Ways to care for the environment while WFH

Now that we’re all working from home, what can we do to help the environment?

Get unplugged

It’s one we’ve all heard many times before, but it bears repeating: unplug your devices when they’re charged. Even if they’re fully juiced, phones, tablets, laptops (and more) still draw energy from the grid when they’re plugged in.

Find your natural light fix

In days gone by, we’d flip the lights off before we left home for the office. Now that the office is home, the lights stay on. One way to drop your energy usage is by making the most of natural light during your working day by working near a window. If that’s not possible, try switching out your regular bulbs to LED ones.

Hustle and grind

If coffee powers you through your working day, try sharing that energy with your greenery. Coffee grounds are a great way to help fertilize your plants as they contain nutrients that help them grow, and a texture that helps drainage, water retention, and aeration in the soil. If your plant doesn’t like acidity, wash the coffee grinds and it’ll have a neutral pH level.

Keep your glass half-full

If you’re eating at home a lot more than usual, the likelihood is you’re amassing more containers than usual. Make use of any glass jars and containers you have lying around by reusing them for storing sauces, spices, jams and preserves. Or, if they’re big enough, use them as a drinking glass.

Wash it clean

Did you know that you can wash and reuse aluminium foil? Depending on the country you live in, slightly soiled aluminium foil can be difficult to recycle, so why not reuse it instead? Give it a wash, let it dry, and if it’s crumpled, flatten it out with a rolling pin so it’s ready for next time.

Bring the heat...

Boiling water uses a huge amount of energy, so instead of reheating the kettle over and over, save the boiled water you aren’t using at that moment by filling it in an insulated bottle to keep the water hot for your next cup of tea or beverage.

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