How can I be more sustainable?
22 ways to live more sustainably on Earth day 2022 and beyond
- Avoid printing where possible
- Calculate your food print and make small diet changes
- Plogging – pick up litter while you are out exercising
- Share your eco hacks on social media to inspire others
- Buy a re usable coffee mug
- Eat seasonal local food where possible
- Plant a tree if offered at checkout
- Cut down on food waste by creating a weekly plan
- Use public transport or cycle when you can
- Start your own compost if you can
- Stop using plastic straws
- Always use reusable bags
- Compost your garden waste
- Switch to online bills
- Use re-useable cutlery and dishes
- Buy organic when you can
- Buy a re usable water bottle
- Try to buy paper, cardboard or glass packaged products and re use when you can
- Look out for eco friendly clothing brands and don’t treat clothes as disposable
- Cut time off your shower
- Use a laundry bag to catch harmful micro plastics.
- Shop small and local where you can
Here's 5 in a bit more detail
Here we are at Earth Day 2022. We've got a climate crisis upon us, and collectively we can do our bit to help. Working individually on small changes within our daily lives might feel like a needle in a hay stack in terms of the overall problems our world is facing, but zoom out and if we're all doing our bit, then collectively we can make a substantial difference. We've put together 5 things you can be doing that either might not have been on your radar, or might just give you that reminder to get on with it. We hope you like our suggestions. Tag us on socials if we've managed to inspire you!
1. Plogging
Plogging comes from combining the word jogging with the Swedish saying “plocka upp” meaning to 'pick up'. As simple as it sounds, plogging is the act of picking up litter whilst you are out running or jogging! What better way to motivate yourself for your run knowing you will also be helping to clean up the planet? Simply take a rubbish bag with you (preferably biodegradable) and collect as much litter as you can whilst on your run. The bending and stretching to pick up the litter will also increase the effectiveness of your workout. At Know The Origin we have the ideal ethical running clothing for your run or walk too, so check out the collections if you're in need of something comfortable to wear as you take up Plogging!
2. Say no to single use plastic bottles
According to Statista in 2018 the EU including the UK recycled a total of 58% of the plastic bottles it used. In Norway (due to a bottle deposit scheme) they recycle 97% of their PET bottles. The bottles that are not recycled will normally end up in land fill where they will take a scary amount of years to decompose. Further to this, some of this waste inevitably makes its way into our oceans and seas as micro plastics. Buying a reusable stainless steel water bottle is a simple change that's long lasting and looks nice. A quality one will last for years and years and every time you use it that is one less plastic water bottle used.
3. Shop Organic where you can
Whilst it may be more expensive, when buying organic you will make a real difference to the environment. Organic farming eliminates the use of fertilisers and pesticides. This is much better for the biodiversity above and below the ground as well as benefiting the environment around the crops. One organic choice you can make is to choose organic cotton clothing. According to the Textile Exchange, organic cotton lowers the global warming potential by 46% compared to regular cotton farming.
4. Recycle
This one is becoming more engrained in our lives and is getting easier to do with more and more products. Recycling gives a product a second, third or even more use. This is of benefit as the product will not end up polluting in landfill and it reduces demand for the finite raw materials used to make it in the first place. In the fashion space recycling is becoming more recognised as a way of helping to reduce some of the harmful environmental impacts of the fashion industry on the planet. Contur for example uses ECONYL® regenerated nylon to make its products.
5. Plant Trees
Whether it's a digital option at checkout that you click yes to, or physically planting your own trees where you can, trees are a lifeline for our planet and we've taken too many away for too long. As well as planting, you can look out for the FSC approved certification when shopping products. The Forest Stewardship Council is a respected body that awards certificates to forests that are sustainably and ethically managed. An FSC certification means that the timber or other raw material comes from a forest that is managed to sustain the forests biodiversity, productivity and ecological process. FSC certification means you can be assured the forest is not being cut down to make way for agriculture or industry. This is important as trees make a big contribution in absorbing CO2. Know The Origin stocks a wide range of products made from sustainably sourced wood and bamboo. Asquith’s range is based on bamboo from sustainable sources and a number of brands use Tencel Lyocell from fast growing sustainably sourced forests.
What else can I do?
If you want to get a better idea on how choosing more sustainable fashion can make a big difference try this quick quiz from Earth Day 2022 on the impact of fashion on the planet https://www.earthday.org/sustainable-fashion-quiz/