FIND YOUR OWN GREEN WAY - A CHALLENGE THAT PAYS OFF
A green lifestyle is becoming increasingly popular and there is a rethink in light of climate change. What is certain is that a sustainable lifestyle is first of all a change and takes time, because humans are creatures of habit.
But if you don't let that put you off and want to do something for the environment and your own health, you will soon find out that simple things can already be lived very well and more consciously. So even small changes can make a difference and thinking about your own consumer behavior is a good start.
We give you tips on how you can organinze your everyday life more environmentally friendly without giving up much.
Fighting garbage
Separate household waste into paper, waste glass, packaging, organic and residual waste and dispose of it properly
Avoiding garbage - the most environmentally friendly garbage is that which does not arise at all
When shopping, pay attention to recyclable products and buy reusable rather than disposable products
Before you buy groceries, plan your meals well for the next few days so that things are not left over unnecessarily and have to be thrown away after they have expired
Always plan a “leftovers day”
In many cities there are unpacked stores that allow shopping without plastic packaging
Get rid of the plastic bags - it’s best to always have a bag with you, that saves unnecessary bag shopping - even for spontaneous purchases
Use reusable coffee mug to go instead of cardboard coffee mug
The so-called “Tupperware” is better than cling film and freezer bags or aluminum foil
Upcycling – process objects for jewelry or decoration
HOW TO SAVE ENERGY
Think about switching suppliers to a green electricity supplier from renewable energies (solar, wind and hydropower)
We recommend Greenpeace Energy, because here you are on the safe side that it is "real" green electricity.
Use a washing machine with a hot water connection and do not use excessively high temperatures, ideally use eco programs
Dry clothes outside instead of using the dryer
Make smaller purchases to save electricity in the household, such as Motion detectors for hall lights, programmable thermostats for the boiler, LED lamps
Cook and bake without preheating or with residual heat, and cook with the lid on
Let the dishwasher run in the economy program and fill it well
Do not leave devices in stand-by mode, instead use power strips to switch them off
When traveling, always disconnect the devices from the power supply at home
Regular defrosting of refrigerators and freezers maintains performance and reduces energy consumption
Pay attention to the best energy efficiency class (A +++) when purchasing new devices
Electricity consultation with an energy consultant even saves a lot of money in the long term
WATER SHORTAGE CAN AFFECT EVERYONE - SAVE TIPS FOR WATER
Instead of bathing, prefer to take a shower, but no perpetual shower ceremonies
Install an economy shower head
When washing hands, lathering, shaving and brushing your teeth, close the tap in between
Press the toilet flush briefly or use the economy button
Do the laundry without prewash and if the dirt is not too heavy, select a short program
Always fully load the washing machine
Use rainwater to water the garden and do not mow the lawn too often, as this will dry out faster
Avoid lawn sprinklers in the garden - a drip hose is better because it guarantees better irrigation with less water and without rapid evaporation
WARM, WARMER, THE WARMEST - TIPS FOR A MORE CONSCIOUS HEATING
Heat less, especially when you are not at home
Do not create a sauna feeling in the house - the optimal room temperature is around 20 degrees (22 degrees in the bathroom, 17-18 degrees when sleeping)
Better a hot water bottle in bed than a heated bedroom
Never hang up or block radiators, so they can work most efficiently
An insulation layer directly behind the radiator reduces heat loss through the outer wall
Saving heating energy through closed shutters and doors, especially at night
Quick ventilation instead of continuously tilted windows is more sensible and saves energy in the winter.
Programmable thermostats on the radiators help to optimally set the heating cycle in every room and thus save a lot of energy
SLOW FASHION INSTEAD OF CHEAP FASHION FROM LARGE FASHION CHAINS - SUSTAINABLE CLOTHING
More space in the closet - only buy clothes and shoes in moderation - just what you really need
Pay attention to organic cotton, this is marked on the clothing seal (FairTrade Certified Cotton, Fair Wear Foundation, GOTS– and the IVN Best seal)
Avoid chemicals – instead consider clothing made from sustainable materials such as milk, linen, wool, algae, hemp or modal
Depending on your talent, make your own clothes with the sewing machine
Other alternatives are: borrow, exchange, or buy second-hand
LOOK CLOSELY AND PROTECT THE CLIMATE - SHOPPING AND CONSUMER TIPS
Drinking tap water instead of buying water in PET bottles - that's even healthier
Buy regional and seasonal groceries - avoiding plastic bags
If you have a garden - grow fruit and vegetables yourself
Reduce meat consumption, because factory farming harms the environment and eating too much meat is unhealthy
Cook more often yourself to avoid controversial ingredients with poor life cycle assessments and to save energy and packaging waste
Replace environmentally harmful cleaning detergents and those with an biodegradable concentrate. Toilet stones are useless and pollute the wastewater
Instead of the standard cosmetics with toxic ingredients (aluminum or plastic) you can switch to the more tolerable organic cosmetics, or even do it yourself
There are washable alternatives for cotton pads and facial tissues in every drugstore and they have a much lower impact on the environment
Drive less car - prefer to switch to bicycle, public transport or carpooling
Reduce paper consumption and use recycled paper
Find out more about sustainable insurance and green health insurance companies - maybe a change is worthwhile here too
Also consider switching banks to GLS Bank, because it invests only in sustainable companies and projects according to very strict criteria
AND FINALLY – SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL
We have dedicated a separate area to this topic because it is our special concern and we have exactly the right accomodation on greenline-hotels.com.