• Batch Cooking is a great way to save time and money whilst reducing your environmental impact. It reduces the amount of food waste you produce and is a great way of eating healthier and controlling portion sizes. It is also a great way to use all those Chinese takeaway dishes you don’t know what to do with!

  • Ditch the single use plastic – almost all of the plastic ever made still exists in one form or another. One reusable water bottle can save 52 plastic water bottles per person annually

  • Buying locally grown, seasonal produce greatly reduces your foods carbon footprint and is also a great way to support local farmers and industry

  • Walking or cycling produces zero carbon and has huge benefits to your physical and mental health. A car would need to reach over 200 miles per gallon efficiency to come close to walking

  • Simple changes like turning your washing machine to 30 instead of 40, reducing the thermostat by one degree and taking four minute showers instead of baths can reduce your carbon emission and save up to £250 a year

  • Single occupant cars produce two times more emissions than a bus per person. By taking the bus, you save money on parking and buses can often take you closer to where you want to be than if you went by car

  • Washing in the tumble drier can cost as much as 67p, this equates to up to £70 based on 2 loads per week. If possible, dry your clothes on the line to save money

  • Underinflated tyres can cost an additional 545 litres of fuel per year for a person doing the average mileage a year (12,000 miles). This is equivalent to 1.3 extra tonnes of greenhouse gases. Most vehicles display the recommended pressures inside the door frame or inside the glove box

  • Professional draught proofing can cost up to £225 but will save you around £125 per year. DIY draught proofing is much cheaper and is easy to do.

The smallest actions can make a difference

Earth Day 2023 Invest in our Planet (1).jpg

Let’s celebrate Earth Day, 22 April, by doing our bit for the Earth. This year’s themes include volunteering, find out what you can do for your local and global environment on Earth Day's website. Read more in our Green Plan, or sign up to our Green Champions by emailing sustainability@merseycare.nhs.net.

International Plastic Bag Free Day, 3 July

3 July 2023 is International Plastic Bag Free Day. Plastic bags may seem like a grocery shopping convenience, but they are also a huge strain on the environment. It can take up to 500 years for plastic bags to disintegrate, so they make up a large portion of what stays in our landfills and pollutes our waterways.

Recycling week

This recycling week, check out our dedicated recycling page on YourSpace to see what we recycle at the Trust. Why not join our green champions network to share your ideas and concerns around sustainability at the Trust.

Children’s Sustainability and Nutrition Materials

Sustainability is a big concept for children to understand. But it’s important to teach them what it means and how to contribute to helping the environment and the planet. Start by modelling the basics, such as minimizing your rubbish (the first “R” in the “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” sustainability mantra!) and planting and watering your own vegetables. See the attached document for what you will need.

To show the ways which we can reuse items and teach children about eating a varied diet, try this activity to grow your own veg with used glass jars and household items:

1.         Find a glass jar or plastic tub from your recycling and buy some cress seeds from a local garden centre.

2.         Line the bottom of your jar or tub with paper towels or cotton wool.

3.         Sprinkle your cress seeds over damp tissue or cotton wool.

4.         Cover with cling film or a tea towel and keep the cotton or towels moist by sprinkling water on twice a day.

5.         Cress seeds can germinate within 24 hours.

6.         Within five to seven days your cress will be ready to snip into sandwiches.

 

One different way to recycle our waste is through composting! Composting isn’t just environmentally friendly; it’s also a cool science project. Keep the bin outside and follow this quick how-to:

1.         Line the bottom of the bin with twigs, top them with leaves, and add some water.

2.         Add food scraps such as carrots, potato peels, apple cores, coffee grounds, eggshells, and bread crust on top of the leaves, and again, add some water.

3.         Alternate leaves and food scraps a few times.

4.         Once the bin is full, mix everything around each week.

5.         Observe how everything changes and starts to break down.

6.         After three to 12 months, use your compost in the garden or potted plant.