The Awake Consumption Guide En

8/3/2019 The Awake Consumption Guide En

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The AwakeConsumptionGuide

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Resource efficiency. Your choices make a world of difference. Join generationawake.eu

E u r o p E a nC o m m i s s i o n



The AwakeConsumption Guide

What is Resource Efficiency? 3

Generation Awake 4

EU in Action 4

Air 6

Water 8

Soil 9

Minerals 10

Wood/Timber 11

Biodiversity 12

Waste 15

Reusing 17

Recycling 18

Transport/ Travel

Energy Efficiency 20

Overconsumption 22

Please consider the environment before printing.



What is Resource Efficiency?Wh t e ce eff c e cy?Our future depends on how we use resources now.In our eagerness to improve our standard of living, we tend to consume without thinking about the consequences.We forget the impact of our behaviour on natural resources such as water, fertile soils, clean air and biodiversity. Andthis has a price: as resources become scarcer, we put our future welfare at risk.Resource efficiency is about using resources sustainably – doing more with less and minimising impacts on theenvironment. It is about making the right choices to ensure a good quality of life, not just for now, but for thegenerations to come.

Using natural resources more efficiently is the only way to achieve the health, wealth and well-being we all aspire to.Becoming resource-efficient means changing our way of thinking and patterns of behaviour and taking account of how our choices affect natural resources. It’s not about consuming less – it’s about consuming differently.

Why d we eed t be e ce eff c e t?For decades now, we’ve been using the earth’s limited resources much faster than they can be replenished. Thisputs huge pressure on our planet. In the 20th century alone, we increased our fossil fuel use by 12 times, and by theend of the century were extracting 34 times more material resources. In Europe alone, our economy uses 16 tonnesof material per person per year – of that, 6 tonnes per person becomes waste, and half of that is still being put intolandfill. And each year, we throw away 180 kg of food per person that is still edible. Trends show that resources will no longer be cheap or plentiful. The rising costs of essential raw materials andminerals force businesses to adapt, and their scarcity and price volatility are putting a strain on the economy.Sources of minerals, metals and energy are under threat, as are stocks of fish, timber, water, fertile soils, clean air,biomass and biodiversity.What’s more, it’s estimated that there may be a 70% increase in world demand for food, feed and fibre by 2050. This is a growing concern for the world’s major ecosystems: 60% of those that help produce these resources havealready been degraded or are being used unsustainably. If we carry on using resources at this rate, by 2050 we willneed the equivalent of more than two planets to sustain us.Research shows that more than 80% of the environmental impact of our lifestyles comes from housing, transportand food, so that’s where we need to act most.But what can we do, and how?We need to change our way of thinking and how we do things. We should use resources more sparingly, reuseor recycle them when we can, value those that aren’t priced, and use less polluting alternatives. For consumers it

means rethinking routines, asking more questions about where products come from and how they were produced,avoiding waste, making sustainable choices, reading labels more carefully, reusing and recycling, and making spacefor nature.We can start with little everyday things.If we rebalanced our diet, with a little less meat and dairy products, then we could help protect biodiversity more,and put less pressure on land. Try to cut food waste by shopping more carefully and using up leftovers. You can saveenergy in the home by eliminating draughts and adjusting your thermostat. And if you do need to upgrade yourmobile every year, dispose of it properly as it contains precious metals that can be recycled. These are just a few things we can do to reduce waste and use fewer natural resources – and they often save money.Remember we are all in this together, and we can change things if we each do our bit.Policymakers can set the right example through their own spending. They also need to put in place a legal andfinancial framework that promotes and rewards resource efficiency, and gives consumers the information theyneed to support this shift in behaviour. A sustainable long-term approach to transport, infrastructure and land useis also needed.Businesses can use this opportunity to their advantage. Increasing efficiency can save costs. Sustainable productsand new services open up new markets. Innovation can increase competitiveness and create new jobs.



It’s a challenge, but at this point we still have a choice. So what would you rather do: face the problem later or startliving more resource efficiently today?Learn more about what you can do yourself and find out what the European Union is doing to transform Europeinto a more resource-efficient economy.

Generation AwakeYour choices make a world of difference.Do you want to live life to the full while respecting nature? Then Generation Awake is for you. It’s all about openingour eyes to our consumer choices and the consequences they have on the earth’s natural resources. When you’re

part of Generation Awake, you’re aware that your choices not only change your world, but also the planet.How? As life is all about choices, making smart day-to-day decisions that consider the environment also make aworld of difference to your life and that of your family and friends. Firstly, it will help you save money and improveyour lifestyle -- and help the economy too. On top of that, smarter consumer choices make your city, your country,Europe and the planet healthier and more sustainable. Take a look at initiatives taken by the European Union to learn how your choices make a difference to your personalwellbeing, and that of the planet.

EU in Action

The Eu ct The good news is that progress is being made. Our water and air are significantly cleaner than it was a few decadesago, and more of Europe’s nature is protected than ever before. The EU is now turning its attention to makingthe European economy more resource-efficient, with new policies to mobilise business, industry, and individualconsumers.Many of the ideas can be found in the “Roadmap to a Resource efficient Europe”. It defines the world of sustainabilitywe need, and what we need to do get there. It highlights the steps policymakers need to take to make our worldmore resource efficient, and sets milestones on the way to show how we’re getting along.Resource efficiency is also a key component of Europe 2020, the EU’s strategy to become a smart, sustainableand inclusive economy. 2011 has seen many EU-level initiatives that contribute to this policy objective, including

transport and energy measures, and increased awareness about the need to use scarce resources more efficientlyand consume more sustainably.htt ://ec.e .e / e ce-eff c e t-e e/National governments are being asked to make their own contributions. The EU will be promoting new economicincentives to encourage and reward resource efficient production methods and goods. Specific measures are beingdeveloped, or will follow soon.Here are some examples of what the EU is doing to protect natural resources.

p l c e th t e e ve t l e ceWe all know that we need to invest in low-carbon energy sources that don’t require a lot of resources and land.Read in the Commission’s Roadmap to a Low-carbon Economy by 2050 how the sectors responsible for most of emissions in Europe - power generation, industry, transport, buildings, construction and agriculture – are expectedto make the transition to a low-carbon economy over the coming decades. htt ://ec.e .e /cl / l c e /

d / dex_e .htFollowing on from the Low-carbon Roadmap, see how the Energy Roadmap 2050 contributes to reducinggreenhouse gas emissions in the Union, with the target of an 80-95% reduction in EU emissions by 2050.htt ://ec.e .e /e e gy/ dex_e .ht



Have you given much thought to how vital biodiversity is to our ecosystems and our survival? And to how it’s beinglost? The Biodiversity Strategy aims to reverse this trend. By 2050 the EU’s biodiversity and the ecosystem services itprovides – its natural capital – should be protected, valued and appropriately restored.htt ://ec.e .e /e v e t/ t e/ dex_e .htIt is a great concern that Europe relies significantly on imported raw materials and energy. In order to staycompetitive, learn how the Roadmap to a Resource efficient Europe recommends increasing resource productivityand decoupling economic growth from resource use to enhance Europe’s competitiveness and reduce ourdependency on imports, while better protecting our natural capital.htt ://ec.e .e /e v e t/ e ce_eff c e cy/Did you know that Europe’s public authorities are major consumers? Every year they spend about 2 trillion euros,equivalent to some 17% of the EU’s Gross Domestic Product. By using their purchasing power to choose goods andservices with lower impacts on the environment, they can make a major contribution to sustainable consumption

and production. Find out about Green Public Procurement (GPP):htt ://ec.e .e /e v e t/g /wh t_e .ht

