Committing to a Greener 2020

With all the coverage on the news, social media and it being a huge topic in last week’s General Election 2019, by now, you must have heard at least a little about climate change. As I wrote in my blog post about my disappointment in the election results last week, it’s certainly something that’s been playing on my mind recently. In fact, new reports suggest that we’ve actually been underestimating how long we’ve got before the effects really start to change the planet in a terrible way. You might already be feeling the effects.

Other environmental issues, such as pollution and plastic in our oceans, are also on my mind a lot at the moment, and it’s only right that attention is being drawn to these things. Most of us are keen to do our bit to help. But, some people are guilty of thinking that seeing as their bit would never be enough to make a difference, that there’s no point in bothering.

While it’s true that governments and large businesses need to do more, it’s not true that you can’t make a difference as an individual. If all of us made some changes to our lifestyles, our homes, and our habits, the world could be a very different place. And, if saving the planet isn’t motivation enough, living a greener lifestyle can be good for your health, save you money, boost your confidence and help you to feel better about your every day lifestyle.

The best news is, it doesn’t have to be complicated. If you’ve been reading reports on the climate emergency or looking at things that other people are doing to help, you might think that you need to make massive, expensive, and difficult changes to your life to be greener. But, for the most part, this isn’t true. Many of the changes that you could make are small and often seemingly insignificant. Let’s take a look at some of the things that you could do to be greener in 2020 and beyond.

Reduce Your Meat Consumption

I was a vegetarian for many years, but in recent years I have started to reintroduce a steak dinner on special occasions when eating out. It’s not perfect, but considering the average adult still has meat as part of both their lunch and dinner, I don’t feel too guilty about it either.

My sister recently became vegan and it has given me a lot of food for thought – excuse the pun! Her main reason was to do for sustainability, and new research suggests that she could be right. In fact, Researchers at the University of Oxford found that cutting meat and dairy products from your diet could reduce an individual’s carbon footprint from food by up to 73 per cent, making it the “single biggest way” to reduce your environmental impact.

I never buy meat to cook at home and I’m not quite ready to go vegan yet, but I am more and more conscious about the diary I consume. Now I opt for Oat Milk when I buy a latte instead of cow’s milk. Little steps.

Save Water

Most of us are guilty of wasting water without even realising. We just don’t think about it. The world is mainly water, and we take it for granted. But, only a tiny percentage of the world’s water is suitable for drinking, and while we might not be worried about a lack of water, other areas of the world are.

Save water by making simple changes like turning the tap off while brushing your teeth, adding a toilet damn, showering instead of bathing, and reusing rainwater.

Give Up On Fast Fashion

Fast fashion is unbearably wasteful. Companies create cheap clothing with cheap materials. These items aren’t made to last, and often get thrown away after a few wears. It’s a massive waste of raw materials, fuel for production and transport, as well as being a big waste of money.

If you’ve got a wardrobe filled with cheap clothes, it might be time to make a change. Instead, invest in more expensive clothes made from eco-friendly materials that will last for years. Over time, it can be worth the expense, and much better for the planet, even if it means you’ve got more of a capsule wardrobe.

Another option that is better for the planet is buying second hand from charity shops and other stores and donating your old clothes to the homeless.

Shop Local

Shopping local reduces the fuel used to transport goods, as well as boosting local businesses. This can be especially important when it comes to fresh fruit and vegetables. Nowadays, we can buy the fruits that we love all year round. But, if they are out of season in this country, they’ve travelled a long way to get to you, contributing to the environmental impact. Shop local, and enjoy in-season, homegrown produce instead.

Reuse or Recycle As Much As Possible

Plastic bags are an easy target. But, they aren’t the real enemy. If you reused every plastic bag until it was completely unusable, and then you recycled it correctly, it won’t be anywhere near as bad. The enemy is convenience. We take a new bag every time we shop, throwing the old one away.

Instead of buying new, reuse what you’ve already got for as long as you can before recycling. Whatever it is made of, reusing is always better than buying new.

