Clearly it’s just not practical for everyone to use public transport on a daily basis, so when you have to use your own car or a work vehicle, there are a number of steps you can make to your driving style that can help the environment and your wallet at the same time.

Eco-friendly driving is a term that’s been used more frequently in recent years. It covers a whole range of different aspects that are easy to implement into your daily journeys. The first of these is driving at a more even speed. Every day on the roads you’ll see people in urban areas accelerating harshly only to be stopped in their tracks by a set of traffic lights around the corner or a vehicle that’s obeying the limit. This rapid burst of speed of course means that they have to use their brakes more fiercely than normal too. Driving in this way only ever really achieves two things: wasting fuel and wearing down your car’s controls.

Driving at a consistent and even speed whenever possible results in less CO2 being pumped into the atmosphere as well as preserving your fuel and brake components. By planning ahead and anticipating both the conditions and other road users, you can tailor your speed accordingly and also be in a position to brake more evenly and progressively rather than slamming them on at the last available moment.

There are other simple eco-friendly driving habits you can adopt, such as ensuring you’re in the correct gear for your speed, changing into neutral when you’ve stopped at traffic lights – even switching off your engine if you’re in a jam, and it’s clear you won’t be moving for a few minutes. Other things like driving with weight in the boot that you don’t need to be carrying, poorly inflated tyres, and even having the radio on when you’re not even listening to it will all increase your fuel consumption and the more you use, the more your emissions will be.

Another area where you can make a significant environmental impact is by switching fuels. Regardless of what fuel your vehicle uses just now, you can have it converted to use Liquefied Petroleum Gas or LPG and petrol. By using LPG you will cut down your emissions considerably and without affecting the performance and miles per gallon rate. Changing your vehicle to one with a smaller engine, can also help with emissions and put a smile on your face when buying road tax or getting a car insurance quote.

These are just some of the key areas where you can improve your driving, help the environment and save yourself money too. By implementing these small steps, you can bring about a lot of positive changes.

Paul McIndoe writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.

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The most infamous culprit of late is the excessive packaging used in the distribution and display of Easter eggs. These poorly-designed packaging drives over 100million tonnes of packaging into the UK waste stream of which only 30% is taken to be recycled.

This large amount of waste hitting the UK’s waste bins equates to the equivalent of an extra 49 million tonnes of CO2 as a result of excess packaging. Retailers have undergone radical changes within recent years to reduce this figure by supplying more unpackaged products that are distributed more efficiently. But is this really enough?

The blame is not only that of the retailers, as consumers across the country must change their buying patterns and help set an example for our children by promoting environmentally friendly packaging and bolstering the growing recycling culture within the UK.

Some companies are taking this issue very seriously and are currently trialling new packaging in their outbound deliveries in the form of popcorn. Currently these companies use recycled paper and chippings in their deliveries, but are now testing this unique popcorn packaging in a bid to encourage recycling, reduce their carbon footprints and save money.

This popcorn packaging is not a new concept however and was trialled back in the 1980’s, but never caught on due to its expense at a time of UK economic depression. The weight of popcorn is much lower compared to chippings and other environmentally friendly packaging counterparts, which saves money on transport costs and also reduces the carbon emissions released during transport.

A push towards popcorn packaging maybe a step forward; however this idea is not without its drawbacks. With crops being diverted for use in biofuels and the increasing popularity of popcorn packaging, some fear that those in Third World countries are not receiving necessary food supplies they need in order to survive.

Reducing the amount of packaging and unnecessary “breathing space” around products would cut the amount of packaging going to landfill and the popcorn involved in distribution can encourage companies and individuals to set up their own compost heaps.

Going green can save a lot of money; however the main roadblock in doing this is the cost involved in transferring over to green technologies and the impacts upon growing third world economies. A lot of companies who distribute thousands of retail items each day, ranging from display cases, mannequins and literature holders to electronic equipment are each doing their part by trialling popcorn packaging in distributing their products and in going yellow, you too can go green.

Daniel Collins writes on a number of topics on behalf of a digital marketing agency and a variety of clients. As such, this article is to be considered a professional piece with business interests in mind.

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