Leg l t t tect t l e ceDid you know that 60% of the earth’s ecosystem services have been degraded over the last 50 years? Many rare andvulnerable species of birds are in danger of becoming extinct. Learn how the Birds Directive is maintaining wild birdpopulations in Europe and protecting wetlands of international importance. htt ://ec.e .e /e v e t/

t e/leg l t /b d d ect ve/ dex_e .htBiodiversity loss can weaken an ecosystem and make it vulnerable. Want to know how the Commission is restoringdegraded ecosystems? The Natura 2000 network is the centrepiece of the EU’s nature and biodiversity policy. ThisEU-wide network of nature protection areas was put in place to guarantee the long-term survival of Europe’s mostvaluable and threatened species and habitats. It ensures that future management is sustainable, both ecologicallyand economically. htt ://ec.e .e /e v e t/ t e/ t 2000/ dex_e .htLearn how the Habitats Directive is restoring European protected habitats and species and helping to create acoherent European ecological network of protected sites. htt ://ec.e .e /e v e t/ t e/leg l t /h b t t d ect ve/ dex_e .htEveryone knows that water is essential for life; and that climate change is now limiting the availability of clean freshwater. Learn how the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and the Water Information System for Europe (WISE) arecontributing to protecting all water systems from environmental damage. WISE is the gateway to information onEuropean water.htt ://ec.e .e /e v e t/w te /w te -f ew k/ dex_e .ht lhtt ://www.w te .e .e /

i ce t ve th t e c t ze t t ke ct The Ecolabel helps consumers make smart choices. Learn how this voluntary scheme encourages businesses tomarket products and services that are kinder to the environment. Consumers can recognise the products by the EUflower label. Use of the EU Ecolabel is growing rapidly – it’s a symbol that consumers can trust.htt ://ec.e .e /e v e t/ec l bel/ b t_ec l bel/wh t_ _ec l bel_e .htA little encouragement goes a long way. That’s why the LIFE programme, the EU’s funding instrument for theenvironment, co-finances pilot or demonstration projects to inspire people to think green. Since LIFE began in1992, it has co-financed over 3000 projects across the EU, contributing approximately €2.2 billion to protection of the environment. htt ://ec.e .e /e v e t/l fe/ b t/ dex.htLearn about some of the practical resource efficiency actions that have been implemented throughout the EUwith the support of the LIFE programme: htt ://ec.e .e /e v e t/l fe/ bl c t /l fe bl c t /l fef c /d c e t / e ce_eff c e cy. df You need the right incentives to encourage research and innovation. Read how the Environmental TechnologiesAction Plan (ETAP) aims to make eco-innovation an everyday reality throughout Europe. The plan covers a widerange of activities promoting eco-innovation and use of environmental technologies, where their use is lessenvironmentally harmful than the alternatives.htt ://ec.e .e /e v e t/et / dex_e .ht



Progress is good, but it’s also important to measure that progress. To help with this, the EU Eco-Management andAudit Scheme (EMAS) is a tool to help organisations assess, report and improve their environmental performance. This gives them credibility and transparency, and it prompts them to try harder too.htt ://ec.e .e /e v e t/e / dex_e .htIf we really want to change our way of thinking, we need to change the tools we use to measure our economies. That means understanding that social and environmental data are just as important as economic and financialdata. After all, good statistics are much, much cheaper than wrong decisions. To read more about this, check outthe Beyond GDP initiative.htt ://www.bey d-gd .e /We all know how precious a resource clean air is. European Mobility Week is one way the Commission helps reducepolluting emissions. It’s an awareness-raising campaign to promote more use of public transport, cycling andwalking, and to encourage European cities to boost these modes of transport and invest in new infrastructure.

htt ://www. b l tyweek.e /G l .ht l#

W t t k w e b t the Eu’ e v e t l l c e d thew ld d ?Read the Environment for Europeans magazine for news, views, analysis and information. It’s free and available in 13EU languages. Subscribe here: htt ://ec.e .e /e v e t/ l g eg t t / / l g_ eg.cfFinally, for some scientific background have a look at the European Environment Agency’s SOER 2010 report. Thisgives a comprehensive assessment of the current state of Europe’s environment and looks at how global megatrendsmight affect it in the future.htt ://www.ee .e .e / e

AirAccess to clean air is one of our most basic needs. But the quality of our air is being compromised in many ways. These include the obvious things like emissions from cars and burning of fossil fuels, but even rearing livestock emits greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane. We can do our bit to help by walking and cycling moreand using more renewable energy sources, and perhaps eating less meat.

p t

Is your paint green? There are millions of do-it-yourself (DIY) enthusiasts in Europe. Every year, homeowners spend billions of euros on wood, paints, varnishes and other materials for DIY projects. But you can reduce your impact on theenvironment by reusing materials, checking your wood is sustainable and buying greener paints. With paint,in particular, there are big environmental benefits in following some simple rules. When choosing paint,wood finish or preservative look for the one with the lowest environmental impact. Work out how muchyou will need and try not to buy too much – a lot of paint that people buy never gets used and ends up asproblem waste. If you have the choice, choose a product without a hazard warning on the label (in mostcountries, this is a black symbol on an orange or yellow square with a description of the hazard). ‘Natural’ or‘all natural’ paints, milk paints and whitewash often contain less harmful substances than ordinary paint andsome manufacturers even offer recycled paint. Finally, look for the European Ecolabel for indoor paints. Thatmeans they have less impact on the environment.

B keHow many CO2 emissions do you save when you use a bike?

If enough people switched from four wheels to two, the effect on CO 2 emissions would be enormous. Andthe trend seems to be pointing in this direction.



You’ve probably noticed that more people in your town or city are cycling. Last year in the UK, there were 1.3million more cyclists, taking the number of UK cyclists to 13 million (which is 27 per cent of the population).Of these new cyclists, 500,000 use their bikes frequently or regularly.Whether you cycle to work or just for fun, the benefits are many. First of all, it’s a good way to keep fit. Atthe same time you contribute to a healthier and cleaner environment with less air pollution and easingcongested roads. It’s a far cheaper and easier way to get around too as you avoid traffic jams and fuel costs. There’s no question about it, cycling is very resource-efficient.Want to be even more eco-trendy? If you haven’t bought a bike yet, why not buy one second-hand? Whilethe popularity of cycling is lowering carbon emissions and creating a more environmentally friendly society,the bike boom has also resulted in a rise in unwanted bicycles. Old bikes often end up in landfill, yet they aremade of many recyclable materials, such as aluminium and rubber so they are still valuable as waste.If you are buying a new bicycle, make sure you buy one that is built to last – and look after it. So many bikesare bought with good intentions about cycling to work, and are then left to rust. This isn’t a good use of

resources. One idea is to borrow a bike for a couple of weeks and see how you go. Once you are hooked youcan then go ahead and buy a second-hand or new bike.

