Easy eco-friendly habits to reduce your carbon footprint!
It is easy to assume that environmental consciousness is only about reducing the plastic waste you create. But is not just this. It means that real action must be taken soon before there is damage which has gone past the point of being fixed. The rate of climate change needs to be slowed down, with rising temperatures all over the world, the fate of life on earth is in our hands, which means only we can fix it.
Making a difference can be simple. Creating small daily changes with smarter environmental choices is an easy task which once it becomes a habit, has possibilities to create a real difference. Whether this be through personal benefits like allowing you to have a healthier lifestyle, or through influencing others to make similar changes to their lives and becoming more environmentally friendly together.
Here's how to create a greener life for yourself:
1. Reduce plastic waste
A main issue in the current consumer lifestyle is that we buy way too much. Asking ourselves “Do I really need this” is vital to reduce waste. Living with less plastic is an easy switch which can make a big difference. Here are some tips to make those plastic free swaps:
· Switch to an eco-friendly toothbrush – Bamboo toothbrushes are a great alternative to plastic toothbrushes. They are made of sustainable materials and create a much lower carbon footprint in the manufacturing process. They also have a better end of life disposal and will clean your teeth just as well giving you the same smile with less environmental damage.
· Say no to plastic bags – Another easy change which can help to reduce your carbon footprint is bringing your own reusable bags to do your shopping. Reuse these bags until they can no longer be used and make sure they are disposed of and recycled where possible in the correct way. Many supermarkets have schemes in place where you can take old plastic bags to be recycled and swap them for new ones, along with other packing from products that they sell. Plastic bags take hundreds of thousands of years to decompose, and many end up in the ocean which poses major threat to marine wildlife and causes thousands of deaths.
· Carrying aluminium bottles rather than buying plastic ones- There are many plastics alternative swaps which can be easily carried and brought from home. There are many companies which offer affordable, long-lasting, and infinitely recyclable products which will save the planet and your bank account in the long term.
2. Donate or sell the items you no longer have use for
It is easy to forget about the items which you already have in your wardrobe. Many keep them hung collecting dust when they could be useful to other people. There are many charities which accept donations and can make better use of items rather than them going into the bin and straight to landfill, with many fast fashion items often containing non-recyclable materials. There are also websites such as Vinted, which allow you to sell your clothes quick and easily and you can have some extra cash in your pocket whilst giving a new life to old clothes!
3. Try to stay away from short lived trends
Fast fashion contributes for around 10% of global emissions. Taking part in fads and trends which have been moving exceedingly quicker with new influencing apps such as TikTok, means that people feel a need to keep up, and as soon as one trend is no longer considered ‘fashionable’, it is thrown away and the next one is purchased. Regular short lived trend cycles allow for bad habits to arise when people get used to throwing away items after a short period of time meaning an increase in textile waste which could and should have been repurposed. A way to avoid this is to create a capsule wardrobe of sustainable pieces which will last for a longer amount of time and means you can avoid fast fashion and can save you time in the day when it comes to choosing an outfit.
4. Eating healthier
Limiting the amount of dairy and meat that you consume in a week can help you to reduce your carbon footprint. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, says that around animal-based agriculture is responsible for around 15% of global emissions. It does not necessarily mean that you must become vegan or veggie, just by reducing portion sizes of meat or eating vegetarian for one day of the week can significantly help towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions and lower your carbon footprint.
5. Consider how you transport
Owning a car massively contributes to your carbon footprint. Avoiding the car can help the environment, considering walking or biking means that there are no environmental consequences and can also lead to a more active lifestyle that offers many health benefits. If getting there by foot or bike is not an option, why not consider public transport? This saves many emissions by avoiding 60 people on a bus having to drive in separately and can also be a cheaper alternative with high parking costs in cities. For regular journeys, see if it is possible to carshare with colleagues or friends so you can spend time with people whilst reducing greenhouse gas emissions and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
Check out the mindless magazine for more information on climate change.