provided by DIG foods. They deliver fruit and veg. from the local area straight to your door making it really easy to reduce your food miles. See DIG for more info.

GREEN LADY STUFF

Using tampons make an incredible amount of waste. Mooncups however provide an environmentally friendly and more comfy way to get through. Available from the women's office for £10. Check out Mooncup for more info.

JOIN 10:10

A few months back the Union vowed to reduce its carbon footprint by 10% by the end of 2010 as part of the 10:10 campaign. You can sign up too at: 10:10 campaign

MORE ADVICE

And once you've done all of that check out this for more inspiration.