Go Greener

Every little thing you do, no matter how small, makes a difference. If you’re keen to learn more about changes you can make in your own life, to live more sustainably or greener, below are some resources that we hope you’ll find helpful. More information will be added continuously

Scottish Climate Assembly

Understanding the impacts of climate change is a great first step. The Scottish Climate Assembly provides lots of useful information from independent scientists and policy advisors
You can watch the assembly sessions on their YouTube Channel

Sustainable travel

Lots of us still need to drive to get around, particularly in rural communities like Daviot. You can find tips to improve your fuel efficiency and lower your impact here.
If you’re interested in electric vehicles and how these can help lower your carbon footprint, you can watch our recent presentation which has lots of useful information and some comparisons on how much you can save.

Making your home greener

There’s lots you can do in your home – many of them really simple – to make it more fuel efficient and save you money.

You can better insulate your home to stop heat escaping. This could involve bigger changes – such as adding better wall insulation or adding double/triple glazing – or smaller things like sealing draughts from doors, window, letterboxes and keyholes. We’ll be providing much more info as part of our Home Retrofit project.
Stick aluminium foil or reflective panels behind your radiators to reflect heat into the room.
Close curtains and blinds at night to keep heat in.
Change to LED lightbulbs – they cost more initially but use
a quarter of the energy and last up to 10 times longer.
Sign up for your electricity from a certified renewable
clean energy provider, or you can even investigate solar panels to help lower your heating costs.

For lots more tips and advice, check out the Energy Saving Trust website.

Dietary choices

We’ve all heard lots recently about the environmental and health benefits of cutting down on meat or even adopting a vegan diet. But there are also lots of smaller changes you can make to your shopping and eating habbits that can make a difference.

Ditch the plastic – try and pick up products in the supermarket with less packaging. Or better yet, reduce plastic and food miles by visiting your local high street. You can often re-fill things like rice and pasta by bringing your own tubs. (If you live in Daviot, try The Inverurie Green Grocer, or Butterfly Effect in Insch, as well as the local butcher, fish vans, farm shops and farmers markets).
Reduce your food waste (and save money!) by planning your meals, freezing any leftovers or using them up in different recipes. The BBC food website has an ingredient search which is great for finding a recipe to use up random bits and bobs!
Make use of your food waste bin (or compost at home). If you sometimes wonder if it’s worth it read this interesting article.

Shopping

Some parts of shopping in a more eco-conscious way might already feel ‘normal’ such as bringing your own reusable bag. (Even more important, with the cost of a disposible bag rising to 10p from April ’21). There are plenty of other small changes you can consider though.

Could you buy second hand or upcycled goods (and save some money)?

Do you need something new, or could you repair what you’ve got?

If you do decide you need something new:

If you’re buying electric goods then aim for A or A+ ratings – they’re more efficient and can save you money in the long run. Get help with the labels here.
Think about buying a refurbished mobile phone if you aren’t desperate for the latest model. These can often be as good as new, and a fraction of the cost.
If you’re buying clothes, try to avoid non-biodegradable materials such as nylon, polyester and materials treated with toxic chemicals such as viscose. Alternatives include linen and organic cotton also use less water in production.