Does anyone have any really good how to be environmentally friendly tips?

[sparkleymummy]

Not the usual turn down your thermostat, don't leave things on standby and recycle ones but things others might not have thought of.

A friend today told me that when they are having mashed potatoes she cuts the potatoes into very small chunks so that they take a fraction of the time to cook and it saves gas. I'd never even thought of that.

Any others you might wish to share?

I use the dcs' bath water to rinse out boots, water plants, scrub plastic toys.

If I have hot water to throw away (eg from boiling vegetables, or excess water I boiled), I try to put dirty dishes in the sink and pour the water over them, to help get the most of the grease out.

Can also use that water or water whilst washing dishes to rinse out jars, plastic containers for recycling.

Notice how it is all to do with water!

They're good simple ones though Blueshoes. I'm not one of the eco warrior types I just want to green where I can so things like that are easily incorporated into the day.

Today when the shopping arrived I thought far more carefully about what I would use and when and only froze the things that wouldn't be eaten within the next couple of days so that it reduces the cooking time.

Put the lid on the pan when boiling water for pasta, it shortens the time to reach boiling point. I knew the potato one but only for the time saving aspect.
When using a gas or modern electric oven no need to preheat unless making bread.
You only ever need half the recommended dose of detergent in your washing machine - if clothes are particularly dirty or water particularly hard top up with soda crystals or bicarb.
I'm sure there are loads more but it's too late for my brain right now.

I do that with the dicing potatoes if they're going to be mashed, but I do it because I can get it cooked and on the table quicker that way.

Do clothes really wash properly if you wash at 30 degrees? Does anyone know?

me too jackie

I think washing at 30's OK, as long as the clothes are not particularly dirty. I pretty much always use half the amount of detergent, plus one of those water softener tablets.

Bicarbonate of Soda and white vinegar to descale the bog. Clean as a whistle...

sparkley, good plan. I have a weekly menu so know which items to freeze and which to keep in the fridge when I unpack the shopping.

More water ... when turning on hot water in the shower, I collect the cold water that runs out first into a watering can I put in the bathroom. Use that to water plants or rinse buggy wheels.

Take the bus

Don't flush the loo after a wee (unless you have guests of course)

I also don't use a tumble dryer but hang my clothes overnight on the radiators and stair bannisters. They dry very quickly and also give the house a nice fresh scent as well as humidify the air.

A bit tricky when weather is warmer though and radiators don't come on.

I keep a jug next to the sink which which I use to hold water from the kettle which has been boiled too much or whatever -- then use that water for watering plants or soaking pots and pans.

Like DWP, often don't flush the loo (dh not keen on this!

Try to plan trips to the shops to coincide with school run so not making unnecessary short car journeys.

Don't put warm food into fridge or freezer. Convsrsely, if I have something to defrost I try and remember to take it out the night before and defrost in fridge because tht helps reduce energy consumption of fridge.

Bulk buy organic meat from local farm and freeze it - fewer trips to shops, plus full freezer tends to work more efficiently.

Only ironing that gets done in this house is dh's work shirts. Also dont wash clothes unless they are actually dirty (dh will often toss kids clothes in luandry basket just because they have been worn, I the have to go through fishing them out again.)

After a bath, leave the water in until it is cold, and it will slightly heat the house. Otherwise you are just tipping hot water down the drain. However, not when you have small ones running about and liable to drown in it. I've only started doing this recently, DS is 7.

Another cooking one: use a steamer so you can cook veg above the spuds or rice, then you only have to use the heat from one ring to cook everything.

If you haven't got a steamer you can often bung it all in one pan anyway, spuds in first, then put carrots in after 10 mins and broccoli a couple of minutes later so its all ready at the same time.

And if you have got the oven on for a roast or something, cook the veg in the oven at the same time.

If you use dryer buy dryer balls, they reduce the time needed in the dryer and also soften items so you dont need to use softner

About twice a week, we use the bath water for watering the plants in our green house.

I also wash all our clothes at 30oC and it does keep them clean

www.dryerballs.co.uk/
But our local pound shop sells them for a pound

Yeah my linked worked, I'm getting better at this

Blimey orangehead that's a big reduction at your pound shop. You should bulk buy and go into business selling them!

keep bucket by the bath and use bathwater to flush the loo with.

Wash dishcloths, and when they're too old to be washed anymore keep for rags.

ALWAYS keep bones and make stock Meat is so environmentally costly to produce, the least we can do is get as many meals as possible out of it!

Sorry, they're not very original!

Clean out your cupboards and make something with all that food you didn't realise you had at the back.

In NZ it's pretty normal to wash your clothes in cold water. I use cold plus which is a meagre 20 degrees because that's the most efficient with the powder (ie a lower temp would take more detergent).

If you squeeze a lemon for something clean your loo or your kitchen sink with the bit you normally would throw away.

All these bath ones are a little foreign to me to - I was going to suggest a special shower head and a shower timer - but even just a shower would be better.

Take leftovers for your lunch instead of making a sandwich and probably throwing your leftovers away.

Don't use cling film, get a really good tupperware box in sections and use it always.

switch you computer, tv, lights etc off and go to bed