Follow these easy tips every day to change your world.
Becoming a more sustainable company is a big commitment. It changes everything from your resource use to your human resources practices.
So, if you’re in the midst of that process, it might be worth taking some time to get to grips with sustainability once more. Issue fatigue can be a huge barrier to climate action.
A few small acts each day can help you reconnect with the issues our planet is facing. With a climate emergency looming, we need a focused population ready to fight this battle.
With that in mind, here are five daily acts of sustainability that you and I can make. And if you’ve got these ones covered already, let us know what else you do!
1. Eat seasonal, local produce
It’s a simple tip but it’s important. Our food racks up thousands of miles, combining huge agriculture and transport emissions. So before you do your weekly shop, think about using local suppliers.
Farmers’ markets and local greengrocers are a good place to start. Ask what is local and what is in season, and adjust your recipes from there.
If you’re after some fruit, the verdict is pretty shocking. Around 95% of fruit in the UK is imported, meaning it’s hard to avoid a hefty air mile bill. That brings us onto our next tip.
2. Grow your own
If you can’t go without sweet, delicious fruit (and we wouldn’t recommend you do) there is an alternative to flying it in.
The Royal Horticultural Society has a bunch of resources for growing your own fruit in the UK. Many types, including apples and raspberries, are surprisingly easy to grow.
Growing your own food is one of the best ways to reconnect with nature, and the sense of satisfaction is hard to beat.
3. Get outside
The modern worker spends around 90% of their time indoors. That leaves us feeling a million miles away from the planet we desperately need to protect.
Being indoors isn’t just bad for our connection with nature — we’re also less likely to exercise and get enough vitamin D if we’re cooped up all day.
Make a commitment to spend at least part of your day outdoors and not doing work or chores. An evening walk is a great way to unwind and reconnect, especially if you can take a stroll around the woods.
4. Make conscious travel decisions
Unsustainable travel doesn’t happen by accident — we just get into patterns that are hard to break out of.
Sit down and think carefully about how you’re making each journey. Are you just taking the easier option? Could you opt for a more sustainable choice?
It might mean dedicating more time to a journey (or perhaps engaging in active travel, such as walking or cycling) but it’s worth it.
With the trend in slow travel exploding, it shows that when we think about sustainable options, huge changes can emerge.
5. Do your bit for wildlife
An easy way to connect to sustainability is to think about animals. They’re a great entry point into environmentalism for most people.
But in the modern world — as we spend more of our days indoors — we become disconnected from creatures great and small.
Something as simple as a bird feeder can help rekindle that affection for animals. And if you don’t have much outdoor space, spreading some seeds on a window ledge can be just as effective.
Another important action we should all take is planting wildflowers. These underrated plants help our ecosystem survive, as they provide nectar for bees and insects that keep the planet ticking over.
If you don’t have space to plant any, you can make (or buy) seed bombs. These creations, made up of soil and wildflower seeds, spread important plants wherever you throw them. And don’t worry, they’re not explosive!
The Wildlife Trust created this easy-to-follow guide on making and dispersing your own seed bombs.
When we’re in touch with the natural world — whether it’s through conscious eating, travelling or interacting with animals — we can become better equipped to fight for sustainability.
We’re all on a journey to becoming better environmentalists, so feel free to share any other tips you’ve got.