C te

Why should your boss advise you to work from home more often? Because it’s better for the environment. We all know that commuting causes pollution but it also usesresources – think for instance about the wear and tear on roads and the new materials and resources neededto mend them.Of course, some of us have to drive to work, but how many of us don’t? And the morning or evening rush-hour is one we’d all like to avoid. Did you know that crawling along in queues roughly doubles your fuelconsumption? Not to mention all those extra emissions you rare causing.Cycling or walking to work is a great way to reduce your resource use. There is also public transport, orperhaps you could car-pool with a colleague? Car sharing reduces both costs and carbon emissions. Youcould even get rid of your car and join a car club where members have access to a vehicle on an hourly, dailyor weekly basis.But why not ask your boss if you can work from home?

C key

It’s not easy to live without, but is that a reason to never try? Some of the things we can do to live ‘greener’ lives take some real effort on our part. Others can be theeasiest thing in the world. Take walking rather than driving - it’s such a simple thing to do but with so manyobvious environmental benefits: less air and noise pollution, less use of the resources needed to build, powerand maintain a car, not to mention the health benefits associated with taking regular exercise. Of course,there are times when using a car is unavoidable but for short trips, such as to the local shops or to meet afriend for coffee, consider whether you really need to use a car to make the journey or whether you could just as easily walk.Does anyone really enjoy grocery shopping? The queues, the crowds, the battle to get out of the car park,it can all be such a drag. So the next time you find yourself at the checkout ask yourself whether you reallyneeded to make the trip? Could you have had your groceries delivered instead? Shopping online for groceriesis a more efficient way of getting food to your home. Just one tip though: make sure you check the dates onthe food when it arrives so you know what you need to eat and when as wasting food is wasting resources.If you prefer to visit the store in person then think about whether you can buy what you need locally and tryto travel on foot or by bicycle. And don’t forget your shopping list.



WaterIn some parts of Europe, it’s easy to forget that water is a finite resource, while in others recurrent shortages are areality. The way we use water affects other people so we have a responsibility to use it more efficiently, both directly- by having a shower instead of a bath for instance - and indirectly - by not wasting products that need lots of waterfor production. With the effects of climate change – and in the not so distant future - larger parts of Europe are likelyto face the problem of water scarcity and limited access to good quality drinking water.

H t w te t

Is running the tap just water down the drain? If you want to stop wasting water, it’s the little things that help. For example, don’t wash the dishes underrunning water. And remember that the volume of water coming out of a kitchen tap varies tremendously- from 2 to 25 litres a minute - so how much you turn the tap on and how long you leave it on have a hugeeffect on how much water you use. If you use a washing-up bowl or put a plug in the sink you can reducewater wastage by 50% or more. And of course, when you run the hot tap you use more than just water – youuse the energy needed to heat the water. You’d be surprised how much energy that actually is, and howmuch it costs you. So be careful not to waste it. If your water is too hot you should be able to adjust thethermostat on your boiler.Other ideas are to get taps with a low flow rate fitted in your bathroom and kitchen. And save the cold waterthat comes out first and use it to water the plants, or keep it in the fridge as drinking water.

B th

Shower or bath? We need to get used to the fact that water is not as plentiful as it used to be. Almost one fifth of the world’spopulation now lives in areas of water scarcity, and another half a billion people are starting to face severewater shortages too. There is enough fresh water on the planet to support the current population of almostseven billion – and that number is bound to increase – but it is distributed unevenly and far too much of itis wasted. So it is our responsibility to try to use water more efficiently in the home. We can do this easily bymaking simple changes to our daily routine, like taking a shower instead of having a bath. If you do need abath, try not to overfill – and if you have it so hot you then need to add cold water, you are wasting energyas well as water!

B th be

Why does your shower last longer than your favourite song? We use a lot of water in the home each day but how much of it is really essential? Water is a finite resourceand many parts of the world, including parts of Europe, are already suffering from shortages of supply.You can help conserve this valuable resource. The morning shower accounts for a lot of the water used byan average household in Europe. Not all showers are efficient however. High volume power showers, forexample, can use more water in five minutes than a full bathtub. There are several ways in which you canshower more efficiently. You can turn off the tap while you’re using shampoo or shower gel. Or you canreduce your shower time. So think about using a shower timer – and replacing your shower head with amore efficient model. Think how you use water every day: always turn off the tap when you brush your teeth. And the same goesfor shaving – fill the basin instead. And when possible use the quick-flush on your toilet.

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If you keep the tap running will the water run out? Many of us take access to clean fresh water for granted – all we have to do is turn on the tap. But water is a



precious resource that needs to be used carefully. Demand for water will increase as the global populationexpands so we have a responsibility to use it more efficiently. The balance between water supply and demandis becoming increasingly fragile and many parts of the world already suffer from severe water shortages –and this includes a lot of the EU. Climate change is increasing droughts and making the problem worse. Andit is not just humans who suffer; when we take water from rivers and lakes this has an impact on wildlife too.It also takes a lot of energy to treat water and supply it to your home. There are many ways you can help. Never leave a tap running unnecessarily. If you’re using a dishwasher,there is no need to rinse the dishes beforehand, so just scrape any leftovers into a compost bin. If not, soak very dirty dishes first then you need less water to wash them. Wash fruit and vegetables in a washing-upbowl rather than under a running tap. Finally, if a tap is leaking, get it fixed - a dripping tap can waste morethan 100 litres of water a month.

SoilWe take soil too much for granted. It is of essential importance for wildlife and provides the nutrients needed togrow the food that sustains us, so good soil management is vital to our future prosperity. However, vast areas of soilhave been degraded by overgrazing, deforestation and poor agricultural practices causing malnutrition and otherhardship to millions of people. There are simple ways in which we can help, like moderating our consumption of meat, choosing wood from sustainably managed forests and buying organic food.

pl t

Can growing plants harm the planet? Yes, depending on what you’re growing them on. If you’re a plant-lover or a keen gardener you’ll know allabout compost – but do you know about peat?You might think of peat bogs as dull expanses of empty, waterlogged land, but if you stopped to exploreone you’d find a unique and beautiful range of plant, insect and bird life that depends on the layers of peat.Peat soils provide a number of essential services and functions for society: they support rare wildlife andbiodiversity, they produce food, and they play an important role in the water cycle.But did you know that peat bogs are also a carbon sink? This means they store carbon from the atmosphere– so digging them up releases all that carbon. For example, an estimated half a million tonnes of carbondioxide a year is emitted as a result of peat extraction for use in horticulture from sites in the UK alone. Sothere are clear environmental reasons why we should be concerned about using even small amounts of peat. But many gardeners don’t realise that multi-purpose compost, unless it’s labelled ‘peat free’, tends tocontain at least 70% peat, and sometimes much more. The quality and consistency of peat-free compost has improved significantly in recent years. Some countriesare also looking at introducing a tax on peat-based composts.It should be possible to find peat-free composts. It’s worth reading the label carefully to check what’s inthem.Better still, make your own compost! This must be the best way to ensure that you are using resourcesefficiently. Compost your food and garden waste and then use that to grow more.

