Each of us has a significant impact on the environment. Production of one pair of shoes emits 14 kg of CO2 to the atmosphere, statistically one European produces 500 kg of waste each year, and the production of 1 kg of beef requires the usage of 15 000 liters of water. This data shows that even a single decision matters. To bring a positive change we don’t have to change our habits completely. We can introduce small changes step by step, and these changes can have a noticeable influence on the world. Here is a list of five ideas that might inspire you to take action.
1. Use your own reusable containers
Most products such as food, beverages and cosmetics are sold in disposable containers. They are usually made of plastic which later takes hundreds of years to decompose. Because of that, many of the currently available goods may seem to be unsustainable. Is it in fact the right conclusion? There are simple ways that can allow us to buy the same products but in a more environmentally-friendly manner.
Firstly, we can resign from using straws. It has become a popular trend in cafes and restaurants to substitute standard straws with paper ones. But do we in fact need them at all? It seems that straws are not necessary to drink from a cup, even if we have a take-away beverage. Although straws are rather small objects, they can have a tremendous effect on water pollution as they are usually thrown to the ocean. Many of us are used to drinking through a straw, and the best alternative to that is to use a reusable one. It does not occupy a lot of space in our bag, and at the same time it can greatly decrease the number of disposable straws used.
Next, we can give up disposable bags in shops. They are used almost everywhere - in supermarkets, clothes shops and the chemist’s. Of course it is the most practical way to pack our purchases and not to carry a reusable bag on our way to the shop. It is definitely much more convenient. However, not every bag has to be bulky and unhandy. The best solution is a linen bag. It can be easily folded and put into a pocket. It can be used for packing fruits and vegetables in the supermarket, as well as clothes or other articles. You can always have one with you for more spontaneous shopping.
We can also always have a reusable bottle or cup with us. If you enjoy drinking coffee or tea from a coffee store, and you usually have it take-away, you can remember to take a reusable cup with you and ask for a drink in it. That might initially seem inconvenient, but it is just a matter getting used to. What’s more, many coffee chains, such as Starbucks and Green Café Nero already offer their brand cups, so you may not even notice the difference.
2. Recycle
Recycling allows for using materials more than once to produce articles. It has also become a widespread trend in recent years. However, throwing litter into the right bin can still be an enigma. Of course, the rules seem to be very simple, and it is obvious that we should throw a plastic bottle to a bin devoted to plastic. Yet there are products that raise doubts. These include paper towels, tissues, medicine or containers for cosmetics. It is good to have a list of items that should and should not be thrown to each container. That will save our time and prevent us from making unintended mistakes. Sometimes, when we are in a hurry we do not pay much attention to which bin we throw our waste, let alone check it on a list. Nevertheless, by putting some effort in at the beginning, we can quickly learn all the rules and become real masters of recycling!
3. Make simple products yourself rather than buying them
We live in the era of consumerism where buying goods in taken for granted. Everything is close at hand, and we can easily save our time and effort. Yet there are products that can be easily produced at home and do not require any sophisticated ingredients. You may wonder what is the purpose of making them yourself. Firstly, they are not sold in a disposable container. Secondly, mass production uses up unsustainable amounts of natural resources, such as water and wood. Thirdly, the product prepared by yourself contains only familiar ingredients and is not highly processed. Things that you can easily produce include cleaning agents, toothpaste and yoghurt. They are all relatively simple products that are often sold in fanciful plastic containers. The recipes for them and other easy to produce items are available on the internet.
4. Change your eating habits
It turns out that changing our eating habits can reduce CO2 emission even more than resigning from driving a car. Eating is however a part of daily life of us all, and because of that it is worth having a closer look at it. The most detrimental for the environment is the massive animal husbandry. It is responsible for 14.5% of greenhouse gas emission. Moreover, it contributes to excessive usage of water and soil erosion. This evidence makes a vegetarian and vegan diet the most sustainable. When we hear the term ‘diet’, we often associate it with an unnecessary restriction. Yet we do not have to completely change our diet to help the planet. Even a small change in our daily routine can have a significant influence. The easiest way is to eliminate only some of the products in our diet. Many of us have favorite foods that we love consuming. It would seem unreasonable to completely eliminate them from our diet. It is better to find the ones which it would not be so tough to get rid of. For instance, we may eliminate salmon from our diet which production is one of the most unsustainable ones. Another way is to choose a day in the week when we don’t eat meat for example. There is for instance an international campaign called ‘Meatless Monday’ that encourages people to reduce meat in their diet. Its main message is to “skip meat once a week” by not having meat on Monday. This not only reduces the total consumption of meat, but also shows people possibilities of creating a variety of plant-based meals. According to the IBRiS Institute 57.8% of Poles plan to decrease their consumption of meat and animal-origin products. If each of them decided to take action, they could together have a significant impact on the environment.
5. Use electronics, not paper
Most of us are used to having documents and worksheets printed out. In most cases we could have them just as well in an electronic form. Of course, it is much more convenient to read a document or book physically, having a sheet of paper in front of us. However, we usually need it for only a short period of time, and then it becomes redundant. Is it in fact worth cutting down a tree to read something once? There are numerous ways in which we can make reading a text in electronic form more convenient. We can adjust its size, change the brightness or even edit it. It is perhaps still not the same as the standard paper text, but after some time we can get used to it. All in all, leading a sustainable lifestyle doesn’t have to require much effort. Even a small change in our daily routine can have a positive impact on our planet. Surely, each of us can find a habit that can be easily altered to help the environment.
Kalina Mitraszewska
Photo sources:
-https://www.themiamihurricane.com/2019/10/07/five-tips-for-making-meatless-monday-a-success/
-https://www.horecanet.pl/starbucks-sprzedaz-napojow-we-wlasnym-kubku-wzrosla-dwukrotnie/
-https://projektmniej.pl/pl/p/Wielorazowe-slomki-145mm-STAL-4szt-ECOSTRAWZ/261
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