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Agency we encourage every citizen of this country to adopt a green lifestyle.

There are many ways for each of us to contribute to the green economy. It takes only a few simple steps to change our behaviour into habits that make good economic and ecological sense.

It is said that it takes the mind 21 days to absorb a new behaviour into a habit.
Together with your family, friends and colleagues, try to adopt at least two of the following green economy tips each month, so that you become life-long champions of the green economy:

Here are some handy tips:

• Act now to save the future. Simple things like finding the shortest route, reduce your driving time and fuel consumption.

When you are shopping with your children, teach them to use cloth bags and to buy energy saving bulbs that actually help you save money and the environment in the long term.

• Use a cloth bag to carry all your shopping and not just groceries. Take a cloth bag on your trips to the mall when you shop for clothes, small electronics or other products.

A sturdy, reusable bag will last for years, and only needs to be used five times to have a lower environmental impact than a plastic bag.

• Check energy requirements before you buy any new appliances for your home or office equipment.  A cheap kettle might use a lot more energy than a slightly more expensive option, which is more modern and energy efficient.

• Create a compost with your organic food waste. Your kitchen is an excellent source of free compost.

Vegetable peels, eggshells, paper and even certain types of tins provide minerals that will nourish your home, school or community garden.

• Don’t let the tap run when brushing your teeth. Use one cup to gargle or only open the tap for a few seconds, only when you need to rinse off.

Form a group of peers or colleagues to oversee the greening of your school or workplace with recycling, car pooling, or energy-efficiency.
Grow an organic garden and your own delicious food. The average home only needs a patch of ground about the size of a door, to grow a variety of vegetables and herbs to supplement their diet.

• Join a local environmental or conservation group. You can team up with those around you and make a real difference for your community.

• Keep your kettle energy efficient. When using a kettle, only boil as much water as you need. It will save electricity and boil water more quickly.

• Local is lekker, so consume locally. Locally grown food has a short distance to travel from the field to your local shop, meaning less emission from the trucks that are transporting it and freezing to preserve it.

• Lights out when you leave rooms. Always switch off the lights when you leave your classroom or office for the day. It saves energy.

• Mobilise your networks! Message your friends on social networks about green living tips.

• Consider installing a motion sensing security light at your home, school or business.

This kind of light will turn on when there is some movement in the area, rather than illuminating empty premises for hours on end.

• Organise lift clubs to work or school. Find out which of your colleagues or classmates live around you and organise a lift club. Sharing transport this way can help save money, cut emissions and get to know your peers in an informal setting.

• Put pesticides away. Avoid using pesticides in your home, school or community garden and opt for natural, cheaper alternatives.

• Reduce, reuse, recycle. Reducing your consumption and impact helps take pressure off the world’s natural resources.

Remember September is the Clean Up Month. Communities play your part and clean up your area — it is everyone’s responsibility!

• Understand your options. Learn about the small ways you, as an individual, can make a positive impact on the environment.

• Waste is wealth! Before you throw away bottles, paper, plastic containers and tins, consider recycling them to raise money for your school, community or make them available to waste collectors

• X-ray your activities and habits. Spend one week noting down all your daily activities that use up energy and have an impact on the environment. At the end of the week write down solutions for each item that can help to save energy and decrease any negative impact.

• Youths should create platforms in their community or school for young people to learn and participate in environmental initiatives.

If you are a young person, lead by example to show your peers that caring for the environment is cool!
We are now in the fire season: Do not let your dreams go up in smoke, be firewise!
Please talk to us, we are always ready to listen.

Email: [email protected] or call us on 04 305543/ Tollfree 08080028.