DISPOSE OF HOUSEHOLD BATTERIES PROPERLY

Unicross are providing boxes outside most Pick 'n Pays into which you can drop your used batteries. Batteries contain various acids and heavy metals that can leak out over time and contaminate the water supply near landfills. It doesn't seem like a major problem until you relaise that everyone probably throws out 10 or so little batteries a year. These quickly add up and can be pretty serious sources of pollution over time. Pop your batteries with your CFL light bulbs and drop them both off at a recycling centre the next time you go shopping.

HAVE DIRTY KIDS AND FEWER  ALLERGIES

Talk Radio 702's, Dr Harry Seftel, sums up parents responsibility to their children's health perfectly: "Let them eat dirt". Boot your kids out into the garden, encourage them to poke sticks (gently) at slugs and crickets, and generally just behave a little more like the sort of kids Enid Blyton was always writing about. Kids who grow up dirty have a far better appreciation of the world around them and are generally healthier too.

SUPPORT CYCLE COMMUTING: BUILD A SHOWER INTO YOUR OFFICE

If possible, convert one of your toilets stalls into a small shower cubicle and dressing stall. Instantly you empower everyone who works in your building to be able to cycle or run to work, or to exercise during their lunch break. It's the single biggest thing you could do to change the way that people feel about their day at work. Bikes are likely to be quicker across most rush-hour commutes in  South Africa's cities and an increase in cycle commuters will also enable developers to better justify cycle lanes and other green infrastructure.

TAKE IT A LITTLE EASIER ON THE ROAD

An interesting side effect: the slower you drive, the more chilled you become. Humans are funny creatures. If you drive fast, you begin to experience the stress of being in a rush, regardless of whether you are or not. Try it. Drive slower and you'll feel your blood pressure beginning to drop and I think you'll also be surprised at how little time you actually lose, particularly in traffic, when speeding really just gets you to the next red light quicker.

EAT WHOLE FOODS

One of the best ways to save money and eat healthier is to always try to eat things as close to their natural form as possible. Get your sweets from fruit. Snack on nuts and seeds rather than chips. Avoid frozen veggies when a home-grown salad is just as quick and twice as tasty.  And of all these things, water out of the tap probably makes the biggest difference to the environment. The savings in cash, health and carbon footprint of a glass of tap water versus just about any other drink are astronomical.

"Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed." Mohandas Ghandi

BUY IN BULK

Take advantage of buy-one-get-one-free offers, especially when the products are presented in such a way as to save on packaging. By shopping more often we lay ourselves open to any number of marketing opportunities to be sold stuff we really don't want or need, wasting money and cluttering our lives. By buying items in as large a bulk as you can afford, not only are you saving money, you're saving petrol, time and the resources used to package small individual items.

"Without frugality none can be rich, and with it very few would be poor" Samuel Johnson