We were kindly asked to review this easy to use eco friendly checklist that can help anyone audit their home and could help you make your home greener from Emma Reed. Why not read on to find out what we thought and why we think it’s a super useful tool that you can use too.
With so many people becoming aware of how vital it is that we all do more to reduce our impact on the planet, it can feel overwhelming working out where to start. We all know about resuable shopping bags and that companies have made big inroads into reducing waste, use of plastic and working on being more eco friendly but what we do at home, with our families can make a big impact too and even small changes put into practice consistently make a difference.
But it can seem pretty intimidating. There are a wealth of websites, blogs, social media accounts, media sources, books and experts telling you what to do and the reality is that it’s not always easy to decide where to start, and what works for you won’t work for someone else (we wouldn’t be able to have solar panels on our roof for example, because of the way our house is built, but those may be ideal for another family) but making a start, making a practical list you can work on and stick to, and changes that work for your family that also aren’t too costly doesn’t have to be stressful or dramatic.
We have been using Emma’s brilliant, comprehensive check list to audit things at home, work out what we may already be doing (I was using cloth nappies before they were a trend and then recognised as more eco friendly)
Emma is very practical but also sensible. I know that sounds a bit weird to say but I do think that there are people out there who push eco friendly without realising that not everyone works on the same budget, lifestyle choices or abilities as they do, and it can seem like you have to meet high expectations to be considered eco friendly or at least making positive changes.
But I have found her audit check list practical, easy to read and very thorough and you would be surprised at the easy things you can do.
She covers everything from energy saving ideas, to recycling, grocery shopping, using second hand items, how to make your home more eco friendly, lifestyle changes you can make, making your own cleaning products and how you can use things you already have or work around what you have got, and then work up to other changes. The beauty of this list is that you know you are working on something that someone actually does and lives (I find sometimes that some “experts” might talk good talk but don’t actually walk the walk) and she is also very honest and helpful too.
It prints really easily or you can just download it to a phone or tablet, or computer and work through it and you can pick things you want to do and can do straight away or you can make yourself a list of things you want to aim at. I find printing it easier so I can make notes and keep track of things. It’s very thorough but also easy to read.
We have done an audit and a list, and we have some things we are already doing and some ideas that we can put in place, and some things we can aim for.
So, if you are feeling a bit intimidated by the idea of trying to reduce your mark on this planet but know you need somewhere to start, then I would highly recommend this eco friendly checklist to get you off the ground, help you with the basics and then expand as you feel ready to take on more.
You can also find Emma on Instagram where she shares lots of tips, tricks, eco and greener living.