10 ways to live more sustainably this Earth Day (and every day!)

If you’ve ever had someone walk into a room and say “It’s like Blackpool Illuminations in here!” then you’ll understand the importance of this one.

Though it might have sounded like a frugal, throwaway comment at the time, you’d be surprised how much energy you can save by simply switching off your lights when they’re not needed. The same goes for any appliance that isn’t in use, too. So don’t forget to switch off your kettle at the mains, take your TV off standby mode, and “TURN THAT BIG LIGHT OFF!” when leaving the room. The planet and your bank account will thank us!

If you’ve got the space in your garden (or on your windowsill) and consider yourself a bit green-fingered, then you might want to give growing your own produce a go. You might just find your new hobby!

Seeds can be bought cheaply from your local garden centre and even some supermarkets when they are in season. If you’re feeling extra savvy, you could even save the seeds from fruit and veg you buy in and plant them that way! This helps to reduce fossil fuels, as transporting groceries from field to store can produce a lot of emissions.

Giving your home a spring clean? Make sure you recycle what you can where possible. Your unwanted items could go on to be used time and time again elsewhere or broken down into useful materials to create new products with. The possibilities are endless!

What’s more, you can recycle your unwanted tech and media products AND make cash from them by trading them in with us…result! Why not trade in your tech today?

Gone are the days of huge print-out maps and order confirmations. Satnavs and QR codes are here to stay!

As we continue heading towards a more digitalised world, it’s important to try and minimise our paper usage where possible. Avoid printing out emails and CVs unless absolutely necessary and, if you must use paper, remember to recycle once you’ve done with it.

Also, read your news online if you can or use the leftover newspaper in other ways once you’ve done reading. It’s great for safely packaging gifts and fragile items – perfect if you’re moving home any time soon!

It can be easy to get sucked into buying more than we need when we go grocery shopping. There’s often tempting 2-for-1 deals that seem just too good to miss! But next time you go shopping, think carefully about what’s already in your cupboards at home and take a good look at the use-by dates of what you’re buying.

Us Brits waste a whopping 9.5 million tonnes of food produce every year. The energy used to produce this food could be used elsewhere, so by being considerate of what you buy you can help reduce this figure and save yourself some cash too!

It can be so tempting to buy more these days as more and more products are being mass-produced, cutting the cost of buying for us, the consumer. However, this isn’t good for the planet…at all. With more cheaply made products being pumped out of factories, consumers are likely to shop willy-nilly and buy things without really thinking about the bigger impact of their purchase.

Think carefully about what you are buying, buy second-hand where you can and observe where your products are coming from. Not only will shopping second-hand save you money, but it will also save valuable materials from going to waste and being sent to landfill. Shop entertainment and tech sustainably today!

As you’ve just read, buying second-hand products is a fantastic way to reduce waste and save resources too.

For some products, though, you can go one better and buy refurbished instead. Refurbished products, including refurbished phones and tech, often go through a process that aims to restore them to a condition as close to new as possible. That means you’re getting a high quality product for less than buying new and it’s good for the planet too!

We care about our family, friends, and our pets, but do we care about the wildlife from where our food and supplies are sourced?

Some products and materials can cause significant damage to the homes and environments of certain wildlife when they are sourced. This often threatens their habitat and can even result in a decrease in population. For example, farming certain breeds of tuna can leave other species like dolphins with less food and jeopardise their chance of growth and survival.

By educating yourself and learning more about which brands and products endanger wildlife, you can avoid these products and buy from trusted suppliers instead.

Tidying your house might not feel like a particularly world-changing action, but even an hour spent decluttering can make a difference to the environment.

How? Well, most items (including phones and tech) lose value over time. If you hold onto something for too long, it could become practically worthless – and if its worthless, you have less motivation to sell it to someone who may be able to keep it in use for longer. And so, it goes into the bin and contributes to environmental pollution.

Having a regular clear out of your drawers, cupboards and wardrobes means you can find those valuable items sooner, sell them on and give them a second life (while also making a bit of cash!).

Taking care of the products you already own is just as important as buying new products sustainably. You’re less likely to need to replace something in good condition, which means less demand for resources and less waste too!

Keeping things in good condition, especially tech, means you can sell them for more when you’re finished with them too. This keeps them in circulation for longer and helps to offset the impact of any future purchases, which means you can upgrade sustainably!

Here at musicMagpie, caring for the planet is at the heart of our business. Everything we do is done with the best interests of the Earth in mind. That’s why we want to show you that when you shop or trade with us, you’ll be contributing to the sustainable recycling process.

From the fully recyclable packaging we ship your orders out in, to the rigorous repairs and checks we make to help your old tech and media products go on to live a longer life, we really do think about the bigger picture and how these small changes can make a huge difference.