New year, new me - they say. It's usually a time when planning is still in full swing and you've probably made resolutions that you expect will make your life better. So why not leave off your list of more sustainable, eco-friendly habits. Here are some of them!
1. Your own shopping bag
We'll start with a simple lesson that anyone can learn. If you carry your own reusable bag for every shopping trip, you have already done a lot to prevent further plastic pollution of the oceans and the deaths of thousands of creatures, turtles, fish, dolphins, whales and birds.
After cigarette butts, plastic bags are the second most common litter littering the environment. Every year, around 4 billion bags are blown away by the wind and end up polluting forests, rivers, lakes, beaches and oceans.
The plastic bags a significant proportion of made from petroleum-based polyethyleneareand require 12 million barrels of oil per year to produce - a non-renewable resource that produces more greenhouse gases and increases our dependence on oil.
If pocket size textile tbags, you can easily take them with you. Make sure it's the plastic bags that get off the planet, not the animals!
2. Cook for yourself and plan your meals!
It may be a little harder to stick to, but your health, your wallet and your environment will reward you! Some estimates suggest that we waste around 40% of all food worldwide. Most of the food that is thrown away ends up in the simple kitchen bin or compost bin at home. To prevent waste, it's worth planning your weekly menu. Cookbooks specialising in simple, quick meals can help you do this. Start with one or two days a week and you'll enjoy the process!
3. Avoid fast fashion stores!
Amazingly cheap clothes from big chain stores - too good to be true, right? Surely you wouldn't have guessed that the fashion industry is the second most polluting sector in the world after the oil industry.
The low-cost fashion industry also supports the petroleum-based, highly toxic synthetic fabrics and dyes industry. Tonnes of fossil fuels are used in cultivation, production and transport. Not to mention that garment workers are forced to work in inhumane, toxic conditions.
This year, think more carefully about what clothes you need. Buy only what you really need! When shopping for clothes, try to choose timeless styles. Those that won't go out of fashion in a few months and that are made from higher quality, more durable fabrics. Whenever possible, give preference to domestically made garments!
Give your worn clothes to Ruhaforgó shops or organise your own wardrobe sale!
4. Use chemical-free cosmetics and cleaning products!
Did you know that everything you put on your skin is absorbed into your bloodstream? So your cosmetics should be so clean that you could eat them if you wanted to. And your cleansers should be free of toxins and chemicals that are dangerous to your health!
Just as you read food labels to make sure you're not eating questionable or toxic ingredients, you should also check the labels of cosmetics, personal care products and cleaning products!
Use fewer chemicals this year and check your products! You can also start experimenting by making things yourself, like deodorant detergent.
As for cleaning products, we can help you with that too! You can now get our eco-friendlyCYCLE starter kit for £8490 instead of £16,980. With the 1+1 deal we'll give you two boxes with 5 concentrates and 5 reusable empty bottles. You can also give one of them as a gift to someone important to you and someone you want to involve in the sustainable cycle!
5. Take a water bottle with you!
Anything you can do to reduce the amount of plastic bottles you throw away will protect the planet, save resources, help stop pollution and, last but not least, save money.
If you still buy bottled water, go to the store and buy one of the many great reusable water bottles. Install a good water filter on your tap and you'll be drinking the healthiest, cheapest water every time!
Source: smallfootprintfamily.com
