A brand new year means it’s the perfect time to set goals, make your resolutions a reality, and hopefully figure out fresh ways to go green. Here are some simple ways to go green this 2021 and beyond.
Pay Bills Online
This is an easy fix as there’s an simple alternative to paying your bills by mail. Simply update your settings to receive bills by email and pay them online. This will cut down on the paper mail you receive, which cuts down on the amount of paper you need to recycle. It’ll also give your junk drawer a much-needed break.
Here are some useful Territory links to pay bills online:
- Jacana Energy: https://www.jacanaenergy.com.au/residential/pay_my_bill2
- MVR: https://mvr.nt.gov.au/mvrquickpay/
- Telstra: telstra.com/paybill
- Parking Fines: https://nt.gov.au/law/processes/fines-how-to-pay
Decline Unnecessary Receipts
Another easy way to eliminate paper waste is to refuse receipts when they’re not necessary. If you’re running to the pharmacy for some Panadol, let’s say, you probably don’t need to print out a long piece of paper detailing your $10 purchase. However, if they do print out a receipt, please make sure to recycle it.
Unplug Appliances
Did you know that leaving your appliances plugged in when they’re fully charged can waste a ton of energy? Regularly clearing out your outlets could save you upwards of $200 a year on energy costs. That money also translates to big savings for the environment, so make sure to be intentional with how you charge.
Buy a Reusable Water Bottle
If you haven’t already invested in a reusable water bottle, now may be the time to do so. You can find many different options on the Internet, ranging from sturdy aluminum models to collapsible plastic ones. It’s an easy switch, but one that can do a lot to minimize the amount of waste you produce.
Invest in Reusable Shopping Bags
Reusable shopping bags are a healthier, and greener alternative to plastic bags. Plastics bags are used in the billions each year around the world. These bags begin their lives as fossil fuels and end up as deadly waste in landfills and the ocean, which contributes even further to the pollution to the planet. Birds and fish often mistake shredded plastic bags for food, which fills their stomachs with toxic debris.
Get a Library Card
New books look great on a bookshelf, but the toll all that paper production takes on the environment is not worth it, especially when there are so many eco-friendly ways to read. You could switch to a tablet or buy used, but don’t forget you can get a library card That way, you can still experience the feel of reading a “real book” without the clutter or waste.
Repair, Don’t Replace
When you do need to buy something new, take the best care of it that you can. Get your shoes cobbled if the soles start wearing out. Learn how to darn socks. Take a broken laptop to a local computer shop before recycling it. Yes, it’s easy to replace items, but it’s so much more meaningful to put in the effort to make them last.
For more tips or information, please get in touch with us:
- Heimo Schober
- Chief Executive Officer, Keep Australia Beautiful Council NT
- 0407 186 461 | ceo@kabcnt.org.au