me t

Is your evening meal starving the earth? It depends what you eat. Eating less meat would certainly reduce the environmental impact of your diet.But do you know all the reasons why? Livestock rearing uses valuable habitats and puts biodiversity andsustainable land use under pressure. A meat-based diet requires much more land than a plant-based one,because not only do you need land on which to rear the livestock, you also need land to grow the crops tofeed that livestock. One of the preferred high-protein feed crops is soya, the production of which has doubledover the last 15 years, largely because of our growing demand for meat. More and more land is being



planted with soya and this is often at the expense of natural habitats (such as the Brazilian Cerrado whichhosts 5% of the world’s biodiversity). Altogether, 70% of agricultural land is used for livestock production.Livestock is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions through land clearing and through feedproduction. In addition, ruminants like cattle or sheep give off a lot of methane – a very strong greenhousegas. According to a UN report, livestock are directly or indirectly responsible for 18% of global greenhousegas emissions, a bigger share than transport.Our appetite for meat is also putting pressure on global water supplies. Livestock are estimated to accountfor 8% of our water use globally, while effluent from industrial livestock farming can pollute water resources.All of these pressures will intensify as populations grow - particularly in emerging economies - and demandfor meat increases. There is a real risk that we may not be able to produce enough food in the future.So what can we do about it? Well, it’s not so drastic that we all need to become vegetarians. But we do needto eat a little less meat. Think about adapting meals sometimes to leave out the meat. For example, why notadd tomatoes and mushrooms to your spaghetti sauce instead of mince? Also, not all meat has the same

impact on resources. Some animals, like chicken, are more efficient in converting feed than beef cattle forexample, so you can choose the types of meat that are less demanding on the environment.And whatever you do, don’t waste meat. Throwing meat away means that all the precious energy and waterused to produce it goes to waste.

MineralsMinerals are all around us. They’re in our household appliances, the mobile phone we carry in our pocket and the jewellery we wear. But the extraction of minerals can come at a cost both to humans – through exploitation of labour – and to the environment – through contamination of water supplies for instance. We have a role to play

in reducing the impact of mineral extraction by shopping ethically and only replacing products when we need to.

al cl ck

Are you alarmed by the number of batteries you use? With all the different gadgets around, batteries have become essential to our modern way of life. But theproduction, use and disposal of batteries affect the environment so we have to find ways of using themmore efficiently. The mercury, lead and cadmium found in batteries can end up in the soil if they are put intolandfill, and incineration just adds to all the greenhouse gas emissions.All batteries can be recycled – the standard ones in your alarm clock and the special ones in your mobilephone, camera or watch. The thousands of tonnes of metals recovered in the process can then be routedback into the production of new batteries. A European directive was introduced recently to encourage morerecycling of batteries, so you should be able to find special bins in places like your local supermarket todispose of old batteries safely and responsibly. And buying rechargeable batteries will save you money inthe long run.

m b le h e

Did you know that your old mobile phone is a valuable item? Mobile phone technology changes so quickly these days. You get a new mobile phone for Christmas andby the summer it’s already out of date! There are so many on the market that it’s tempting to upgrade yourphone every couple of years. In fact, many people do just that: some three quarters of a billion mobile phonesubscribers in the whole of Europe replace their mobile phones on average every 18 months. This makesmobile phones unique: no other category of electronic devices has such a high replacement rate. So whythe high turnover and is it sustainable?Sometimes we need a new phone because our old one gets damaged or stops working, but often we justwant to buy the latest technology. Before you rush out to get the latest model consider the resources thathave been used in its manufacture and ask yourself whether you can make do with your current phone



for another year. New phones contain some precious metals that are becoming scarce. If you do decide toupgrade make sure you dispose of your old phone responsibly – give it to a friend, sell it or recycle it. Don’t just leave it in a drawer.

Wood/TimberWood is the basis for many of the products we take for granted - from beds to books to park benches. But deforestationhas serious environmental and social consequences so only by buying wood products from sustainable sources canwe shop with a clear conscience.

BedYou spend a third of your life in bed, but do you know where the wood came from?

Not all beds are made of wood, of course. They may also be made of different metals or synthetic materials.But wood has two major advantages: it is more durable and fully reusable and recyclable, and its productioncauses less greenhouse gas emissions than alternative materials. But that doesn’t necessarily make a woodenbed an inherently sustainable product. All the timber and wood products we buy began life in a forest wheretrees were cut down, processed and sold to make your bed, a cupboard or even a book. Much of our woodcomes from well-managed forests but not all wood is sustainably produced. Illegal logging is still a bigproblem and is a major contributor to carbon emissions and the displacement of communities and naturalhabitats. So how can you be sure you’re choosing something that has been sustainably produced withoutcausing harm to people or animals? When you buy wood products look for the FSC (Forest StewardshipCouncil) or PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) logos, both of which certify thatthe wood has come from well-managed forests. Or why not buy second hand furniture? That way you cansave money too - and it will keep away those environmental nightmares!

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What if forests disappeared as quickly as your tissues? Although disposable paper products can be produced from recycled paper, a lot are still produced fromvirgin fibre, i.e. wood cut for paper production. You should try to buy products made from recycled fibresas they do not require trees to be cut down and their production uses much less energy. If fully recycledproducts are not available, you can look for the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) or PEFC (Programme forthe Endorsement of Forest Certification) logos, which guarantee that a certain percentage of the virgin fibrein the product comes from well-managed forests. Another reliable guarantee that you are buying the rightproduct is the European Ecolabel which you will recognise from the flower logo. And if you do have to usetissues, try not to use more than you need.

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Does the quality of your favourite chair have an impact on the planet? Yes, it does. Many products seem cheap – so we buy them and don’t worry about throwing them away acouple of years later when they break or we get fed up with them. This isn’t a good use of resources. Manyresources have been so cheap for so long that we assume they are plentiful, or at least not under threat. But

their price does not fully reflect their real value or future scarcity.Whether made of plastic or wood, furniture requires a lot of resources to make. So, when you are buyingsomething new think about how long it will last. Consider whether your chair is well-made and whether youwill still like it in two years’ time when fashion will have changed. You can give it to charity when you are fedup with it but you will probably be less inclined to do so if you spend more on something that is built to last.



If you have good quality furniture it is less likely to break. But what if it does? Why don’t we mend brokenthings instead of just buying replacements? It is because we are locked into habits that were designedfor days when resources and ecosystems were not under such threat and we were being encouraged toconsume. If you have broken furniture, think before throwing it away. It might be easier to mend than youthink.You should also consider the reusability and recyclability of the materials. Once your furniture is brokenbeyond repair, solid wood can be fully reused, recycled or burned, and even if it gets disposed of, it is fullybiodegradable.

new e

How much information do you have time to read?

Must you automatically pick up newspapers in the metro just because they are free? Do you really need allthat paper that comes unsolicited through your letter box?Just think about it. In fact, how much of it do you actually read? Could you get the same information in otherways?Of course, it’s enjoyable to sit and read papers now and then, but if you’re honest, most of the time yousimply skim through them. Nowadays, it’s easy to recycle newspapers, and much of the paper used toproduce newspapers is from recycled or sustainable sources. Consider reading them online from time totime; and if you read a paper, make sure you recycle it.If you do not really need a paper, do not pick it up. You can also put a sign on your letterbox that you do notwish to receive unsolicited publications.

