Going Green on a Budget

By Shanuka Kadupitiyage

With the country using more fossil fuels than ever before to generate electricity for our daily needs, and the rampant ecological disasters happening in Sri Lanka, it’s important now more than ever to do our part and protect the environment.

However, wouldn’t it be great if you could save a little money while doing so as well?

 While you may think that ‘going green’ requires you to make drastic and expensive changes to your lifestyle, the truth is very different. You can make small and simple changes to your life and still reduce your carbon footprint by being more eco-friendly.

If you’re wondering where to start, we have a small list to help you figure things out.

If you don’t need it, switch it off

Electricity costs, a lot. With Sri Lanka relying on coal powerplants more than renewable energy sources to supply the constant demand for electricity in the country, you switch off the lights and electrical appliances that aren’t in use reduces the burden on the grid, meaningless coal has to be burnt in order to supply the electricity that you’re wasting.

 We all sometimes feel lazy to get up and switch off that unneeded light or that fan that’s spinning even when it’s not that warm outside. However, choosing to turn off any electrical appliance not in use, no matter how big or small will not only reduce your electrical bill but also your carbon footprint.

 Opt for solar

Setting up massive solar panels in your home may not be the most economical thing to do, but if you have the means to do so, it’s definitely a worthy investment that will pay off in the long run.

However, if your pockets don’t run deep enough to consider that a viable option, you should still consider ways to utilise solar energy in your daily lifestyle to cut energy consumption.

One great way is to install solar lights outside your home instead of a conventional one that relies on the electrical grid. There are plenty of places to find such items for affordable prices through online shopping.

Although the sun radiates so much energy, very little of it is harnessed by humans. With solar power has become more accessible and efficient, there no reason why you shouldn’t consider using solar energy.

 Waterworks

Have any leaky faucets or plumbing in your home? It’s high time you called a plumber and got them fixed. While it may be only a few drops every couple of seconds, all those tiny drops definitely add up. Getting it fixed means you’re not only conserving clean, drinking water, but you’re also saving up a lot on your monthly water bill.

 Compost it

Unless you’re living in a high-rise apartment, and have no space to dispose of your organic waste, composting is one of the best things you could do for both the environment and your garden.

 Solid waste is one of the biggest issues in the country at the moment, with hundreds of tonnes worth of it being disposed into landfills every single day. Choosing to hold on to your solid waste means that you’ll be not only reducing the weight on the environment caused by landfills but also be finding great fertiliser for your garden, reducing an additional cost in your household.

 Using that compost to grow to produce in your garden will also help reduce your monthly expenses, and when you harvest your yield, you would have the assurance that what you eat will be free of toxins and harmful chemicals.

There are plenty of other ways you can reduce your carbon footprint and be more environmentally friendly without breaking the bank. You might even find yourself saving money more than before. Don’t let these simple ideas fool you, it’s the small and simple changes in your life that make the biggest difference, to you and the environment.