1. Walk to work, cycle, or take public transport
Up to 45% air pollution is London is caused by road transport. Air pollution threatens our lives and health. London offers a lot of alternative ways to eliminate danger caused by air pollution, such as: Santander Cycling (you can rent a bike via the app Santander Cycles on the App Store (apple.com) or on Google Play), Dott (you can hire a scooter or a bike via Dott – Unlock your city on the App Store (apple.com)), Lime (offers bikes and scooters), alternatively you can plan your routes via public transport by using Traveline.
2. Use a reusable coffee cup
Every day in the UK is used around seven million disposable coffee cups, amounting to 2.5 billion a year. And according to the Environmental Audit Committee, only one in 400 cups can be recycled – less than 0.25%. It’s worth to try and pop in with your reusable coffee cup, to the eco-friendly cafes in London such as: Caravan, Farmstand, or Daylesford Brompton Cross. Some of which offer a discount for customers with reusable cups.
3. Take a tote bag to the shop
160,000 plastic bags are used globally every second. In the UK at least 200 million carry bags each year litter the streets, parks, beaches, and rivers. A good alternative to reduce this problem is taking a tote bag or reusable bag to shops so you don’t have to use new ones. It’s easy to keep a stash in the car, or to fold one in your bag or pocket.
4. Go meat or dairy free at least once a week
Meat production burdens the environment a lot and uses too much of Earth’s resources. It causes usage of water, cutting forests and huge gas emissions. Did you know that producing 1kg of beef costs our planet 14500 litres of water and gives us 27kg CO2 emissions? Check out 4 meat free meal ideas and enjoy your little-big change!
1. Root vegetable traybake recipe - BBC Food
2. Easy vegetarian tacos recipe - BBC Food
3. Addictive Sweet Potato Burritos Recipe | Allrecipes
4. Cauliflower Fried Rice Recipe (thespruceeats.com)
5. Buy local produce
In the UK, 95% of our food is imported from other countries. It means that its transport costs not only money but has an impact to our environment. When you choose to buy locally, you can make a big difference in many ways. The products taste much better than those we can find in big supermarkets. Local products are grown locally to where we live. It’s a great opportunity to support our community, too!
Let’s remember, every big change starts from little steps. This day is not a pressure for everyday people into doing “more” and changing their habits in one day. On Erath Day we should focus on celebration and education. It is never too late to become more sustainable.
For one, it’s fun to shop frequently and frequently have something new to wear. Shopping can often fulfill an emotional, creative need we didn’t even know we had. Shopping allows us to dream up different ways we’re going to wear an item and where we’re going to go. We dream about what memories we’re going to create all while in a new fun pair of shoes, or a trendy jacket. So much of our consumption is to serve the idea of what our future self will be like, whether that be our future self next Saturday or our future self next season. These purchases that unleash our imagination make frequent shopping trips seem worth it since we often fail to consider the true cost of this overconsumption. Namely, the cost to our environment.
The fashion industry is one of the world’s most polluting industries next to the fuel and agriculture industries according to Eco Experts UK. The leading contributor to fashion's colossal environmental footprint are the fast fashion brands we all love so much. Fast fashion is a financially accessible branch of the fashion industry home to brands that present a slew of new on trend products every week fuelling consumers’ endless need to buy more and more items, prizing quantity or quality. Fast fashions affordability promises a constant flow of new items to be trotted all over one's social media adding to its appeal. These garments are often made with inexpensive fabrics not meant to last which in turn, brings shoppers back for more clothing that they are unlikely to wear for years to come.
With fast fashion’s high clothing turn over, more and more clothing items and materials are ending up in landfills. In late 2019, Eco Experts UK stated that fashion production made up 10% of the world’s carbon emissions and 20% of wastewater. On their website, the UN notes that 10,000 litres of water is needed to grow the cotton required for the production of just one pair of jeans. The UN also points out that it would take one person ten years to drink 10,000 litres of water.
So how can we help combat this problem while still enjoying the creativity shopping inspires?
1. Discover local vintage / consignment stores. One of the best ways to buy designer items at a reasonably affordable price is buying consignment. Last year I bought two classic designer shirts (Victoria Beckham and Chloe) for a fraction of their original cost and I’ll have them forever.
2. Edit what you already own. If you’re looking for a black sleeveless dress and realize you have a black long sleeve dress that you rarely wear, consider altering the sleeve length and turn your old dress into one that’s new. This strategy saves you a trip to the store, and money.
3. Shop each other's closets! One of my best finds as of recently came from browsing through my 81 year-old grandmother’s closet. I came across a blue and green floral print jacquard jacket and dress set that she wore in 1964 on her honeymoon. The set hasn’t been worn in over 40 years but I’m giving new life to it by adding it to my closet and turning the dress into a skirt.
My grandmother’s jacket from the 1960s
Just because we should cut back on our fast fashion spending, doesn’t mean we need to give up having fun with fashion.