Then, when you do need new, buy something environmentally friendly and reusable, such as a reusable drinks bottle or tote bag. Every time you make a purchase, consider it’s environmental impact and how long it will last.

And yes, I think most of us are already doing this, but it doesn’t harm to stay mindful.

Switch Energy Suppliers

There are plenty of ways to use less energy at home. Simple things like putting a jumper on when you are cold, checking your window seals and making draught excluders can be effective. But, you can’t stop using power completely.

Nowadays, most energy companies are doing more to provide reusable or green energy. Some are green companies. Others are traditional companies offering new green deals.

This year, I switched from N Power to Bulb, which are a company that take pride in using renewable energy. My sister switched, too!

Years ago, renewable energy was much more expensive than other kinds. But, as consumers are becoming more eco-conscious and seeking out green energy, this has changed. Now, green energy could even save you money.

Reduce Plastic Usage

Plastic bags aren’t the only plastic that we use and don’t need. Look at your bathroom, and chances are, it’s filled with plastic bottles and pots. Why not try to create a plastic-free bathroom? Buy shampoo bars, old fashioned soap, and even makeup in wooden tubs, tins and glass bottles. Makeup wipes can be replaced with reusable cloths, and bamboo toothbrushes are a much better option than plastic toothbrushes.

Go Digital

Streaming is becoming much more popular, and with faster internet connections, it’s a much more appealing option. When you steam or download digital versions of films, books, and songs, you reduce the need for printing, plastic boxes, and fuel for manufacture and transport. You also save space in your home and reduce clutter, and sometimes even money.

Fly Less

Flying only accounts for around 2.5% of the world’s carbon emissions, but if you fly regularly could be a considerable part of your personal emissions. Take one less flight each year, and you could reduce your carbon footprint by 10%. On a non-stop return flight from London to New-York, each passenger accounts for up to 3tons of CO2, which is about the same amount as heating a family home for a year.

Ask yourself if you could take more UK holidays, travel by train, drive or avoid travel altogether? If you have to fly, consider offsetting the CO2 emitted by investing in a project that reduces the CO2 by the same amount that you have emitted.

Consider an Electric Car

If you need a new car, or you’re thinking about replacing yours or buying your first car in the near future, consider electric, or hybrid, instead of diesel or petrol. Electric vehicles have zero driving emissions, so they are far better when it comes to pollution. They don’t use any petrol, instead running on electricity, which also helps.

While electric cars are more expensive, you’ll save money on fuel, and you won’t have to pay tax, so over a few years, your electric car could pay for itself, or at least reduce the excess that you pay on the vehicle.

If you’re not ready to replace yet, keep electric in mind in the future. As more brands start to procure electric cars, and more are sold, the technology will improve, and costs will fall.

Walk More

An electric car is better than petrol or diesel, and getting the bus or car-sharing when you can is another way to be greener, but nothing beats walking. Try to walk short distances as much as you can. You’ll save money, and get more exercise as well as helping the planet.

Buying a bike is another option which can be especially useful if you’ve got a relatively short commute, or you live in the city and could easily cycle most of your journeys.

Install Solar Panels at Home

Installing solar panels on your home is a great way to use less non-renewable energy. You could generate enough solar power from your panels to run your home, and perhaps even extra, which you could be able to sell to energy companies. This can have a substantial environmental impact, as well as making you some extra cash.

In fact, when it comes to financial implications, with the money that you could earn from selling power, and the money that you could save by creating your own energy, instead of buying it from suppliers, your solar panels could pay for themselves relatively quickly. Even without any grant that you may be entitled to, to help reduce costs.

But, solar panels only work effectively if you look after them. If you’ve already got solar panels installed, if they are dirty, they may not be absorbing as much energy, and you might be losing out. Look at Solar panel cleaning to help keep your panels functioning efficiently, helping you to be as sustainable as possible.

Going green is one of the best things that you can do in 2020. If everyone made it a priority to become more sustainable, we could make a genuine difference. So, instead of making New Year’s Resolutions that don’t really matter, why not make one that does?