Alongside indulging in Lockdown 2020 trends of making banana bread, making dalgona coffee and partaking in (note: not making) Zoom quizzes, I found myself interested in the topic of sustainability. With some research, I learnt how easy it actually is (and not some effortful, hippie lifestyle change) to be slightly kinder to the world in everyday life.
Of course, not everything humans do is for the greater good of the planet. That being said, with some small changes, we can really make a difference!
You may also be overcome with smugness that things you already do are helping the environment.
It’s a win-win situation, really.
Well, what is ‘sustainability’?
Let’s be honest, you’ve all heard the term 'sustainability' in some context or another. Everything seems to be labelled something, whether that be ‘vegan’, ‘sugar free' or ‘gluten free’. If you’re a company with a product offering and able to claim it, it's the go-to tactic for marketing and branding, let's be honest.
At a literal level, sustainability means having the capacity to continue or endure. This means that something can maintain itself. This means it can be maintained forever (yeah, that does mean long after we’re gone) so selfishness can’t really be a thing here.
In other words, if something is sustainable, it can be reused, recycled, or repeated because it hasn’t completely drained the earth, the sun, the stars…you get the idea.
So, what does it mean to live a more sustainable lifestyle?
Living a more sustainable lifestyle doesn’t mean giving up your luxuries to “live off the fatta the lan" (assuming right now that everyone studied Of Mice and Men...). Living more sustainably means being slightly more aware of what we consume and to reduce unnecessary waste.
Put simply, do you really need 20 McDonalds napkins, plastic forks and 10 packets of ketchup?
Why is sustainability important?
Limited resources on Earth are exploited daily to produce houses, cars, phones...pretty much everything. It’s well-known that climate change, global warming, disintegration of the ozone layer, loss of biodiversity and resource depletion are real. (I’m not going to throw research studies or a diagram in your direction – we’ve all sat in a geography classroom).
Although the United Kingdom is currently experiencing a lovely heatwave - unlike the 14C here in Northern Ireland (not bitter) - we all know that lovely weather is just not normal for here. It screams climate change.
The Arctic Circle experienced 40C weather this month. That’s likely hotter than our holiday destination right now if Miss. ‘Rona hadn’t messed with summer plans.
When we say, “awk, isn’t the weather lovely and hot today”, it’s likely that another place’s weather is unliveable. Climate change disproportionately affects our world’s vulnerable people - especially poor communities that depend on land for their livelihoods.
“When it comes to tackling issues like climate change and deforestation, your everyday personal choices can add up to meaningful impact” – Rainforest Alliance
But, what can I do?
It's actually likely to be easier than you think. The following pointers definitely helped me, and you may already be doing lots already!
Be open-minded to make small lifestyle changes. Disclaimer: If you can’t commit to this one, there’s no point reading on (just being honest).
Buy clothes second-hand. Look at charity stores, thrift stores or organise clothing swaps with family and friends. As window shopping is currently a hassle (and non-essential), why don’t you check out my Depop (shameless).
Donate things you no longer use. Instead of dumping your old things, donate (good condition) items to charity shops. This reduces the raw materials and energy needed to manufacture new products, and you can help others’ wallets.
Make your online searches productive. Ecosia is a free browser extension which uses its advertising revenue to support tree-planting. Ecosia makes money in the same way that Google makes money (through advertising). So, when you search for 'local coffee shops' on Ecosia and click one of the adverts, 80% of the amount that that business has paid for that ad will go to planting trees. Simples.
Microfibre face cloths. Reusable, easy-to-clean, affordable (mine cost, like, £5 for 6). These remove make-up with just water (I was always skeptical of these, but they truly work and mean you can say goodbye to nasty chemicals and awful post-nightclub make-up wipe experiences).
Instead of buying new items as gifts, consider donating to support forest projects and charities. Shout-out to my friend (hi Rosanna) who suggested that every time we meet for celebrations that we all give something to charity.