This post was written by Taryn Potasky for NOBL Thirst. You can follow Taryn on Instagram @tarynpotasky
]]>And while that may make sense to most, it is important to keep in mind that some of the impact from owning an eco-friendly vehicle is directly affected by external factors, like where you live. Here are some facts about eco-friendly vehicles and how they affect our environment.
The NOBL Volta Zero Electric Truck will be on the roads in 2023
Hybrid versus Electric
Cars that are purely electric have the greatest potential to have a positive impact on the effects of our transport systems. They are powered by batteries, and most can be charged by plugging them into an electrical socket. This means that any source that produces electricity, from power plants to solar panels, can be used to charge up the battery.
Hybrid cars use a traditional fossil fuel-based engine along with a secondary engine, which is usually electric or hydrogen based. This second engine kicks in to assist the battery powered motor when it needs it.
Fewer emissions
The fossil fuels burned in traditional engines generate harmful greenhouse gases that build up in our atmosphere. Electric cars don’t produce any such waste and their growing popularity results in a decrease in the amount of air pollution being produced.
Hybrid cars still produce exhaust fumes, but due to having some of the power from an electric motor allows them to produce less than traditional vehicles. In addition, a hybrid car may be modified to use an alternative fuel instead of gasoline, such as ethanol and biodiesel. Using these has the potential to decrease vehicle emissions by as much as 97 percent.
Less fuel consumption
Our planet’s fossil fuel supplies are not unlimited. Eventually, reserves will be used up and alternative fuel sources will no longer be an option. Electric cars don’t rely on these fuels as they can be powered by renewable alternatives, which means you can save money too! Hybrid cars are still dependent on some fossil fuels, but use less and therefore have less of an impact on supply.
Renewable fuels
A hybrid car can been converted to run on renewable biofuels. These fuels can be produced from plants, which can be grown industrially to produce more. This means that, unlike oil, supplies of these fuels are not limited and will not run out. This, coupled with the low emissions caused by these fuels, makes them good for use in eco-friendly cars. An increase in popularity in biofuels could lead to a cleaner future that is less taxing on oil supplies. There is some debate on the energy consumption used to produce these fuels and if that makes them a viable replacement for fossil based fuels though.
An eco-friendly vehicle can have a great impact on the environment, depending on where you live. Some people remain sceptical of how much they really help the environment, due to factors such as where and how the materials for the batteries are derived.
Like in most things there are good reasons and for and against, however, if the goal is to reduce our reliance on fossil based non-renewable fuels, then both electric and hybrid vehicles are a step in the right direction.
]]>Buy less new stuff
Whilst we all need many things to live our everyday lives, we sometimes don’t consider how much our consumerism is putting a strain on the natural resources that are taken from our planet. By thinking twice before making purchases and if possible trying to buy second hand items such as clothing and furniture. Use apps such as Depop and Vinted for fashion and apps such as Wallapop and Freecycle help you buy and sell second hand furniture.
Recycle, recycle, recycle
If you’re not aware of local recycling programs, there's no better time to find out. Better yet, it's probably not as much of the hassle as you think. The first thing you need to do is make yourself aware of any specific requirements you may need to abide by. Recycling is sometimes different from one area to the next.
A few of the most common things to recycle are aluminium (cans, specifically), paper, glass, plastic, drinks cartons, outdated electronics and batteries.
Buy local
When you buy locally and seasonally, not only are you helping local merchants and farmers, you're also reducing your carbon footprint by helping to reduce the demand of shipping from point A to point B. Less long-distance shipments means lower air pollution levels and fresher food on the table. and a reduced chance of fuel shortages.
Conserve energy
These are just a few examples on how to save energy, while sticking to your daily routine:
* Place weather-stripping around doors and windows
* Turn off lights when leaving a room
* Turn off water whilst brushing your teeth
* Use cold water for laundry purposes
* Unplug appliances when not in use
* Replace furnace and air conditioner filters on a regular basis
* Install skylights for more natural lighting
Take a few minutes to think about all of the things you do during an average day. Chances are, you'll think of several more eco-friendly changes you can make to improve the state of the environment. Mother Nature will love you for it!
Plant trees
Trees are important, in so many ways. They clean the air, provide homes for wildlife, produce oxygen and prevent the erosion of soil... just to name a few. Taking the initiative to plant trees in your garden, not only helps support all of these things, it also provides you with a shady spot to relax after a long day. Websites such as ecologi.com and woodlandtrust.org.uk also offer options for you to contribute to toward tree planting projects in the UK and across the globe.
We've just talked about some of things you can do to be more eco-friendly. Obviously, you don't have to do everything in one day. Taking it slow makes it easier to get acclimated to a slightly different routine.
The changes you make won't help the environment overnight. But, with a little due diligence, chances are high that your perseverance will make the world a better place for your family, for generations to come.