K tche e ( ll)

Does cleaning up always mean using up? A kitchen roll is a useful, versatile product and it’s no surprise that we’re using more and more of it. But try touse it efficiently. Stronger kitchen paper may cost slightly more but you will need less of it. Think about howthe product has been made. Some products now carry the EU Ecolabel meaning that it has been made withminimum environmental impact. And try to dispose of it safely. You can compost it as long as it hasn’t beenexposed to nasty chemicals.

Biodiversity

Biodiversity means the rich variety of life forms on our planet. The more biodiversity there is in an ecosystem thehealthier it is and the higher the chance of survival for the species in it. We rely on biodiversity for many goods andservices - food, water, soil fertility and carbon storage. Its richness is a source of pleasure - and leisure. So when weexploit nature unsustainably for our own short-term benefits, by cutting down ancient forests or overfishing seas,this comes at a long-term cost to society. To help maintain biodiversity we should protect nature and choose theleast damaging and polluting products and services.

F h

Do sustainable fisheries mean you can eat fish for the rest of your life? The old adage that there are plenty more fish in the sea is now open to debate. Yes, fish are a commonresource but they are also a resource that we are failing to manage in a sustainable way. In large areas of European waters, more than 70% of known stocks are overfished. The EC is currently working on reformingits fisheries policy to bring stocks back up to sustainable levels, but in the meantime we as consumers



can do our bit to make stocks last. When you’re shopping for fish look out for labels such as MSC (MarineStewardship Council), which shows the fish has been taken from a sustainable fishing area. Also, why nottry a new variety from time to time? The most popular species, such as cod, haddock, prawns and tuna(and especially bluefin tuna) are some of the most overfished - and stocks need time to recover. Alternativewhite fish such as pollack and coley can taste just as good as cod and haddock and are often cheaper thanthe more traditional species. Or try organic fish from certified fish farms: currently only organically farmedsalmon and trout are available, but other species, like cod, halibut, and sea bass should be available prettysoon.

He b

How can I grow herbs without a garden? Adding the right herb can make the difference between a good meal and a great meal. But pre-packagedherbs can be expensive to buy from food stores and all too often we end up using a small quantity in a recipeand then throwing the rest away. If this sounds familiar then why not create your own herb garden? Growingyour own herbs is a fantastic way to save resources. Think of all the energy that goes into drying, packing andtransporting herbs – energy that you can save by growing your own. You don’t need to have a garden tostart growing herbs. Sunny windowsills are ideal for growing chives, mint, basil, parsley, sage and thyme (notto mention peppers, baby tomatoes and chillies). Just remember to look after your plants. Cut and use themoften to encourage bushy growth and where possible plant them in peat-free compost. Before you know ityou’ll be able to add your own home-grown herbs to your home-made “squishy tomato” sauce!

Veg b x che e

Can I get healthy sustainable food straight to my door? If you find grocery shopping a chore you’ll be pleased to know that getting your groceries delivered is a far‘greener’ way of filling up your fridge. Not only do supermarkets offer delivery services but more and morelocal businesses are operating veggie box schemes where fruit and vegetables are delivered right to yourdoor. There are lots of advantages to these schemes. You’ll be supporting local farmers and cutting down onfood miles; you don’t have to drive anywhere saving carbon emissions and the food will also be guaranteedfresh. To ensure your scheme is the most eco-friendly possible check that it sells local produce and usesseasonal fruit and vegetables, and look for honest schemes that give information on what products youcan expect to receive and when. Try to find schemes that supply organic vegetables as organic productionmethods use fewer chemicals and require less fertiliser. Box schemes will also give you recipe ideas for theproduce they send and eating more vegetables and less meat is a win-win situation in terms of resourceefficiency and your own health. Lastly, if you’re trying a veggie box scheme for the first time, start with asmaller box so you don’t waste any of the food.

pl t

Can plants kill bad smells? House plants are a great way to bring nature into your home but did you know they also act as natural airfilters? So you won’t need to fill your rooms with chemical air fresheners that mask, rather than dispel, nastysmells. But it’s no good using plants rather than air fresheners if you then spray them with pesticides. Notonly are pesticides bad for indoor air quality, but ultimately they don’t work. Admittedly they kill pests butthe pests just come back again. It ’s far better to check each plant for pests before you bring it home, whetherit is from a store or nursery or a gift from a green-fingered friend. Keep new plants separate from other plantsfor a few weeks to stop pests moving from one plant to another. Choose healthy plants then keep them

healthy: a thriving plant is the best protection against pests. Water plants only when the soil on the surfaceis dry, and until the drainage holes are moist.



Fl weHow far have these flowers travelled to get here?

Flowers are a great natural way to brighten up and freshen up your home, but they can also have a significantimpact on the environment. Many of the flowers purchased in Europe each year have been imported fromcountries with scarce supplies of water, so they are grown using this precious resource. Of course, the flowerindustry can also bring much needed revenue to developing countries but there is still a debate aboutwhether we should be growing flowers rather than food in water-scarce areas of the world. What’s more,flowers and plants imported from Africa have been transported long distances by air and have often beengrown using harmful fertilisers and pesticides. As a general rule, try to buy organic or locally grown flowerswhere possible. If you are buying flowers that have been imported, choose ones that have been Fairtradecertified, which means the suppliers have treated their workers fairly and invested money in social or

environmental projects. Buy flowers that are in season – that way you can be sure they haven’t been grownin artificial conditions in greenhouses using a lot of energy and water. Better still, why not grown your ownflowers? Not only will they brighten up your garden, but they will also attract bees and butterlies.

Bed l e

Did they use pesticides to make your cotton sheets? Cotton is big business. There are 30 million cotton farmers around the world and cotton covers 2.4% of theworld’s farmland. But did you also know that cotton cultivation accounts for around 50% of all chemicalpesticides used in farming? We all need bed linen but there are ways to make sure the linen you buy has aminimal impact on the environment. Organic production maintains or even improves soil fertility and keepsgroundwater and rivers free of synthetic chemicals. A lot of water is also used to make cotton. If it takes 2,700litres to produce one t-shirt just think how much it takes to produce your bed linen! Try to make your bedlinen last as long as possible and when you get rid of it recycle it. When you need to replace it make sure thenew linen is designed to last - cheap textiles often deteriorate quickly and end up being thrown away verysoon. You might also want to consider the social impact of the cotton you buy. Fair-trade labels guaranteethat the cotton has been grown to high ethical as well as environmental standards.

B dy lk

What would an orang-utan think of your body lotion? It isn’t just the chemicals in your soaps and shower products that have an impact on the environment.Did you know, for example, that your choice of shower gel or body lotion could have a direct effect ondeforestation on the other side of the world? Palm oil is used in a variety of products – from cosmetics tofood – to make them more creamy, but oil palms only grow in the tropics in countries such as Malaysia andIndonesia. The growing demand for palm oil means that huge areas of their rainforests are being cut downand vast tracts of peatland are being drained to make way for new palm oil plantations. Not only does thiscontribute to climate change but it also hastens the destruction of the natural habitat of threatened speciesof animals, such as the orang-utan and the Sumatran tiger, and the displacement of local people who relyon the forest for food and shelter. Current labelling laws allow manufacturers to list palm oil as ‘vegetable’ oilwithout singling out the palm oil content on the packaging. When you buy products, look out for palm oilthat is certified as sustainable. By doing this you can help break the link between palm oil and deforestationand put pressure on companies to commit to sustainable palm oil production.

