Sustainability tips for 2021
As 2020 comes to an end, we’re thinking about the reasons we’re in the business of making eco-friendly, vegan cleaning products. Just this year, the evidence of global warming has become even more undeniable, from the wildfires in Australia and California, to evidence that polar ice caps are melting six times faster than in the 90s.
As much as we can all try to change our habits to limit our impact on the environment, it can be disheartening when, for example, news breaks of plans to build a Formula 1 racetrack through the Camboatá Forest in Rio de Janeiro or that the impact of COVID-19 has increased the use of single-use plastic.
Although a lot of the responsibility lies with big corporations, small, family-run brands like ours can make a difference in their own way, and so can everybody if they’re willing to put in a little bit of effort. Here are some sustainability tips to help you make a start.
Change your shopping habits
As consumers, we can use our spending power to reward those brands doing good and boycott those that aren’t. When it comes to clothes, the fast fashion industry is responsible for tonnes of excess waste, unleashing microplastics into the ocean and making up 10% of the world’s carbon emissions.
While the lure of affordable, fashionable clothing is undeniable, there are brands out there doing their bit like Kanula, which produces no plastic waste and donates a percentage of profits to a sea turtle charity in Greece. Think about investing in quality items that will stand the test of time, or try repairing and altering old clothes rather than always buying new ones.
Take your energy elsewhere
Reducing your consumption of fossil fuels such as oil, carbon and natural gas is one of the most important things you can do if you’re trying to live sustainably. While many of the UK’s well-known energy suppliers continue to rely on non-renewable resources to fuel their customers’ homes, a number of alternatives have popped up over the last few years. Check out Octopus Energy, Bulb and Ecotricity, which offer greener alternatives to help you minimise the impact of your energy use.
Give meat the chop
Over the past few years, the world has woken up to the environmental impacts of eating meat. It is clear that the amount of land needed to raise animals for consumption, the water used to grow their feed and the amount of CO2 produced as a result of farming is causing harm to the planet. Research has actually shown that cutting out meat and dairy from your diet can reduce your carbon footprint by up to 73%.
The world of plant-based alternatives to meat is so exciting, with brands like Moving Mountains making some seriously delicious burgers, sausages and even fish fingers that you wouldn’t believe are animal-free! For more inspiration, The Vegan Kind’s subscription boxes are a great gateway into the world of vegan snacks!
Get around a greener way
Research shows that road vehicles are responsible for nearly three-quarters of greenhouse gas emissions that come from travel, so how you choose to get from A to B makes a big impact on your carbon footprint.
But, what’s the alternative? Rethink what you consider walking distance and you’ll cut down your emissions and get fitter, or maybe it’s time to invest in a bike for longer journeys. With evidence showing that people are turning away from public transport in favour of their cars due to the COVID-19 pandemic, remember that using buses, trains and trams are a much more eco-friendly option, just stay safe and wear a mask.
Put away the plastic
According to National Geographic, there are more than 5 trillion pieces of plastic floating in our oceans. It’s not surprising considering how many of the products we use every day use plastic in one way or another. At Ecozone, we’re cutting down on the plastic in our packaging, opting for post-consumer recycled bottles where possible, creating long-use products that have lifespans of many years and making as many products plastic-free as we can. So far, the packaging for our dishwasher tablets, washing machine and dishwasher cleaners and caddy liners are completely plastic-free! Other brands are doing great things too, like Natracare, which is taking a stand against plastic-loaded period products with its range of natural, plastic-free options.
These are just a few sustainability tips for going greener in 2021, and we’d love to hear any of the ways you’re planning to make a change. Head to our Instagram and let us know!
