With the new year well underway, it seems like a natural time to make some important changes. Amidst 'get fit', 'read a book' and 'save money'- Helping the planet rarely makes the cut.
But did you know you can still help the planet alongside your new year resolutions? Let’s think about this logically.
We all know that the aviation industry is on a mission to cut emissions, but other changes to your mode of transport outside of flying could make a real difference.
Why not skip the Car? It might not work for everyone but when and where you can, take public transport, bike or walk. It won’t break the bank, but you could certainly lose a few lbs.
Now you may not want to hear it after all that Christmas turkey but, cutting back on your meat consumption may be more of a feat for the planet than driving to work.
Growing evidence suggests, our meat consumption is placing a huge strain on the environment. A sizeable amount of global greenhouse gas emission comes from the indecorous bodily function of cows. With livestock producing as much as 15% of the world's carbon emissions (that's equivalent to all modes of transport in the world...put together!), what we eat weighs heavily on our climate.
Why not read up on the planet, the climate, the environment, or how to give up plastic? I’ve got some recommendations on where to start…
· Turning the Tide on Plastic - By Lucy Siegle
· How to Give Up Plastic - By Will McCallum
· No One is Too Small to Make a Difference - Greta Thunberg
STOP
Buying bottled water every lunchtime. Cut back on those ready meals, and stop buying clothes that will be worn once then thrown away. It’s the little things that make a big difference.
START
Growing your own fruit and vegetables. Bring your own cup! Lots of coffee shops offer discount for those using re-fillable coffee cups. So ditch the disposable’s and bring your own.
Donate or sell, don’t throw away! Instead of throwing out unwanted clothes and household items, donate them to your local charity shop or sell online. There are countless user-friendly sites and apps out there like, eBay, thredUp, and Depop.
The root cause of some of today’s most challenging problems is our culture. The ‘take-make-dispose’ linear economy is outdated; we live in a throwaway society that is strongly influenced by consumerism. We favour overconsumption and excessive production of short-lived or disposable items, over durable and long-lasting goods. The result – serious environmental implications such as plastic waste in our oceans, growing landfill sites and record-high greenhouse gas emissions that deplete the earth’s ozone layer.
Breaking a habit isn’t going to be easy, but when better to start than the new year!