C ffee

Do you feel like drinking 140 litres of water with your breakfast? For most of us, a morning cup of coffee or tea is a part of our daily routine, but both of these productsare heavily resource dependent. Energy and water are required at each stage of the supply chain, fromproduction and transport through to processing and consumption, and then there may be milk and sugar





F t b ketHow far did that pineapple travel to get to your fruit basket?

We’re being encouraged to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, but choosing which fruit to buycan cause a number of ethical headaches. A lot of organisations are still not sure what advice to give.At the end of the day, how far it travels matters less than we think. Food miles are often considered a majorcontributor to environmental impact. And of course, if fruits and vegetables are shipped by airplane, their journey adds to carbon emissions. But in certain seasons, imported fruit has a lower impact than fruit grownat home (in greenhouses, for example).But the fact is we all need to eat more fruit and vegetables – and generally fruit will have a lower environmentalimpact than other foods like dairy products, pasta and meat. For example, in terms of relative ecologicalfootprint beef scores 105 compared to 3 for fruit and 14 for vegetables grown in a greenhouse.

So don’t worry too much about fruit, but when you can, choose local fruit that is in season and, ideally,organic. Also look out for Fairtrade or Rainforest Alliance labels which will guarantee that products are grownto high ethical and environmental standards.

r tte t t e

Do you have to put old tomatoes in the bin? Putting food in the bin is not sustainable. Think of the resources required to grow, pack, transport and storethe food that ends up in your fridge; think of the energy and water that is wasted when you throw it away.Each year, Europeans discard millions of tonnes of food, a large proportion of which is perfectly good toeat. Studies in Sweden and the UK estimate that households throw away about a quarter of the food theypurchase - and probably much more. A lot of this food is still fine to eat. If it had been eaten, the carbon

saving would be the equivalent of taking one in every four cars off the road! You can do your bit to preventfood waste very easily. If tomatoes have gone too squishy to eat raw then why not use them in a sauce ora soup? You then don’t need to buy a jar of ready-made processed sauce, so you save money as well ashelping the environment. Not only that: it tastes better and it’s more healthy.

p ck ged le

How much packaging do apples need? We’re constantly reminded of the need to eat more fruit. Rightly so. Not only is fruit healthy but it generallyhas a lower environmental impact than other foods such as dairy products and meat. But your choice of fruit can still help the environment. Most fruit already comes in its own natural packaging so there’s rarelyany need to add more. If you’re given the choice between buying a pack of apples or buying apples looseconsider the unnecessary extra resources used to produce, transport and dispose of the packaging. Alsowhen you buy loose apples you can work out exactly how many you’re likely to eat before they go off andbuy accordingly. With pre-packed fruit you may find you have to buy more than you need and end upthrowing the rest in the bin, massively increasing the environmental impact of the apple.

peel g /egg hell

Where can you find a home for your vegetable peelings? Peelings and eggshells can ideally be put into a home composting bin and used as compost to improve thequality of the soil in your garden. An equally ‘green’ way of using unavoidable kitchen waste is in a wormery.You can make your own wormery using an old dustbin or cardboard box. In some areas the local authoritiescollect kitchen waste and use it to make compost on a large scale, or send it to anaerobic digestion wherebugs break down the food to produce biogas which can be used for heating and electricity. Make sure youonly include the right kind of waste, otherwise you risk contaminating your bin with packaging waste.



Week’ e the f dgeDo you know how to shop to save money?

Every year, we throw away massive quantities of the food we buy, a large proportion of which is still OK to eat. One of the best ways to reduce the amount of food you throw away is to plan what you are goingto eat. Firstly, check what food you already have before you head to the shops; that way you remove therisk of buying duplicate items. Secondly, make a list of the meals you plan to prepare during the week andthe ingredients you will need to cook each meal; this will ensure you buy exactly what you need. If you’recooking for a family, why not get each of them to help with the list? That way they get their own choice of meal, and it gets the whole family thinking about the important issue of food waste.

ReusingResource efficiency means getting the maximum value out of the things we have. And when we no longer needthem it means offering them to others so that they can get some use out of them. For example you can give clothes,shoes and books to charity to extend their life.

r g

Why not use a cloth instead of paper? You’ve probably wondered whether it’s more resource efficient to use paper towels or a hand drier after

washing your hands in public places. But what about around the home? Paper towels are great for moppingup spills and mess but they’re hardly the most eco-friendly cleaning item. Instead of using paper towels inthe kitchen, why not use a cloth? A paper towel has to be thrown away after only one use, whereas a clothcan be washed and used over and over again. Even buying a new cloth is better than buying lots of kitchenroll.

G e

Game over? Not if you play it right.Computer games can provide hours of entertainment, but most games have a natural shelf life. Once you’vereached the highest level there’s nowhere else to go. Well, the most important thing to do is to dispose of the game responsibly. Don’t simply put the game in the bin. Many of the materials used in video games, CDs

and DVDs are toxic and need special processing. Once you have completed the game why not pass it on toa friend, take it to a charity shop, or swap it for another game? Many shops offer exchange services wherethey will give you money off another game or buy your old version.

B k

You CAN judge a book by its cover! If you think of all the paper we use, the mind boggles. Even though book manufacturing accounts for only2% of world paper use, that doesn’t mean it does not make any difference to the environment. What aboutall the trees that have to be cut down to make paper for books?So when you buy a book have a look inside the cover. Many leading book manufacturers are now usingrecycled paper or paper that has been accredited by forest certification systems. If it’s printed on recycledpaper or is made from sustainable sources it will say so.Of course, nowadays you can read a lot of books electronically, which saves on paper altogether. There hasbeen much debate about whether it’s a better use of resources to buy a book or to read it electronically. It isdifficult to answer as it depends on the paper used for the book, how long it lasts, whether it’s recycled intoanother book and so on.



RecyclingSending products to landfill is not sustainable. It damages the environment and wastes valuable resources thatcould be used again. Recycling materials, such as paper and plastic, is a simple way to reduce the environmentalimpact of our daily activities.

r g

Is it time to start using your rag? You’ve probably heard the debate about whether it’s more resource efficient to use paper towels or a handdrier when washing your hands in public places. But what about using paper towels around the home? Sure,they’re great for mopping up spills and mess but they’re hardly the most eco-friendly cleaning item. If youuse them to clean up or wipe your kitchen then why not consider using an old rag instead? Unlike the papertowel, which has to be thrown away after one use, an old rag can be washed and then used over and overagain. Even buying a new cloth is better than buying lots and lots of kitchen roll, but try to make sure thecloth is organic or has been made from Fairtrade cotton.

