5 Ways to live an eco-friendly lifestyle

MF editorial team

10 Jun 2015

With a few minor adjustments to your daily life – starting with the home – you can easily live the eco-friendly way. At least the polar bears will thank you.

We’ve all heard the old adage of Reuse, Reduce and Recycle. But how many of us actually take that into account in our daily lives?

Simply take stock of your home, have you been remiss in being green? We know it is not easy but with little adjustments that will barely impact your ease of living, you can do wonders for the environment – and your pocket. Also, most HDB flats and condominiums have recycling bins close by, so you really don’t have the excuse of inconvenience anymore.

If you’re really stuck, here are a few ways you can make your home more eco-friendly. The polar bears will thank you.

Recycle, recycle, recycle

This may sound extremely tiresome and repetitive, but you can reduce your waste at home by recycling items like plastic takeaway containers, newspapers and glass objects. Make an effort to separate your papers and plastics before taking them to the recycling bin.

Use energy saving bulbs

Another no-brainer – buy energy efficient bulbs like light emitting diodes (LED) lighting instead of incandescent or florescent light bulbs. They might be more expensive but they last about 25000 hours compared to the 1000 hours of incandescent bulbs.

Turn off your electronics

For real. Turning off your sockets and unplugging the appliance is the best way to ensure that it is no longer using any energy. Leaving the plugs in the socket can cause ‘phantom electrical draw’, where electricity is still being used despite the appliance and socket being turned off.

Buy refillable containers

Use less plastic at home by buying detergent, soaps and shampoos with refillable options. Simply buy the bag refills and top up the existing container to reduce your plastic usage.