How to be more Eco-Friendly this January
It’s the beginning of a new Year, and what better time to shift your old lifestyle into something better for both you and the environment. With your new bout of motivation, why not put it to use and make this easy switches this January towards a more eco-friendly way of living.
Veganuary
Let’s start off with what seems like the most drastic change to make. Following a Vegan diet has been described as the single biggest way to reduced your environmental impact on Earth. Cutting meat and dairy products from your diet could reduce an individual’s carbon footprint from food by up to 73 percent, as well as it having so many ethical benefits.
A Vegan diet consists of one free from animal produce or meat, relying solely on natural, plant-based ingredients.
If you’re worried about making the change, January is the best time to go Vegan, as many supermarkets often bring out brilliant plant-based alternatives at this time to celebrate and encourage consumers to make the change!
Try a “No-buy” January – Borrow instead.
This is also a great way to ease off the January pinch we often feel after our Christmas shopping binge!
Challenge yourself this January to lay off the unnecessary spending, reducing your spendings to only consumerables. How often do we buy something, use it once, then put it away for it never to see the light of day again? The global fashion industry is generating a lot of greenhouse gases due to the energy used during its production, manufacturing, and transportation of the millions garments purchased each year, with the cheap synthetic fibers found in fast-fashion purchases emitting gases like N2O, which are 300 times more damaging than CO2.
Why not give your wallet and the planet a break by halting all your materialistic purchases this month? If you find yourself wanting to buy something, check out a local charity shop, or borrow from a friend instead. The use of second-hand products are extremely forgiving on the environment, saving said product from landfill!
Reduce your energy consumption
In the cold, dark, winter months, this can be quite a challenge. But it only takes 21 days to form a habit, so why not use January as the month to turn over a new leaf.
Did you know that 20% of global electricity consumption comes from lighting? This can easily be reduced by switching off lights when you’re not in the room, reducing both your energy bills and this statistic staggeringly. In the long term, or if money isn’t so tight, LED lights are a great switch to make. LED’s can be up to 90% more energy efficient when compared to conventional lighting!
Another quick and easy switch to make, is making sure your electrical products are turned off and unplugged when not in use. Never leave something in standby mode!
DIY Cleaning Products
Did you know how easy it is to make your own cleaning products?
Many of the chemicals found in domestic cleaning products are toxic to our environment and its wildlife. Homemade alternatives made from ingredients such as white vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice can be just as effective as commercial products and a lot more eco-friendly!
This January, be kinder to the environment and give this a go. It’ll not only save the environment, but can also be made with ingredients you probably already own!