When it comes to your personal energy and fuel consumption, how much of an impact you think it has on the world around you? With the US looking to rejoin the Paris Agreement – an international treaty dedicated to reducing energy consumption and tackling climate change. Plans will likely be forged to reduce how much energy the US consumes and put plans to reduce this and offset the carbon emissions produced.
No action or change is too small when it comes to how we as individuals approach climate change and it is the small, consistent acts that lead to the bigger changes that are made with the environment in mind. But what changes can you make that are reasonable and sustainable as well as low cost?
Go Vegan
A vegan lifestyle isn’t for everyone. Living a fully vegan lifestyle requires determination and a lot of changes. For many people, this isn’t really no matter how much they want to try. Instead, look at making small vegan changes that will impact your lifestyle and still contribute toward protecting the environment. Have one or two vegans per week if possible or commit to buying more vegan-friendly products.
Use Less Plastic
From forgoing plastic bags, plastic wrapping, straws and so on, recycling as much as possible. It isn’t always the grand gestures that speak volumes, but the small changes you make and stick to. Try swapping out your regular bottle of shampoo for a shampoo bar and see how much longer it lasts you and commit to using less packaging in your lifestyle.
Switch Energy Providers
Have an in-depth look at the Energy industry and find out which companies follow more ethical practices when it comes to using renewable energy sources and offsetting their carbon footprint by undertaking other actions such as planting trees or reducing waste by eliminating physical post and petters to customers.
Not only can this save you money but allow you to feel confident your energy provider has the same values as you do.
Avoid Fast Fashion
Fast fashion is cheap and plentiful. Many stores offer bargain clothing items that frequently change when a new style comes into season. Most of us can say we have fallen into this trap of buying into fast fashion. But you can avoid this by choosing not to update your wardrobe so often and buy fewer clothes instead of investing in more ethically made and sustainable ones.
Upcycle
This can be applied to so many areas of your life. You can upcycle furniture around your home to avoid buying new and giving new life to something that previously would have ended up in a landfill. Many local community groups across social media are proficient in upcycling and can help you start this journey.
Consider shopping in thrift stores if you need to buy new and choose to update your home with pre-loved unique pieces that speak to you rather than buying them because they looked good on display. Do this with clothing too and source any items you need from preloved stores. You can even teach yourself new skills and repurpose clothing into a whole new look to suit your tastes!
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