BellTime Magazine Spring/ Summer 2016 May 2016 | Page 48

• Do you want to help your students to be better citizens? • Do your students need to know where to get environmental information for projects or school work? • How can your students positively impact and influence their community? • How can students articulate the future they want? Live Green is a great one-stop shop for this type of environmental information and provides advice, awareness and education on sustainability at home and in your community. HOW TO BE MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT? SIMPLE WAYS TO PREVENT WASTE AT HOME Householders are one of Ireland’s largest energy consumers, accounting for almost 25% of our national energy use. Each year, Irish households produce around 1 tonne of waste. Ireland throws away 1 million tonnes of food waste each year too – this is shameful but fixable. V V TOP TIPS TOP TIPS • Turn off appliances e.g. computers, televisions & mobile phone charges when not in use. For every €10 you spend on energy running your appliances, €2 of this is when they are on standby and you are not using them! • Purchase ‘A’ rated appliances whenever possible • Turn off lights when you leave the room • Put a reminder timer in the shower to help children learn • Bedrooms do not have to be as warm as living room as you are usually snuggled up in a cosy bed • Think before throwing anything away - can it be reused? • Learn from your elders how to fix or repurpose things • Buy fruit and vegetables that have no unnecessary packaging • Make a shopping list and stick to it • Check the ‘use by’ dates • Be wary of 2 for 1 offers • Rethink consumption – ask yourself do you really need it! 48