Doing your bit

Learn how you can make a valuable contribution through simple actions in your daily routines, with minor changes in habits.

• Shorten your showers and turn off taps when brushing your teeth; check for leaks at home and at work.
• Avoid washing dishes under running water. Instead, fill the sink or a basin and use running water only to rinse. This can reduce consumption by more than 50%.
• Avoid electric shower heads. Instead, choose gas or solar heaters with the CONPET Energy Efficiency Seal.
• Avoid leaving lights on when not in the room, and switch off electronic devices when not in use.
• Recycle your garbage – check out the list of specialized companies close to you on the CEMPRE site.

Recyclable products

• Contact the manufacturer of your mobile telephone to learn about selective collection programs for used handsets, batteries and accessories.
• When buying a new mobile telephone, check whether the manufacturer has been awarded the ISO 14001 Seal.
• Batteries used by devices such as mobile telephones and notebooks contain metals that are harmful to the environment and should not be thrown into the regular garbage.
• If you buy wood products, always choose those with certified raw materials, generally identified by the FSC Seal.
• Choose household appliances with the Procel Energy Efficiency Seal, and check the Inmetro label indications on the product.
• Take your own bag when you go shopping and avoid throwaway plastic bags that pollute rivers and soil.
• Travel by public transportation, reducing the number of cars in the streets, thus minimizing air pollution and improving traffic.
• For short distances, walk or ride a bike, as both are ecologically correct and enhance your health and welfare and well-being.
• Help by volunteering for individual actions, supporting campaigns or participating in projects run by institutions and governments.