B

Why not increase your family of bins? As European society grows wealthier we create more and more rubbish. Each year in the EU alone we throwaway 3 billion tonnes of waste - about 6 tonnes of solid waste for each of us. Of course, the best thing wecan do from a resource efficiency point of view is not generate this waste in the first place, but where waste

does occur we need to do our best to reuse or recycle it. Recycling is an excellent way of saving energy andconserving the environment: the more we recycle, the fewer new materials we have to use. For example, didyou know that 70% less energy is needed to recycle paper than to make it from virgin raw materials? Makesure you check what can be recycled in your local area – it ’s likely to be around 60% to 80% of all your waste.If there are some materials that your local council doesn’t collect separately, why not buy some extra bins soyou can save them and take them to your nearest collection site?

pl t c b ttle

How much water does a plastic water bottle take? We are all worried about the growing volumes of plastic waste. But plastic bottles are a good example of aproduct that can be used over and over again. The plastic bottles in which drinking water is sold are safe to

re-use as long as they are still in good condition and as long as you clean them. Each time you reuse themwash them in warm soapy water and dry them thoroughly to guard against bacteria. Once you’ve hadseveral uses out of a bottle you can recycle it. Most municipalities will collect plastic bottles, but if they don’t,take them to a local collection site. In most places in Europe it is perfectly OK to drink tap water, but if youneed to buy water, remember to buy one big bottle rather than a pack of smaller ones. It is cheaper, and abetter use of resources!

T ke w y l t c c t e

Can a plastic container have a second life? Takeaway food is a guilty pleasure for many of us but it can also offer ways of improving your resourceefficiency. Buying new plastic containers in which to store food involves using new resources but thecontainers that your takeaway Chinese or curry come in are ideal for storing leftover food, such as saucesor salads, in the fridge or freezer. To ensure the containers last, make sure you reheat the food in a separatedish. Not only will your container last longer it is also safer as plastic chemicals can sometimes leach intofood when heating.



pl t c b gCan you get extra mileage out of one-trip bags?

Plastic bags have become synonymous with today’s wasteful society. We use millions of them every day,often for only a few minutes before tossing them in the bin. Every year, the average EU citizen uses nearly250 plastic bags and most them are only ever used once. Some are so flimsy that they never get recycledbut instead end up in the sea or in landfill, where they can take hundreds of years to decay. The best idea isto bring a bag from home; cotton or cloth bags are light and easy to carry along - preferably go for organicones with eco-labels. Or why not go back to the traditional shopping basket?

Transport/Travel Together with housing and nutrition, transport is one of the main pressures on natural resources. Moving thingsfrom A to B uses energy and resources. By thinking more carefully about our transport and mobility needs we cansubstantially reduce the environmental impact of our everyday lives.

Jewel

Were any animals killed illegally to make your jewellery? When buying a piece of jewellery it’s easy to forget that making it may have come at a cost to people andto the planet. The industry globally has done much in recent years to address concerns that the extractionof precious metals harms the environment or exploits local workforces and indigenous peoples. But making jewellery still has a big environmental and social impact. Did you know that cyanide, mercury and sulphuricacid are just a few of the chemicals used to extract precious metals from the earth, leaving large swathes of land and water severely contaminated? And extracting gold requires huge amounts of water. As demand forprecious metals rises so will the pressure on resources and ecosystems. Jewellery can also exploit threatenedspecies, so avoid items that contain coral, ivory, tortoise shell or Brazilian rosewood. There are a number of ways you can help. Why not buy a second hand ring or recycled jewellery? And if youbuy objects that have been made from farmed animals, like crocodile-skin bags, make sure they have a CITESpermit to show no harm has been caused to biodiversity.

H l d y ct e

How much can your family holiday affect climate change? The impact of your holiday largely depends on how far and how you travel. Flying has a far higherenvironmental impact than driving or taking the train.Of course, that does not mean you should not go on holiday! But just think about whether you need to fly.Flying burns large amounts of fuel and releases lots of CO 2. Aviation accounts directly for around 3% of theEU’s greenhouse gas emissions – and if indirect effects are considered the overall impact on climate changecould be two to four times higher.So we’d suggest flying only for distances greater than 700km; for anything less why not take the train?Driving would have less impact too. If you do take a flight, make the most of it; go for a longer time andperhaps less often. While it’s always nice to go on holiday, it’s worth thinking about the resources you usewhen you do.And of course, carbon compensation schemes do help to reduce the negative environmental impacts of flying and other polluting activities. There are many websites where you can pay to offset emissions byinvesting in green measures, such as planting trees or installing solar panels on community buildings.And when you get to your holiday destination go for accommodation that respects the local environment,eat local food, and try not to use a car.



C keyIt’s not easy to live without your car, but is that a reason never to try?

Some of the things we can do to live ‘greener’ lives take some real effort on our part. Others can be theeasiest thing in the world. Take walking rather than driving. It’s such a simple thing to do and with so manyobvious environmental benefits: less air and noise pollution, less use of the resources needed to build, powerand maintain a car, not to mention the health benefits associated with taking regular exercise. Of course,there are times when using a car is unavoidable but for short trips, such as to the local shops or to meet afriend for coffee, consider whether you really need to use a car to make the journey or whether you could just as easily walk.Does anyone really enjoy grocery shopping? The queues, the crowds, the battle to get out of the car park,it can all be such a drag. So the next time you find yourself at the checkout ask yourself whether you really

needed to make the trip? Could you have had your groceries delivered instead? Shopping online for groceriesis a more efficient way of getting food to your home. Just one tip though: make sure you check the dates onthe food when it arrives so you know what you need to eat and when as wasting food is wasting resources.If you prefer to visit the store in person then think about whether you can buy what you need locally and tryto travel on foot or by bicycle. And don’t forget your shopping list.

Energy EfficiencyAs a society we are too reliant on non-renewable energy sources such as oil and gas. We need to look at ways of incorporating renewable sources like solar and wind power into our everyday lives. But efficiency is also about

getting the most out of the energy we already use - and not wasting it. By doing simple things like turning off lightswhen we leave rooms and turning down the heating, we can help save the environment – and save ourselvesmoney as well.

W h g cl the

Is your washing machine harming the environment? Washing machines are much more efficient these days but we can still do our bit to maximise resourceefficiency. To get the most from the water and energy you use there are some simple rules to follow. Usethe programme you need to get the clothes clean, but this does not always need to be at a very hightemperature. Cotton washes at 40˚C are designed to take a full drum of laundry so try to fill your machine. If you find you are often not able to fill it, it might be worth buying one with a smaller drum size next time. Look out for eco-cycles on machines – many new ones will have them and they will use less water and energy.Check the labels on clothes too: many will say ‘dry clean’ only, but you can in fact wash them by hand. Finally,use a washing product that is as harmless to the environment as possible – look for the Ecolabel flower.

mp3

How many singles could you buy with the money you waste chargingovernight?

So many of our favourite gadgets are powered by electricity: from toothbrushes and shavers to mobilephones and MP3 players. All of them need charging, and charging costs money, so it makes sense to charge

electrical goods only for as long as they need. So why do so many of us leave items plugged in once theyare fully charged? Many people wrongly assume that constantly charging these gadgets helps keep themworking properly. In fact, constant charging reduces battery life in the long term meaning you will have toreplace the battery or gadget sooner, which is bad for the environment and costly for you. The solution issimple: don’t leave your MP3 player or phone plugged into the charger once it is fully charged. When you



plug in a charger, think about how long it takes to charge fully and make sure you are around to disconnectit. Much better than just leaving it on overnight.

W d w f e (bed )

Aesthetic? Economic? Ecological? Why not choose all three? The best way to make your house as energy efficient as possible is to stop the energy leaving. Heat willescape through any gap given the chance so it makes financial and environmental sense to keep it trappedindoors. One of the main ways in which heat escapes from houses is through windows. In fact, some 30% of heat in the home is lost through poorly insulated window frames or through single-glazed windows. Evenif there are no visible gaps, hot air may be escaping because you have the wrong type of glass or frame. Sowhy not consider double- or even triple-glazing your windows? Of course this will require an initial outlay,but in the long term your house will stay warmer and you will use less energy heating it, which is not onlygood for the environment but good for your pocket. When choosing a window frame give some thoughtto the thermal properties of the materials – and since frames come in a variety of styles and colours you canstill have your favourite style!

