Lets Go Green

The old saying, “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure” is remarkably true. During the past few months my family and I cleared out 10 large boxes of “stuff” we have never used for years, and would probably never have used. So many welfare organisations out there can use our “stuff”, and it gives one a fresh feeling to know that some clutter has been removed from our precious space.

Another good way of saving space is to convert all your important documents, photographs, audio cassettes and video tapes to digital format. Many square metres can be saved in your home. Instead of files of hard copy documents and photo albums, these can be converted to CD and DVD formats, and placed onto a rack for future viewing. It is easier to fit a CD of important documents into your safe, that to have to squeeze in pages and pages of paper into the safe.

I have started with this approach and it is amazing how much space one saves!

An advantage of storing our documents and photos on digital media is that it is easily retrievable, rather than having to scratch around looking for it. By creating user friendly folders, sub-folders and indexing systems, data retrieval is simple.

In our ever changing world where most concerned global citizens are thinking about going green, saving fuel and natural resources, we do need to consider limiting our use of paper today. Not only is paper a fire hazard, but also a space invader. Think twice before making a photocopy or printing a document. Use scanning, email or fax to email methods of sending documents to save on paper usage. Every bit helps!

Other clutter that poses a threat to our environment is our garbage. Tins, paper, plastics, polystyrene and glass bottles are a curse and needs to be recycled correctly. It does require a bit of effort to separate your garbage into different categories, but get the kids to help. There are companies that will collect your “junk” and many schools have recycling villages that encourage and teach our youth about the importance of recycling.

Let’s work at saving our planet. By converting our “stuff” to digital and recycling our garbage and paper, we CAN make a difference!