How to Make Greener Choices

Want a greener lifestyle but don't know where to start? Experts advise

Each of us is responsible for what kind of planet we leave for our children, and it all starts with everyday choices. An important part falls to companies, including construction companies – since it is an energy-intensive sector.

Bonava is the first residential developer in Estonia to switch completely to green energy and uses only green electricity on its construction sites. In addition to Estonia, Bonava was also the first residential developer in Latvia to switch to green energy and is the first residential developer in the Baltic Sea region committed to achieving climate goals. But what advice do Bonava experts give to households? Actually, making green choices is not difficult at all – you can start with simple things already today.

Turn off the lights, pull out the plugs!

One of the most important things to do to reduce your carbon footprint is to save electricity. This is also good for your wallet. Energy saving is also one of the easiest ways to start living a greener life. Think about how and how much energy you consume and whether you could save somewhere. Simple – if you're not using certain devices (TV, radio) or lights at the moment, turn them off. Don't run the dishwasher empty, you can turn off the electric stove five minutes before the food is ready – residual heat will do the final work.

Use LED bulbs. These not only last longer than regular bulbs, but are also much more efficient. This means you use less energy and have to change light bulbs less often. Moreover, they are available in a variety of colors and designs so you can truly adapt the lighting to your needs or room.

Of course, you can't reduce electricity consumption to zero, but if possible, you should prefer green energy. Switching to green energy is the simplest and most environmentally friendly change you can make to reduce your environmental footprint. For this very reason, Bonava has switched to green energy in the construction of its homes and is the first residential developer in Estonia to receive the gold mark of a responsible company.

Think through all your purchases and don't go crazy on special occasions

Before making a purchase, you could ask yourself "do I really need this?". Sales are certainly useful, but only if you really need something. Unfortunately, practice shows that often goods are purchased simply because the price is so good. To protect the environment, you need to change your consumption habits and think seriously about all purchases.

Don't get caught up in gift-giving madness either. Do you really need to buy "cool little gadgets" for your friends on Valentine's Day? You know what you do with those cool gadgets when you get them as gifts….

Waste sorting is mandatory

According to the Ministry of the Environment, Estonian households generate approximately 400,000 tonnes of waste annually, or 300 kilograms per person. In Estonia, sorted waste collection is also mandatory – this must be done both at home and at work.

For several years now, Estonia has been required to recycle at least 50 percent of paper, metal, plastic and glass waste from households. Why? The production of paper, cardboard, metal, plastic and glass consumes large amounts of resources (water, energy) and recycling material helps to save them.

We have all gotten used to returning containers, but to protect the environment, it is very important to sort and reuse other materials as well. Waste can be collected in 5 different types: bio waste, general waste, paper and cardboard, metal and plastic, and glass. You can take sorted waste to large containers, which also means a lower waste bill for you, since you don't have to call the garbage truck as often.

Reduce food waste

In Estonian households, each person generates an average of 61 kg of food waste per year, of which food waste accounts for 42% (26 kg). In order to reduce food waste, we need to plan again and think through: what and how much to buy from the store and when to consume it; how to preserve food that is left over? If you already foresee that you won't consume any particular food product yourself, you can take it to the Food Bank donation box.

"Can this be reused?"

The internet has many tutorials on how to make a skirt from old jeans, craft a flower vase from a used tin can or use an old car tire as a piece of furniture – the choice is wide and endless. You just need the willpower and imagination to save the environment, your money and create something completely new.