Mother dearest was very glad that I listened to her on Mothers’ day (“Caitlin, please, I really don’t need another candle”). Instead, I bought her a lovely cocoa tree using Treedom. Cocoa Chanel is thriving in Cameroon and is estimated to absorb 55kg of CO2 by 2030.
:-)
Buy from slow-fashion industries. The 'fast fashion' industry is rife with abuse. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, leading brands cancelled over $2 BILLION (USD) worth of clothes orders. This left millions of workers unpaid and at risk of malnourishment and even starvation. Lost Stock create personalised boxes with 50% discount off RRP. Each box supports a worker and their family for one whole week (and prevents waste)!
Source: @chicksforclimate
Make more ethical shopping choices. The Good on You website (or app) is brilliant for finding out how a brand rates in terms of sustainability, ethical practices, animal welfare etc. Many ethical brands are expensive, but this provides excellent suggestions of alternative, similar brands, without the large price tag!
Choose products with the Rainforest Alliance Certified™ emblem. This is found on coffee, tea, flowers, bananas, cocoa, soap etc. It denotes protection of the environment and of farmers and foresters’ wellbeing.
Print in black and white and double-sided. This will save you money whilst reducing the environmental damage made. Using less soy or vegetable-based colour inks also help to reduce air and land pollution. Printing uses a lot of paper (captain obvious, here), but by printing double-sided, you can save up to 50% of paper.
35 More Tips:
Try to walk instead of driving (bonus: will help get those steps in, plus you don’t have to be designated driver)
Try to be more of a minimalist (buy less!)
Eat more plants (totally not biased, as a vegetarian)
Compost. Food scraps comprise around 30% of what we dispose of (ergo, composting can significantly impact your carbon footprint)
Use a reusable water bottle, coffee cup etc.
Carry reusable cutlery and straw
Use a safety metal razor, instead of single-use plastic razors
Re-use plastic bags (if you have to use one) and/or invest in a lovely tote bag
Consider using soap over gels (bonus: doesn't need to be put in your 100ml bag when flying)
Use solidified deodorant (bonus: also doesn't need to be put in that 100ml bag)
Meal-prep food (#health)
Get re-usable containers (to contain and/or transport meal-prepped foods)
Don’t cook for the five thousand (unless you’re meal-prepping)
Try to buy products in glass rather than plastic
Buy foods that are in season (also likely to taste better)
Buy foods that are locally produced (especially important as we ease out of lockdown)
Use online receipts (saves the handbag clean-out, too)
Buy more natural, rather than chemical-based products
Buy in bulk (reduces packaging) (also means less mundane supermarket trips)
Tell friends/family about some simple changes you're making
Encourage friends/family to make some simple changes
Research local recycling rules (I’m no expert, but I know that each region has slightly varied guidelines on what can be recycled)
Be mindful of sorting materials to prevent plastics, paper, glass etc. from landfill
Use scrap paper whenever possible
Instead of wrapping paper, use reusable hair-wraps
Re-use jars to store nuts, seeds, pasta, cereal etc.
Use reusable produce bags
Turn taps off when not in use (I doubt the soundtrack of water splashing down the drain is adding anything to your toothbrushing regime)
Turn lights off when not in use
Boil water in the saucepan with a lid on (will boil quicker and save energy)
Only put as much water in the kettle as you need
Air dry clothing outside instead of using the tumble dryer (bonus: it makes them smell better)
Only turn the dishwasher on when it's full
Put on more layers before putting the heating on (most students can relate)
Put your phone on power-saving mode, and put it on airplane mode for it to charge quickly
That's it - simple changes that will have a huge impact.
It's easier than we think to be a little more eco-friendly, a little less selfish and take care of our planet. I still have a lot of learning to do, but this (non-exhaustive) list keeps this in one place. So, it’s a little bit selfish, on my part.
Have a fabulous Wednesday!
Caitlin