While most of us are eager to play our part in helping to save the planet, many day-to-day activities have a notable environmental impact, in many cases without our knowledge.
The annual Earth Day presents an opportunity for each of us to reflect on how our behaviour impacts the world around us, and what changes we might be able to make to our lifestyles to ensure we can live in a more sustainable manner.
With this in mind, Ian Cowley, managing director and founder of Cartridge Save, has compiled a list of areas in which consumers may be unwittingly having an environmental impact, and what simple changes we could make to address these.
Limit meat consumption
Eating meat with every meal significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions – according to the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation, farming livestock is responsible for 14.5% of all greenhouse gas emissions.
Cutting back on meat consumption, especially red meats like beef, can significantly reduce your carbon footprint, says Cowley, “You can easily incorporate more plant-based foods into your diet, such as meat substitutes and other protein sources like lentils, beans, and pulses. If you are insistent on eating meat, some choices are better for the environment than others. When it comes to choosing meats, poultry is also a more eco-friendly option than beef and other red meats.”
Compost food leftovers
Composting food waste instead of sending it to landfills is beneficial for the environment, but according to Business Waste, 97% of people in the UK do not compost.
Setting up a compost heap in your garden is easy and can yield nutrient-rich soil for your plants – as Cowley explains, “If you have garden space, try creating an area with a mixture of brown organic waste, such as dry leaves and twigs, and green waste, such as grass and chopped vegetable scraps, keeping it moist and turning your heap regularly.”
Clean recyclables properly
Dirty items can contaminate the recycling process, potentially leading to entire batches being rejected. Rinse or wash plastic, glass, and metal recyclables before disposing of them to ensure they can be properly recycled.
“For the best results, wash your food packaging as soon as you use it and don’t wait for the residue to dry up,” says Cowley. “If it’s something like cardboard where food residue or oil stains cannot easily be removed – or if you simply don’t have time to clean off thick, dried-up dirt – bin it instead, as one item could negatively impact your entire recycling output.”
Reduce plastic usage
While recycling plastics is helpful, most plastic ends up not being recycled. Limit your use of plastic by opting for alternative packaging materials like paper, cardboard, metal, or glass whenever possible.
An OECD study revealed that only 9% of plastic is recycled globally, and Greenpeace UK recently reported that only 17% of 90 billion plastic pieces are recycled annually.
“Recycling plastic can be time-consuming, expensive, and energy-intensive, and many plastics can only be recycled once as the material becomes defective,” says Cowley. “While it’s almost impossible to eliminate plastic entirely, it’s best not to become complacent about consumption under the false assumption that recycling plastic offsets its harm.”
Turn off appliances
Leaving appliances and utilities on when not in use wastes energy and increases electricity bills, and therefore impacts the environment. Get into the habit of turning off appliances at the switch or unplugging them altogether to conserve energy.
“Many people already remember to turn lights off when leaving a room, so this habit can be easily modified to incorporate checking appliances,” says Cowley. “This is especially beneficial with appliances that are not in use most of the time, such as hair styling tools.”
Run full dishwasher loads
Running small, regular dishwasher loads is inefficient. Instead, wait until you have a full load to run the dishwasher, or use the half-load setting if available, to save water and energy.
“The same logic applies to other utilities, like washing machines and tumble dryers – but also avoid overfilling and be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions,” says Cowley.
Use cold water for laundry
Washing clothes at lower temperatures, like 30 degrees Celsius, is sufficient for most laundry needs and is more eco-friendly. This also helps preserve the quality of your clothes, particularly bright colours and delicate fabrics.
“If you’re not washing towels, bedding, or very dirty or soiled items that require heavy-duty cleaning, you probably only need a 30-degree wash,” says Cowley. “This is one of the easiest and low-maintenance things you can do to help the environment.”
Choose natural fibres
Synthetic clothing, made from materials like polyester and nylon, has a negative impact on the environment due to production processes. Opt for natural fibres like linen, wool, and silk whenever possible, and consider buying organic variants for a more sustainable choice.
“Contrary to popular belief, buying second-hand synthetic garments still negatively harms the environment as washing synthetic clothes releases microplastics into the water, which can potentially harm ocean life,” says Cowley.
