MM- Green Home Challenge

The Action Advisor has a Mission just for you!

Every Month a new challenge awaits the Action Activist! These unique missions have varied purpose but all are dedicated to the preservation of The Great Outdoors! Taking on a challenge helps foster a positive passion for performance & quality of character!

The Australian Conservation Foundation have created a site dedicated to taking action for a Better World. Their Green Home Challenge is this months mission!
Listed Below are some of the simplest lifestyle adjustments for tackling climate change head-on but if you want more then visit www.acfonline.org.au/greenhome

Clean with Green
Most cleaning products you find in the supermarket and hardware shop are extra-strength cleaners which can contain harmful solvents, acids and corrosive chemicals which can harm the environment and the health of you and your children.They also create packaging waste and cost you a lot of money.  The best green cleaning approach is to try warm water and a textured or microfibre cloth first. This will work for most cleaning situations. If you need something more than water and elbow grease, try the remedies in the GreenHome Guide.  Grease build-up is particularly tricky – you might need to try bicarb mixed with castille soap. Stains are the other challenge where you might need more than water – try glycerine on organic stains and dab it off with warm water. It’s also important to regularly maintain and clean homes so harsh chemicals are not needed.  By ventilating the rooms of your house you can reduce your exposure to indoor air pollution from household chemicals and furnishings.

Put a stop to Junk Mail
By simply putting a No Junk Mail sticker on your letterbox you’ll reduce the amount of paper that goes to waste each year. If everyone on your street does this, the amount of paper consumed and wasted each year will be drastically reduced (perhaps a little covert operation down the street late at night is in order!).  Australians receive on average 7 billion unaddressed flyers, leaflets and catalogues in their letterboxes every year. If your household said no to junk mail that could save almost 1000 pieces of unwanted junk each year!  You can stop addressed junk mail by using the Direct Marketing Association’s Do Not Contact Service. www.adma.com.au/asp/index.asp?pgid=1999

Buy Fresh & avoid waste
In 2004, Australians threw away a total of $5.3 billion on all forms of food. This shocking statistic includes: ■ $2.9 billion worth of fresh food ■ $630 million worth of uneaten take-away food ■ $876 million in leftovers ■ $596 million of unfinished drinks and ■ $241 million of frozen food.  These figures come from ‘Wasteful Consumption in Australia’, a report published by The Australia Institute in 2005. Throwing food away costs more than just the money you paid for it, you’re also wasting all the water, energy and other resources that went in to producing the food in the first place. Think about what you need and use what’s in the fridge, freezer or pantry before you eat out or get take away.

Use Mulch to save Water
The vast majority of household water is used outdoors on the garden. But depending on the size and type of a person’s garden and what time they water it (if at all), most water used could end up going to waste. By mulching your garden it is possible to reduce the amount of water wasted through evaporation by around 70%. Mulch refers to leaves, grass clippings and other shredded garden waste that is spread over soil with the aim of inhibiting weed growth, retaining moisture and returning nutrients to the soil. Local councils sometimes offer free mulch. You will also reduce the amount of water lost through evaporation by watering early in the morning or in the evening depending on your water restrictions.

Don’t forget to download your free copy of the Green Home Guide from the Australian Conservation Foundation- www.acfonline.org.au/default.asp?section_id=189