Quick, the world is in peril! And only you can save it. It’s time to dash into the nearest phone booth, cast aside your civilian clothes, and emerge in your bright and sparkly spandex outfit as the ethical superhero you are. Now soar into the sky without leaving a trace of carbon emissions, and start saving the world before time runs out!
Comic book melodrama aside, most consumers have come to realise that they can no longer turn a blind eye to the ecological and ethical impact that their consumer choices have on the planet we all share. Here are 5 little ways in which you can save the world… today!
Just say no to single-use plastics
Plastic forks, sporks, trays, boxes, packaging, bottles. You don’t need it. Any of it. And while some of it can be recycled, you may be surprised to learn what can and cannot be recycled by your local council since there’s such a huge disparity from borough to borough. Unless it’s a PET bottle, the unfortunate truth is that you can’t count on it being recyclable. And if it can’t be recycled, it goes int landfill waste and contributes to the enormous plastic problem in our oceans.
Eat more plants and less of everything else
It’s official. Switching to a plant based diet is the single biggest thing you can do to help the environment. More than reducing your household waste. More than recycling. More than hopping out of the shower after four minutes. Even more than cycling to work instead of driving. Plants require far less land, water, energy and resources to farm than animals (whether they’re raised for milk or eggs or for slaughter). Animal agriculture creates more air pollution than the entire transportation industry and is the single biggest cause of deforestation, animal habitat loss and ocean dead zones. Even if you’re not ready to go fully vegan yet, you may want to consider simply eating more plants and less of everything else.
Make more of your own cleaning products
The harsh chemical cleaners that we use to clean our homes are expensive, packaged in (usually) non-recyclable plastic and can be harmful to the environment when flushed down our drains. They’re also completely unnecessary. We simply don’t need a different kind of soap for every room. There’s virtually nothing that can’t be cleaned with baking soda, spirit vinegar and a little of your favourite essential oil for scent.
Shop more sustainably
Being an ethical superhero doesn’t mean you have to eschew having lovely things. It just means that you have to think a little carefully about what you buy and whom you buy it from. From sustainable fashion to skincare, substituting a few products around the home can make a huge difference to our ethical and ecological footprint. As can buying fewer things and donating what we no longer need rather than throwing it into landfill waste.
Change your energy supplier
Finally, energy creation is hugely resource intensive, but more and more energy suppliers are trying to make some or all of the energy they supply renewable, massively reducing its environmental impact. Changing your energy supplier can not only benefit the environment… it can even save you money!
