There are so many minor things that you can do to help the environment and yourself, from turning the thermostat down a degree to switching your lightbulbs to CFLs. Something we’ve done recently is install a water butt, which is a great example of something that is a good thing to do purely for yourself, and helps out the earth at the same time.

The benefits for us are simple – we get enough water to keep our entire garden ticking over without having to use a hosepipe, and most of the time there’s enough to wash the car with it as well. As we’re on a water meter that saves us money, and the rainwater is better for the plants.

That leads to an obvious environmental benefit – we use less ‘processed’ water – but there are others. In the UK almost all rainwater is channeled to drains, as there isn’t enough space to let it soak away as is common in the US. Although it’s rare, this system can become overwhelmed by heavy rainfall (and sadly it’s become less rare due to climate change and overcrowding). A waterbutt provides a buffer between the time the rain falls and when it enters the drainage system, as well as diverting a little more into natural drainage and filtering through the garden. One waterbutt makes almost literally no difference, but a million one waterbutts can tip the balance. In addition a reduction in the use of mains water cuts down power requirements for the processing station, reduces wear on the delivery and removal systems, and ultimately uses less of a rare resource.

All of that is great, of course, but none of it need influence your decision because you personally will benefit from spending the few minutes and few pounds/dollars required. Honestly, why wouldn’t you do it?