W d w f e (l v g )

Are you sure you’re not throwing money out of the window? Remember that some 30% of heat loss in the home is through windows - so energy-efficient windows willdo a lot to stop heat loss. You’ll quickly recoup the initial cost in money saved on heating bills.A double-glazed or triple-glazed window works by trapping noble gases between two or three panes of glass to create an insulating barrier. The most common benefit is that it keeps heat in and offers superb

protection from the elements. They also keep out noise, provide added security and add style and value toyour home.And if you are changing your windows it would be well worth checking the level of insulation of the wholebuilding (doors, walls, roof, cellar, and so on). You can get an expert to come and check the building and tellyou the energy efficiency improvements that would be worth making.

L ght b lb

Could changing your light bulbs brighten the future for your grandchildren?

It could - and the more people that do it the better. Changing to new low-energy light bulbs can use five

times less electricity than the old bulbs, thus reducing carbon emissions. These days they’re widely availableat low prices, even in supermarkets. You can buy low-energy bulbs that look and feel similar to old-stylebulbs and give the same quality of light.It seems strange that at a time when everyone is being urged to conserve energy due to climate change,people are still content to use light bulbs that convert only 10% of their power into light while wasting therest on heat. A 20-watt 12,000 hour low-energy bulb will save around €70 over its lifetime compared withthe equivalent 100-watt conventional bulb. The EU is currently phasing out conventional incandescent bulbs across all Member States. It banned the100-watt bulb in 2009 and the 75W in 2010. The 60W is being banned in 2011 and the rest in 2012. By 2020,these efforts will be saving enough energy to power 11 million households each year.But there are still some types of less efficient bulbs on the market so it is still important to check labels andselect the most energy efficient ones.And even if a bulb is energy efficient, this doesn’t mean you should leave it on when it is not needed.



D hw heTo consume less energy do you just need to buy a more efficient dishwasher?

If I want to be more resource efficient, should I use a dishwasher or wash dishes by hand? It all depends onhow you use the dishwasher, the type of dishwasher you use and how efficient you are at washing up. Therereally is nothing wrong with a dishwasher – for a start it can use three to four times less water than washingthe same amount by hand – but it’s important you choose the right one. Find a dishwasher with a highenergy rating, use the economy cycle when you can and run it fully loaded. Ideally you should run it at night:not only can this be cheaper but you’ll be using the grid at a time when the least efficient power stationswon’t be running so each unit of power will have a slightly lower carbon footprint. If you wash dishes byhand make sure you buy an ecological washing up liquid, don’t leave the water running and don’t overheatthe water.

F dge

Is it cool to stuff your fridge? Obviously the more efficient your fridge the more energy you will save. But there are other ways in whichyou can make it better for the environment. Defrost your freezer regularly to keep it running at maximumefficiency. Don’t leave the doors open too long as this allows cold air to escape, so it will take extra energyto cool them down again. For the same reason, don’t put warm food into your fridge or freezer – let itcool down first. It’s a popular misconception that a full fridge is an efficient fridge – three quarters full isthe optimum. And check food regularly – there is no point in keeping food fresh if you end up wasting it

because you can’t eat it before it goes off.

G /elect c ty b ll

Isn’t it better to have your bills in your computer rather than on your table?

There is no escaping the fact that we will have to use more renewable and green energy in the future. Wehave to think about the high carbon emissions associated with traditional energy sources like coal and oil.One way we can all encourage the use of renewable energy is to demand it. The more people who use greensources of energy, the cheaper they will become. Of course the greatest saving you can make is by using lessenergy in the first place, but finding ways to power your home with renewable energy can also be a win-

win situation. The installation of solar panels, for example, may cost a lot in the short term but will provide asource of free energy for years to come without the worry of fluctuating energy prices. But for most peoplethe quickest and easiest way to reduce energy consumption is to become more energy efficient. The firststep to making better use of energy is often to install a smart meter, which will let you monitor your energyconsumption and see where it is being wasted. Some energy suppliers already provide them. The EU’s targetis to have smart meters installed in 80% of households by 2020.

OverconsumptionIn the western world consumption is often positively associated with quality of life. However, most resources are

finite or unevenly distributed so should not be wasted, especially as waste usually has a significant environmentalimpact. As the global population continues to increase, the world’s resources have to stretch even further, so weconsumers should start thinking less about what we want and more about what we need.



sh eWill you still want them when you’re no longer in love with them?

When shopping for shoes try not to buy a pair you will only wear once or twice. It’s worth paying a bit morefor a good pair that will last a long time. When you do decide to get rid of a pair, don’t just toss them in thebin. Think about recycling them or taking them to a local charity shop.

Cl the

Wasting resources is out of fashion! Have you ever bought a suit for a job interview and found that when you come to wear it for a second timeit no longer fits? Or bought a dress for a wedding and never worn it again? The clothes you never use at theback of your cupboard took a lot of raw materials to make. So when you next go shopping for new clothesthink of what went into them - all the water and energy use, possible pollution, etc. - and ask yourself if youreally need it. A recent UK study found that we could spend just 10% of the money we spend buying newclothes on hiring high-end items, such as suits and dresses, and so save 1.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxideeach year. And think how much money you could save by making better use of the clothes you already haveinstead of regularly buying new ones.

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Will Santa be green this year? Everyone loves to give and receive gifts but have you ever considered giving with an eye to resource

efficiency? It can be as simple as re-using wrapping paper or making your own card using recycled materials.In recent years, there has been a boom in the market for eco-gifts. Why not buy someone their own treein the Amazon rainforest, or a voucher for an eco-store, or pay for them to do a course in growing yourown vegetables? As well as being novel ideas, these types of gifts have the added bonus of helping raiseawareness of issues such as deforestation and resource efficiency.Or if you don’t think that your friends and family are quite as “green” as you, what about taking them to aconcert or the theatre? Giving someone your time will be far more welcome than an unwanted gift thatmight end up in a cupboard – or the bin.

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Are your eyes bigger than your stomach? Food waste is a big problem. When we throw food away we don’t just create waste that has to be disposedof, we also waste the energy and materials that went into growing it, transporting it, processing it, storing itand getting it into our kitchen. One of the ways we can cut down on food waste is to cook only what we’relikely to eat. Then if there is still food left in the pan or on the plate save the leftovers to eat the next day. If you’re in a restaurant why not ask the chef to omit an ingredient you know you won’t eat or ask for a doggybag to take home your leftover food? If you do end up with leftovers that can’t be reused then make surethey go into the right waste bin. If your local authority doesn’t doesn’t collect food waste then why not investin a wormery or garden composter? You can even buy ones that can be stored in a kitchen cupboard anddon’t smell. In fact, even if you have no separate food waste collection it’s a good idea to compost wasteyourself as it saves on transport costs and means you don’t have to buy earth for your own plants. But thebest way to be resource-efficient is not to create waste in the first place.

Documents

The Awake Consumption Guide En