So, you want to live more sustainably, where do you start…
I feel that I became more proactive in my personal sustainability journey, after watching a BBC documentary “Drowning in Plastic[1]” about the impact of plastic pollution on wildlife, and hearing about how microplastics as they degraded, were small enough to get into children’s eyes. This felt personal as at the time I had a new nephew. Then as I learned more, I started to consider zero waste, minimalism, becoming more plant based. This was not that I hadn’t thought about sustainability beforehand, working in the humanitarian sector, it was increasingly becoming clear that we were responding more and more to natural disasters, mostly as result of climate change. While overseas and working hard, it was natural and easy to consume less, there was less availability for a start. But when you returned home it was easy to become overwhelmed in our consumer based society to get caught up in a society where shopping had become a pastime. So while I had for a long time discarded the plastic shopping bag for a reusable tote bag (did you know that Rwanda, stopped the use of single use carrier bags in 2008.[2] Whereas in the UK we have only sought to increase the charge for single use carrier bags[3].
So, you want to be more sustainable where do you start. I would start with the easy ones, those which can make a significant difference so replacing single use items for reusable ones and where making small changes can make a difference and could also save you money. There is no right or wrong here, everyone is different and has different needs, priorities and spending power. Just find those the solutions that work for you and your lifestyle, this is not about achieving perfection, but doing the best you can and the more of us that do this, the more difference we can make. I would start with those that are the easiest to implement you can always add others later. Below are some suggestions of how you could start:
1. A reusable tote or carrier bag, find one that you can keep in a pocket, bag or rucksack, so that you have it on you when you need it. I keep a lightweight one made from a recycled sari in my handbag and I have stronger more durable ones for when I do a food shop.
2. Check out your carbon footprint for example on WWF https://footprint.wwf.org.uk/, this will help you to see where you are currently are in terms of sustainability and will help you to find areas to focus on.
3. Use up what you have before buying more. That covers everything, from food, to cleaning products, toiletries and cosmetics. Start with not repurchasing an item before you have finished it, then look at how you might make what you have last longer. Such as cutting open a tube to extract the last bit of contents, you will be surprised at how much product you may have discarded in the past thinking that a tube or container was empty.
4. Try to buy only what you need, unless you have the storage space and know that you will really use it. Do you really need to buy in bulk? Is that multi-buy offer really worth it for your household size?
5. If you regularly buy a bottle of water or a drink from a coffee shop, look for a reusable water bottle or cup. But first check if you have one or something that you can use already
6. Recycle what you can, check what can be recycled in your local area and recycle accordingly (here in the UK it can vary from council to council). And, if you cannot recycle it, bin it responsibly.
7. Go for more sustainable packaging where you can. If your budget allows and you have a choice between a product packaged in a recyclable packaging choose that over one packaged in plastic even if the latter is recyclable. Although they still take a lot of energy and use fossil fuels in their production glass and aluminium can be recycled again and again. Recycled plastic is always downgraded. If you are picking up just a couple of potatoes, do you need a bag or can you just put them in your basket?
8. Put on an extra layer and turn your thermostat down 1 degree. Turn your heating down even one degree, you will save both energy and money.
9. Wash clothes at a lower temperature. Do your laundry at 30 degrees Celsius rather than 40. Can you reduce the frequency of washing your clothes? Less washing and a lower temperature can help make your clothes last longer.
10. Avoid tumble drying. Hang your clothes dry when you can, preferably outside and if you are unable to do that consider getting a heated airer which uses less electricity and therefore be much cheaper to run.
11. Switch off lights and electronic items you are not using.
12. Save water. Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth, reduce the time you spend in the shower, reduce the depth of your bath. Can you add a water saving device to your taps or shower head or toilet cistern?
13. Eat seasonally. Buy food when it is in season, rather than something that has had to be flown in. If you cannot be without an item, consider frozen or try to reduce how often you eat it, and make it a treat instead.
14. Reduce your consumption of meat and dairy, especially beef and lamb. Start with one meal.
15. Plan your meals, when I first tried this, I struggled, as I tried to allocate when I would eat a meal to a particular day, now I just plan a few meals for the week, this helps me to stick to my shopping list, and not buy food that I will not eat in time and reduces my food waste.
16. Try food waste apps, like “too good to go” https://www.toogoodtogo.com/. Do you have a local community fridge? What about trying the “wonky” vegetables?
17. Buy second-hand. From clothes to furniture, from electronics to books. There is a lot of choice now, and you can often support a charity at the same time. Many charity shops have also been set up like boutiques now which can make shopping there more pleasant. If it is the first time you have tried this, try shopping in a more affluent area, items might be more expensive, but the quality can often be better.
18. Repair. Can you get your shoes reheeled, reattach a button, darn a hole? If you don’t have this skill, can you learn it? Or do you know someone who could help you. Is there a repair café[4] near you?
19. Travel. Can you walk, cycle or take public transport for shorter trips. If not, can you share a ride or combine errands so that you don’t make a journey twice to the same place? Can you reduce your footprint by travelling economy, taking only hand luggage? I have found that some of the more sustainable solutions have been great for travel, such as bar soap, as you don’t have to worry about going over your liquid allowance or spillages.
20. Say no to single use straws. Unless you need a straw for a medical condition, do you really need to use a single use straw? If you prefer drinking from a straw can you get a reusable metal or glass one?
21. Use recycled or bamboo toilet paper and tissues if you can.
22. Can you reduce the frequency you buy fast food, takeaways and ready meals that come in single use packaging?
23. Reduce your consumption of printed materials, like books, newspapers and magazines. Join your local library. Consider an eBook (I got mine second-hand). Buy second-hand books.
24. Consider buying experiences for gifts. A meal or trip out can create long lasting memories. If buying a physical gift, use recyclable or reusable gift wrap.
25. Avoid printing documents unless you need to. Charge your phone and use apps for tickets and boarding passes if and where you can.
[1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bmbn47
[2] On 10 August 2008 law number 57/2008 was passed in Rwanda. This law spells out the ban on plastic bags in Rwanda. Since then it has been illegal to produce, import, use and sell non-biodegradable plastic bags made from polythene in the country. Africa Check, https://africacheck.org/fact-checks/meta-programme-fact-checks/yes-plastic-bags-illegal-rwanda-punishment-includes-jail accessed 26/04/24.
[3] From 21 May 2021 the charge for single-use carrier bags increased to a minimum of 10p and was extended to all retailers, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/single-use-plastic-carrier-bags-why-were-introducing-the-charge/carrier-bags-why-theres-a-5p-charge
[4] Repair Cafés are free meeting places and they’re all about repairing things (together). In the place where a Repair Café is located, you’ll find tools and materials to help you make any repairs you need. On clothes, furniture, electrical appliances, bicycles, crockery, appliances, toys, et cetera. You’ll also find expert volunteers, with repair skills in all kinds of fields. https://www.repaircafe.org