We are halfway through the Sustainable September ! I can’t believe we are already here and this year is flying to fast ! One of my BIG goals for this month is SUSTAINABILITY so today i wanted to share some of my tips to start living a more sustainable lifestyle and create real impact !
I am nowhere near perfect but living a more sustainable lifestyle is all about progress over perfection ! Here are a few small steps that can make a difference :
Meat has a significantly higher contribution to GHG emission than plant-based proteins (aka 24.5 in red meat vs < 1% in beans, pulses, nuts and seeds). You can reduce your meat consumption by increasing your plant-based proteins.
Is dairy bad for environment ? Well there are many debates on this topic. People may choose to avoid dairy for various reasons, such as: dietary preference, an allergy or intolerance to dairy products, or to promote animal welfare.
Producing meat and dairy is said to release more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere than any other type of food production. All in all, a transition to less and better meat and dairy will bring a host of benefits from reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), freeing up land to support biodiversity and carbon sequestration, improve animal welfare and reduce antibiotic use, as well as improving our health.
Think about where your food comes from ? Has it been flown thousands of miles. By shopping locally and in season you are supporting local businesses and getting the most out of fresh fruit and vegetables
Think about all resources being used to get the food to you ! When food is loss or wasted, all the resources that were used to produce this food -, including water, land, energy, labour and capital – go to waste. In addition, the disposal of food loss and waste in landfills, leads to greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change.
Reducing food losses and waste is essential in a world where the number of people affected by hunger has been slowly on the rise since 2014, and tons and tons of edible food are lost and/or wasted every day
Our biggest goal is to reduce all waste, especially plastics. Consider new ways to minimise your purchasing and reduce the waste you produce. Buy items with recycled materials – or anything can be used again and again. This drives the demand for recycled materials and improves the recycling market. Take a reusable mug and water bottle with you, remember your reusable straw and spork, and don’t forget to bring a take-out container when you head to a restaurant.
It’s never too late to start recycling. One of the most important things to know is that recycling must be clean in order to be properly recycled. Be sure to wipe out containers, and when in doubt, put materials in the landfill bins.
Yes – we know it takes a bit of work. But if a recycling bin is contaminated with unclean or non-recyclable materials, the entire bin could be thrown away.
Check out ChangeMakr Asia’s handy recycling symbol guide to get your recycling right here
Living a sustainable lifestyle doesn’t stop here. We all have a pat to make a difference for our planet and future. Join ChangeMakr Asia and share your own sustainable journey – where we are now and where we pledge to be. One step at a time.
