Make your home enviro-friendly

Going green isn't really a choice anymore, but a necessity. There are simply too many of us on this planet and we're steadily running out of resources to sustain us.

It may feel like a huge problem, but fortunately, it's one that can be tackled by all of us, just by changing our behaviour in small. subtle ways; like adopting greener habits at home.

Unplug

You can dramatically lighten the load on the electricity grid by making unplugging items which aren't in use. If your toaster is plugged in all day, it's drawing what is called 'phantom energy'. Yank it out. Similarly, if you have a light on in a room that no one is using, turn it off.

Just say no

If you walk through malls or take part in trail runs, chances are you've accumulated a bunch of freebies that are currently cluttering up a drawer. Pens, USB sticks, flyers, menus, plastic bags... the list goes on. Add the word 'Refuse' to your 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle' mantra and you can help the environment by doing absolutely nothing.

Cloth is the way forward

Cloth is washable, which makes it reusable. Plus it lasts a long time. So, put those tatty t-shirts to good use as floor scrubbers instead of tossing them. Use cloth nappies. Wipe your mouth with a cloth instead of a paper towel. Blow your nose into a hanky instead of a tissue. It may seem gross, but the way our planet is choking on trash is way grosser.

Bring your own

Buy yourself a reusable water bottle and carry it with you, so you're never tempted to buy a single-use container. Take cloth bags to the shop to carry your purchases in. You can even go as far as taking your own coffee mug to your local café as an alternative to enviro-unfriendly takeaway containers. Just tell them that you're saving the world!

Meat-free Mondays

This one is hard, 'cos us Namibians love our steaks. However, the production of meat has a massive impact on our environment, gobbling up our land, sucking up our water and consuming all our grain. Then there are the fertiliser emissions... well, you may not want to go full-veggie, but a meat-free Monday once a week will certainly help.

Hit the markets

Develop a taste for second-hand clothing. Not only will you stand out from the cookie-cutter crowd, you'll also save a perfectly usable item from our overloaded landfills.

Get involved

You don't need to become a flag-waving activist, but you can definitely start the ball rolling. Tell your friends and family about the tips you've learned. Stay on your municipality's case if they still haven't fixed your road's water leak. Swallow your pride, do the right thing and pick up trash others left behind on a hike.

It's the little things you do today that can make an enormous difference tomorrow.