Guest Blogger Katie wrote an article for us about 5 green habits you can implement yourself in your everyday life!
Every day we make decisions that directly or indirectly affect the Earth. By bringing mindfulness to these decisions, we can hugely decrease our environmental impact on a daily basis. This blog article will give you five green habits you can adopt in 2021!
Green habit number 1
A green habit I have implemented on my regular walks outside has been litter picking. It’s a great way to keep your local area clean and your green spaces healthier. Non-biodegradable materials, such as plastic, pollutes water bodies and natural habitats often end up in the bodies of our local wildlife. Whether it’s a full clean-up at your local woodland, or just picking up the odd piece of rubbish on your walk to the corner shop, it makes a difference!
Beaches in particular are often in desperate need of litter picking, as the sea is constantly carrying away and washing up waste. Globally around one million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals and sea turtles die each year when they become trapped in or ingest plastic. That’s way too much! What if we all implement the simple and easy habit of litter picking? We can help decrease this huge number of needless deaths. Keep a carrier bag in your jacket pocket at all times, so that you’re always prepared when you come across litter. When other people witness you litter picking (especially in their local area) it motivates them to be more mindful of litter. You might even encourage them to litter pick too! Consider organizing a local community litter picking project (read more about that in this blog).
Take it to Facebook and get your neighbors involved and contact your council to see if they can help out too. If litter picking sticks and protective gloves can be acquired, that will make it a much more accessible and safer project. Bonus: litter picking projects are a lovely way to get people together and make a difference. Maybe needless to say but be careful to follow your areas Covid-19 guidelines, wear masks, and socially distance.
Green habit number 2
One incredibly polluting habit we have is accepting and throwing away disposable products. A lot of these items make their way into our bins when we accept them from service and shop staff. Items like receipts, plastic bags, and plastic straws may seem small on an individual scale, but they add up when they’re handed out to customers all day every day. Get in the green habit of remembering to turn away these unnecessary disposables and invest in reusable replacements so that you are always equipped (for some nifty items check this out).
We live in a time where there is a huge marketplace for reusable products. I challenge you to use those! You can find super affordable items as well as higher-priced items that are often sustainably produced and longer-lasting. Sustainably and ethically grown and produced materials like bamboo and hemp are fantastic options! Always keep your reusables in your bag and pockets so you’ll never have to accept disposable items again.
Green habit number 3
The fossil fuel industry is by far the biggest threat to the Earth and humanity. Of course, the pressure to make changes should be on the industry and not the consumer, however, where we can cut down on supporting such a destructive industry, we must. For those of us with cars, it’s tempting to drive everywhere when we have the option. However, getting in the green habit of walking or cycling instead will massively decrease our carbon footprint.
Walking and cycling are not just good for the Earth’s health, but our own health too! Not only does the movement increase our fitness but it has been proven that being outside and with nature lowers our blood pressure and boosts our mental health, mood, and creativity! Plus, when the sun is out it gives you a chance to drink some vitamin D. Opting for walking or cycling over driving is bound to make you feel better, especially during these times when we are mostly stuck inside. So, invest in a bicycle or some decent walking shoes and get moving!
Green habit number 4
Another great green habit is to be mindful of the ingredients that make up the products you buy. From makeup to food to cleaning supplies: check what your shopping list actually contains. As consumers, we have a lot of power over how we spend our money! It’s unfortunately very easy to support harmful and unethical industries and companies without even knowing. Bring awareness to what and who makes the products you buy. Keep your eyes peeled for ingredients such as palm oil, microplastics, GMO’s, and petrochemicals.
In addition to ingredients, be mindful of how ethical and sustainable the companies that own your favorite brands are. Although brands may seem to be good for the Earth, the people that own them might not. Research the ethics and history of the companies profiting from you and see if they align with your values. A quick tip: I recommend making a list of ingredients, products, and brands you want to avoid ready for your shopping trips.
Green habit number 5
Now more than ever we are buying online. Due to the pandemic were seeing huge online retailers buying out smaller high street shops. Online marketplaces are profiting more than they ever have before. Unfortunately, the largest and most popular marketplaces have extremely exploitive relationships with the Earth and its workers. It is definitely faster, easier, and sometimes cheaper to go straight to unsustainable and unethical marketplaces, whether we’re ordering a new phone from Amazon or a new hoodie from ASOS. However, the cost is far greater than the number in your cart.
Make a green habit of using these websites to search for and discover the right product that fits your desires and then scouting them out on second-hand and independent marketplaces. Websites like eBay, Depop, Facebook Market, and Etsy offer huge varieties of products from independent sellers. Remember to save and follow your favorite shops and sellers for future purchases! You can also search for local shops that stock the product you want. By buying from local, independent, and second-hand sellers we are supporting local economies and actual people instead of billionaires and giant companies that don’t respect their workers of the environment.
We know this has been quite a lot of information, but we highly suggest you start implementing one green habit at a time. Challenge yourself to implement a new green habit by the start of every new month. That way, in five months from now, you have mastered these five green habits!
Written by: Katie Gaster
