by Stacey Richardson
Over the past nine years that I’ve lived London, I’ve made some dramatic changes to my lifestyle; when you’ve moved from a vast country of wide open space to one of the most congested cities in the world, it’s hard not to! For any ex-pat, the way you live in another country will change, from your eating habits to the way that you socialize. The UK has also changed my carbon footprint for the better (strange when you consider that it’s so polluted here!). One thing that I’ve noticed is in Canada and the US, we take space for granted. We also consume way more than we need to. Here are three of the ways that London life has changed my lifestyle to be more green, but these simple changes can be made by anyone, regardless of where you live. See if you can incorporate these simple yet effective ways to save money and be green:
Image courtesy of www.earth-photography.com
- Long live the drying line
It’s not uncommon for houses in Britain to only have a washing machine. There is nothing better than hanging your clothes out to dry in the fresh air; they smell amazing and sometimes you don’t even need to iron them because the wind just blows away the creases. Of course, hanging your laundry year round may not be an option due to weather (depending on where you live), but there is no excuse not to ditch the dryer in the summer months to save money and reduce your carbon footprint.
- Shopping Locally
Markets are a huge thing in Britain, and London has some of the most famous street markets in the world. While most people here are just like North Americans and buy the majority of their shopping at a grocery store, buying fresh, locally produced food from a market is a way of life. Whether it’s a weekly trip to stock up on farm fresh fruit, veg or meat, or a visit to a fruit stall on their lunch break, many Brits consciously try to buy fresh. I love this facet of life here, as it supports the small farms and businesses around the area and again, it is more environmentally friendly to get your fruit from a farm on the outskirts of town rather than flown in from South Africa.
- Take Public Transport
Whenever possible, use public transport. I’ve never owned a car in London and while it can be a pain running for a bus on occasion, I much prefer the ease and cost of catching a bus or train to driving and maintaining a car. My husband has a car for work which we use for running errands, but whenever possible we try to walk or take a train. In some cases, you just need your car, but remember that anytime you walk or use public transport you’re saving money and being green, plus reducing stress levels.
