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By Tim Sparke
A new year is always a good opportunity to try new habits and, when it comes to important issues like the environment, there really is no time like the present. Whether it’s improving your home to make it greener or simply paying more attention to the corporations and industries you support, there's always something to improve. Here are nine environmental acts to take up in 2016.
If you have a garden, consider installing rain-harvesting tanks and water pumps. If you think about how much water you use, isn't it better to go for a natural source? Start making the big changes and you'll start contributing to big improvements.
This is the same whether you buy at home or, perhaps more importantly, when you eat out. Many people forget when they're at restaurants, or they simply don't want to ask the waiter a tough question. Refusing to pay for what you don't agree with is the only real way these companies will take notice.
Look into co-renting an allotment and providing green, local produce for your area. You could also look into improving your entire street or neighborhood with green improvements. If you want to save the planet as much as possible, you should look to encourage and include others.
Cycling isn't just good exercise; it's a great way to get around! Also, don't be afraid to ride the bus and other public transport. This is often more fuel efficient compared to your own car – even when carpooling – so why use your vehicle at all if you can help it?
Whenever you start a new job or move to a new home, use this opportunity to become a new person. Identify the old habits that weren't helping the environment and change them completely. A big change like this is an opportunity for a clean slate, so make sure yours is as clean as it can be.
In this day and age, there is a wealth of research showing how we damage the world. Use this to your advantage and support your arguments from a well-rounded position of strength. Many of the items listed in this list, such as conscious eating, will also improve as you discover just how big some problems actually are.
Whether it’s a legal requirement or not, companies should be willing to give this information out. If they don't, then it often suggests they have something to hide. Sometimes you have to stand firm on your ideals and push harder for the information you need to make the right decisions.
There are plenty of ways you can help the environment, whether it’s on your own doorstep or the wider world. The fact is, there's no excuse not to, so let these nine habits become your greener, eco-friendly way of life as 2016 continues.
Image credit: Pixabay
Tim Sparke is the CEO at 4pumps and for several years, he has been an active advocate of organic farming and sustainability. He also has a passion for writing and he writes the blog at 4 pumps.
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