7. Being greener

How lovely that being green is now hip rather than hippy. Virtually everything we do from the moment we get up to that delicious moment when our sleepy heads hit the pillow, can be done in a way that bashes up the environment rather less.

Water

No big surprises here with the advice we're all given:

  • don't use toilet as wastebin
  • don't run water unnecessarily
  • wait for full load before running dishwasher
  • water your lawn once a week - overwatering can weaken lawn by bringing roots to the surface
  • consider having a modern garden with no lawn - save time as well as water. And it's much hipper than stripy Wimbledon-type lawns
  • use a water butt
  • only use dishwasher/washing machine with a full load - save money

Waste

Don't waste 'waste'. One person's waste is another's treasure.

  • turn kitchen waste into compost
  • take old mags to dentist or doctor's surgery
  • paper:
  • use both sides of paper
  • print two pages on one sheet
  • instead of buying notepads, re-use back of old stuff
  • buy recycled paper
  • recycle waste paper

Energy

Save Energy has a virtual home tour. Sadly, this doesn't have dramatic reconstructions of all that heat escaping out of your draughty windows or of zillions of killowats of electricity leaking out of your standing-by TVs. But it's still a useful guide to saving energy and a fair bit of cash.

Transport

It's all pretty obvious - use the car less, use public transport more and ideally walk or cycle as this is good for your health as well as the planet's. Transport 2000's website has some jolly and inspiring examples of local authorities incentivising healthier travel - including a map which shows how many calories you burn off on various walks around Liverpool, and Walsall's Groundmiles scheme. People registering for Health Walks, guided walks and other events involving physical activity receive a booklet in which they collect discount stamps, handed out each time they participate. Pages of stamps can be traded in against discounts in local shops and other activities. Fab!

DIY

A good online store:

And the sort of thing that makes for green DIY - left over paint:

  • don't flush down drains
  • experiment with mixing several colours together
  • offer to donate it to the charity Re-paint (which gives donated left-over paint to local charities), or to the probation service to use in their community service work
  • take it to the local recycling depot

Nice neighbourhoods

No steaming piles of dog poo:

  • If you have a garden, teach your dog to "go" there before you leave your home.
  • Always carry a bag to clear up after your dog. Always keep a supply of plastic bags near your dog's lead - supermarket carrier bags make great poop scoops - so you don't forget to take a poop scoop with you on every walk. Simply insert your hand in the plastic bag and pick up your dogs waste. It's easy and not as not as bad as you think
  • Every time your dog fouls, "bag it and bin it". Dispose of your bag in a 'Poop' bin. Contrary to popular belief, dog waste can also be put into a public litterbin if a specific dog wastebin is not provided
  • Never let your dog out alone.
  • Keep your dog regularly wormed to prevent passing on infections to other dogs
  • Get a poop scoop which is integrated into a lead!

The Dog's Trust (owners of the classic A dog is for life, not just for Christmas slogan) has a delightful website, with engaging games rather than hectoring information.

Some local councils provide free poop scoops and most are responsive to people reporting graffiti, litter and abandoned cars.