Mindfulness & Sustainability
When entering the world of sustainability it can be overwhelming to choose the best bio-degradable coconut scourer or the most eco-friendly beeswax wraps!? However, the most sustainable option for the planet is to already use the items you have. Don't bin your metal scourer or your clingfilm, make sure to use everything you already have up first before buying new and sustainable products!
That's why we're giving some amazing freebies that we've been previously gifted or have a surplus supply of which includes hair conditioner, copies of 'The Happy Newspaper' and FREE Period Products (menstrual cups, tampons ands sanitary pads) .
See our blog post on Period Poverty and How It Can Affect You for more information about what we are doing in the Students' Union to help combat this!
Let's talk about water!
We use it so much on a daily basis without even realising, we use it to clean our teeth, to wash our hands and to even make our morning cup of coffee! There are three examples listed there of how we use water and that's just in your morning routine.
This blog will highlight the ways in which we use and how we can be mindful of our consumption whilst making sustainable choices.
5 Top Tips on How to Save Water
1. Spend a minute less
Cutting down on those long showers by spending a minute less. Did you know that reducing your showering time by just 60 seconds can save 2.5 gallons of water?! If you shaved 1 minute off your daily shower, you could save more than 900 gallons of water per year (statistics according to the CNET).
2. Turn off the tap
Choosing to turn off the tap when you're not using it might sound like a really simple thing but leaving your water running whilst brushing your teeth can reduce the amount of water you use on a daily basis.
3. Swap to a washing-up bowl
Swapping to a washing-up bowl instead of using the dishwasher can not only save on your water consumption but also on your pennies too. By ditching the dishwasher you could save up to 50% of the water needed to clean those dirty dishes (statistics according to South West Water).
4. Use leftover cooking water
Making use of cooking water that has been used to wash/boil your veg can be a great alternative way to water your plants. Not only has the water been heated to boiling temperate which will remove any unwanted chemicals. But with the added boiled vegetables, this will provide your plants with vital nutrients to grow!
We would not recommend using any boiled water that may contain salt content, as this may be harmful to your plants.
5. Boil what you need
Only using a specific amount of water to boil in your kettle not only saves water but saves energy too which in turn saves money! We understand how important it is to save those pennies during this current financial climate with energy prices skyrocketing.
Top tip: Fill your mug up with the amount of water you need to make a cuppa and then pour the water into the kettle and voila! You save time, water, and money by switching to this method.
Find out more ways you can save water and money with United Utilities:
United Utilities have some really useful tips and tricks on how to save water, they also have a GetWaterFit tool which can help you work out how to not only save water but to save money too! Simply enter your postcode and answer a few questions about your water consumption and you can order some FREE water-saving devices!
GET YOUR FREE CAN OF WATER
In the Students' Union, we have got 270 cans of free water to give away! These were purchased for a Welfare Campaign to drink more water and the benefits of drinking water and how this can impact/improve your mental health.
However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this campaign was put on pause! But instead of throwing away the expired drinks, we thought it would be a great way to re-use these cans of water for other uses such as:
** DISCLAIMER - We advise you to not consume the contents of the can, as the water inside has expired. In the event of consuming this can, you do so at your own risk.
Other ways you can re-use the cans of water:
Add the water from a can into a birdbath or for animals to drink such as a hedgehog
Use the water as part of a cleansing ritual to clear your space e.g. re-charging your crystals
Pop the water in a spray bottle and add a few drops of your favourite essential oils to make your own unique blended room spray!
Top tip: Adding certain scents of your essential oils to a spray bottle of water can be used as a natural pesticide.
We hope you enjoyed reading about how to be more mindful with your day-to-day consumption, plus our more creative ways of re-using old materials to reduce waste. Make sure to tag us in your sustainable activities @LeedsArtsUnion with the hashtag #MegaFreebieWeek2023.