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As time has gone by, we’ve become more aware than ever of our impact on the environment. From plastic pollution to air pollution – we’re all aware that we could be doing more.
That’s why many of us are opting for eco-friendly New Year’s Resolutions this year. Whilst that’s a rather broad statement, there are small things you can do to reach your sustainability goals this year and we’ve put together a handy list of ideas.
1 – Try going plastic free
Plastic is everywhere. From our products to the packaging our products arrive in, you might think that it’s impossible to go plastic free this year. Whilst the world is slowly catching on to the dangers of plastic, we seem to be heavily reliant on it but we can collectively make big changes.
Here are some of the best plastic-free products you can change to in 2021:
- goBambu’s biodegradable toothbrushes
- Organic cotton produce bags
- Beeswax food wraps
- A goBambu travel coffee mug
- Bamboo or paper cotton buds
- Shampoo and soap bars
- Reusable makeup wipes
2 – Buy less clothes
The clothing industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world. Fashion production makes up over 10% off the world’s carbon emissions and ‘fast fashion’ is primarily the cause.
Fast fashion is the practice of companies who unveil new clothing ranges at unprecedented speeds which often results in overproduction and waste. Of course, even if fashion companies throw away the excess clothing, the damage has already been done.
Buying only what you need instead of having an outfit for every occasion will help reduce this worrying trend.
3 – Use your car less
Cars have been with us for over a hundred years and even though we’ve seen the advent of electric cars come to the fore recently, they’re still the most inefficient mode of transport.
Many journeys are made with only 1 or 2 people to each car, meaning that’s an awful lot of emissions created for not that many people.
By using public transport you’re picking the most efficient way travel (well, travel quickly that is).
If you want to truly travel with zero emissions, try cycling. Not only would your journeys be carbon neutral but you’d also be getting fit in the process. A truly win-win situation!
4 – Go meatless more often
By now you probably know that the meat industry is responsible for A LOT of emissions. What you probably don’t know is that 14.5% of the world’s entire greenhouse gas emissions are via the meat industry.
Whilst going completely vegan or vegetarian is a personal choice, you could make your resolution to be to eat less meat this year.
If you eat meat most days, try a ‘Meatless Monday’. If we all made small changes in regards to our meat consumption we can truly make a big difference.
5 – Think about offsetting your personal carbon footprint
Whilst this doesn’t require much effort on your part, you’re still reaching your sustainability goals by opting for this option.
By joining a tree-planting initiative to offset your own carbon footprint you’re essentially living a climate positive life. Most initiatives will have some sort of calculator based on your current lifestyle (for example, you could plant more trees if you travelled by air frequently).
Most of these ideas are simple and you don’t necessarily need to adopt every single one. Choosing one and sticking to it will still mean you’re having a positive impact on the planet by changing the way you live.
What are some of your favourite sustainability tips?