19 small things you can do to minimise your environmental impact, and save you money

I hear many people complaining about pollution or littering, but there are very few that do much to combat it. It is all very well being horrified at the litter on Dajti, the riverbanks of the Lana or Ishem, or our beautiful sandy beaches, and sitting behind our computers ranting away- but how many of these keyboard warriors actually do their bit?

Here is a list of 19 little tiny things that you can do which will have a great impact on the environment, as well as save you money! Try and implement at least 1 or 2 of them and let us work towards improving the environment around us, one step at a time.

1. Tell your server that you don’t need a straw- straws are not biodegradable and cause a lot of damage to the environment and any animals that come across them. If you are someone who prefers to drink with a straw, you can head to Amazon and pick up a reusable one for a few euro.
2. Do you get your coffee to go? Try not to use takeaway cups. Either make a bit more time to sit in and sup from a ceramic cup or take your own container and get them to put your drink in it. You can buy insulated, reusable cups and containers online or in shops such as Jumbo or Conad.
3. Why don’t you give yourself a little challenge? Every time you go to the beach/countryside/open public space, make sure you pick up just 5 bits of litter before you leave. Put it in a nearby bin or hold onto it until you come across one. Imagine if every person that visited our beaches, picked up 5 pieces of litter before they left? They would be spotless in a matter of days.
4. Going vegetable shopping? Try and avoid multiple plastic bags for each type of veg. I take a reusable bag and get the veggies weighed individually, and then pop them all in the bag together. If you must use plastic bags because places such as Spar insist on it, try and reuse them for something else afterwards.
5. There is absolutely no need to wash your clothes on a high setting. Most washing machines have an eco setting and this is more than hot enough to clean your clothes. If it doesn’t have an eco setting, set it to 30 degrees’ quick wash to save you electricity and water.
6. Harness the natural light in your apartment. Unless you live in a cave, there really is little reason to have main lights or lamps on during daytime hours. Open your blinds and let the sunshine in!
7. Do a bulb audit in your house. Go round and check all of the bulbs in every lamp and light- remove any that are not low energy, eco-friendly. Whilst the energy saving bulbs can be slightly more expensive to buy, they use less electricity and last longer which means you save significantly more in the future.
8. Don’t leave the water running unnecessarily. Brushing your teeth? Turn it off. Running the shower for 5 minutes before you get in? No need to. Keeping the water flowing whilst you shave? A bit unnecessary. Switch it off when you are not using it directly and watch your bills decrease.
9. Try and avoid chemical cleaning products. We have been convinced through clever marketing that we need to invest in super smelly, complicated sounding chemical cleaners to keep our home sparkling- this is not true as well as being potentially damaging to our health. You can use vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice, and other ingredients to replace conventional cleaners. You can also look for eco-friendly products that have a less detrimental impact on the environment- Rossman and Lala has a good selection. Remember, whatever you flush down the sink, shower, or toilet is going right back out into the environment.
10. Buy local. Ditch Spar and Conad for things like meat, veg, and dairy and instead support the smaller businesses and vendors. The produce at independent shops is often more fresh, more local, and a lot cheaper.
11. Walk to work- unless it is raining and whilst the weather is under 35 degrees, unless you live over a 45-minute walk from your work, you should be walking. If this thought fills you with dread, make a pact to ditch the car at least once a week and walk to and from your destination. Not only is it good for your health, body, and mood, but you will save money and the environment as well.
12. Don’t forget to unplug devices when you are not using them. Don’t charge things like phones and laptops overnight, don’t leave the TV or any other entertainment device plugged in when you are not using it, and of course, make sure all other switches are off when you are not using them. This makes a big difference.
13. Why not consider going paper free? Even local newspapers have subscription options for the online version and stop printing things out instead of emailing or storing on your computer.
14. Get yourself a reusable water bottle that you can take out and about with you. As we cannot drink the tap water in Albania we do have an issue with bottle consumption. Consider hiring a water dispenser as the large bottles can be collected and refilled when empty or alternatively buy 5l bottles of water and refill your reusable bottle instead of buying cases of 1.5 or 2 l.
15. Use a reusable shopping bag. There are many available that can fold up to a tiny size and be put in your pocket or handbag- using these instead of plastic bags makes a huge difference. If you do end up with plastic bags, please try and reuse them and do not throw them away.
16. If you have a baby, consider cloth diapers. These are much cheaper, easier, and more environmentally friendly than non-disposable ones. With modern high-efficiency washing machines, you don’t’ even have to wash them with a huge amount of water or energy. Give it a go.
17. Switch to a menstrual cup. The average woman will use tens of thousands of tampons and sanitary towels in her lifetime. These produce rubbish in the form of paper, card, plastic, and the item itself- none of which are truly biodegradable. Furthermore, it is an expense that many can do without, tampons carry a risk of infection, and many find sanitary towels uncomfortable. A menstrual cup is made from latex and is inserted into the vagina (takes a few goes to get it right but once you do, its super easy)- you cannot feel it, there is no risk of infection, you can leave it in for 12 hours and best of all they last for years and years at a time. Even those with a heavy flow will have no problems and you can swim, do sports, sleep and exist like normal. They cost between EUR5- EUR20 and come in a range of sizes.
18. Don’t throw your trash on the ground. You would think this would be obvious but the amount of people who just throw receipts, cigarettes, tissues and more, without so much as a second thought, is truly disgusting. Hold on to it and wait until you can dispose of it properly- just who do you think is going to clean up after you?
19. If heading off for a picnic or BBQ this summer, don’t use disposable cups and plates. Whilst yes they may be convenient, you need to think of the environmental impact. You can pick up plastic reusable plates and cups for a few Euros and if you look after them, they will last you a lifetime.