In the Bathroom

• Millions of gallons of sewage are dumped in the sea every day. Some of this is raw sewage. Therefore avoid throwing anything down the toilet, including sanitary wear, cigarette butts, or plastic wrappings and labels. Sanitary wear can take 120 days to biodegrade and plastic wrappings do not biodegrade at all.

Rethink at work

There is enormous wastage of paper and energy in the work place. Does your work place have an environmental policy? If not start one! Consider contacting your local authority to see if they have any recycling facilities – you will be making a big contribution to the environment by starting to recycle today.

• Save resources by recycling paper, cardboard, newspapers and introduce recycled paper into the work place.

• Save energy and thus reduce carbon dioxide. Turn off machines that you are not using, reduce unnecessary lighting and replace light bulbs with energy efficient ones.

• Is the workplace being cleaned with environmentally safe products?

• Support the use of recycled paper because its manufacture uses considerably less energy and produces less effluent than when paper is made from virgin pulp.

Rethink – when you travel

Do you need to drive the car as often? Carbon dioxides released by cars is a major contributing factor to the greenhouse effect. Vehicles also emit nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons which contribute to acid rain and smog.

• Use the car only when absolutely necessary. Try walking or biking instead.

• Use public transport more often.

• Consider sharing lifts with relatives and friends when driving to work or to the shops.

• Use unleaded petrol.

• Recycle your engine oil (a garage can assist).

• Remember to drive slower. Reduced speeds means less fuel is used and therefore less carbon dioxide is emitted.

Rethink – when you shop

Next time you go shopping take a moment to think of the effect your next purchase could have on the environment. There are safe alternatives to many of the products we buy today.

• Buy pump action sprays. Avoid aerosols, they use considerable amounts of energy to manufacture and even alternatives to CFCs contribute to the formation of low level ozone – a greenhouse gas.

• If you can, buy in bulk – it saves packaging and money.

• Avoid products designed specifically for a short life span - e.g. many disposable items such as razors.

• Take your own shopping bag. Billions of non-recyclable or non-biodegradable carrier bags are given away free and used only once.

Rethink – on the coast

Our coastline is very vulnerable, take good care of it – it is the only one we have.

• Respect your local marine environment – don’t move rocks and stones in rockpools and avoid taking home shells and plants, however attractive they are.

• Water skiing, scuba diving and yachting can cause disturbance and even damage to marine life, such as nesting birds, seals with pups or families of dolphins. Where possible, consult your local wildlife ranger to ascertain particularly fragile areas which should be avoided.

• Anglers, please make sure you take home all your gear. Discarded hooks, weights, lines and nets can be hazardous to humans as well as wildlife.

Rethink – in the garden

• Start a compost heap in your garden with left-over fruit and vegetable scraps and garden debris. This compost will reduce the volume of household waste and can be used instead of peat.

• Choose organic fertilizers and try to avoid pesticides altogether.

• Encourage wildlife in your garden – put up nestboxes, build a hibernation spot with dead logs and leaves, encourage wildflowers to grow.

Speak up for the environment!

• Write to your public representative on local, national and international environmental issues that concern you.

• Support public transport and recycling facilities.

• Join an environmental group.

• Use less and tell others to conserve our precious resources as well.

• Spread the word amongst friends and colleagues – show them this leaflet.

Leaflet issued by ENFO – the Environmental Information Service, a service of the Department of the Environment of Ireland