Making a difference has never been so easy!

I'm sure a lot of people are sick of hearing about how the planet is in a state of despair, and how if we continue to use all of the resources in the way we do, there'll be no planet left... I'd love to tell you all not to worry about it, but realistically it actually is a big problem that should concern everyone. We all live on this planet and we should all be doing what we can to keep it sustainable and maintained. By no means do I expect every person in the world to become hardcore eco-warriors overnight (or even at all), but there are a few simple things that could make a huge difference if everyone made just a small effort (and in some cases actually less effort!) 1. Kettle conscious A lot of people (including myself up until recently) will fill the kettle all the way to the top, even if they only need half a kettle/enough for one cup. Whilst it does make sense - filling it all the way to the top and thus saving time going back and forth to the sink, especially if you're a little tea fiend like me - it actually makes more sense to only fill it to the amount you actually need at that time. It takes less time for the kettle to boil which is a positive all-round. It's better for the environment because it uses less electric, it's better for your electric bill because it uses less electric, and most importantly you get your brew quicker! Definitely worth the extra trips to the tap.

2. Turn the tap off! There are so many people out there who still leave the tap running when they brush their teeth! I can almost guarantee of the few people reading this, at least one of you will be guilty of this. Whilst I appreciate it's purely habit and you mean no ill-intention to the planet, it's a habit I'd encourage you to try and stop. On average we brush our teeth for two minutes. So when you think about how many people are sat with their taps running for that time, I'd imagine it would amount to a pretty large amount of wasted water. Sometimes I still catch myself doing it when I'm caught up in my thoughts and I'm on auto-pilot, but the important thing is that I make the effort & 99% of the time I remember! The same goes for when you're washing your hands too! While you're doing the 25-step hand washing birthday song routine, you can save the water! (To an extent, of course. I'm lucky that my taps warm up super quick, but I know other people who have to wait a while for the warm water to come through).

3. Three R's:Recycle, Reuse, Reduce Oh, I could talk about this for hours... I'll try to keep it brief! Recycle Let's start by identifying how easy it is to recycle nowadays. The majority of the products that we buy are being packaged in recyclable materials, many of which have recycling instructions printed on them too. Most of us have separate bins right outside our homes, which have labels on top literally telling you what to put in them. It couldn't be any more simple, really. Now don't get me wrong, I myself have been in situations before where I've been looking at some kind of waste thinking, 'does this go in the bin or can I recycle this?' A quick Google search later and you can usually find out if your questionable item is or is not recyclable, and also the correct manner in which to recycle it! (Because yes, you actually can recycle wrong and it causes a bigger issue than you might think!) Reuse Reusing is one of my all-time favourite things. Reusing includes but is not limited to: thrifting/donating, upcycling, buying second-hand, opting for re-usable items over one time use alternatives, literally anything that means an item or product is used more than once (though hopefully many more times than once!). It's great to see that thrifting is becoming more and more popular, particularly in the fashion world - even if it is just a trend. Plus, vintage fashion is much better than what we have nowadays (though of course that's just my opinion!). DIY/upcycled interior design has become more and more popular too, what with the never-ending inspirational Tiktok content out there. Again, even if the environment isn't at the forefront of people's minds when doing this, the positive impact is still there! Some amazing apps/features I'd 100% recommend you download/check out for second-hand goodies are Vinted, Depop, Shpock, Gumtree & Facebook Marketplace. I use these all the time and I'm never disappointed with the cool stuff I find! Reduce The biggest thing that could help our planet is if we actually reduced our levels of consumption, and with that the level of demand for things. When you consider how much we waste (food, textiles, electrics, materials ect), it becomes quite clear that the "eyes bigger than belly" situation is at play, in pretty much every aspect of our lives. As a whole human race, we ideally need to cut back drastically on the amount of clothes & products that are being made unethically, the amount of livestock being reared for their various uses, and the amount of emissions being pumped into the atmosphere. The only way this is possible is if the demand for these things goes down, and that can only happen if the consumer makes it happen. Ultimately, something will eventually need to give. If humans want to survive, it simply can't be the planet that gives.

4. If you litter, you suck I can't believe it's 2022 and I'm writing this, but put your rubbish in a bin. If you aren't near a bin put it in your pocket, put it in your bag or keep it in your hand. There is literally 0 excuses to throw rubbish on the floor - and nicely placing it on a wall or any other random place other than a bin is no better either. Most littered items are items that are used prior to being littered, right? (takeaway containers, bottles & cups, plastic cutlery being the biggest culprits). What baffles me the most about people who litter is that they have no issues with carrying the item with them when it's of use to them - they might have carried it with them all day, but then as soon as they're done with it and it becomes litter, they somehow become unable to continue carrying it to a bin?

There are bins everywhere.

I just can not imagine being that guy.

Sorry, rant over 😅

5. Use your legs more often!

Most people are privileged with having two functioning legs and the ability to walk, but once you obtain a driver's license and a car (myself included), it can be very easy to just drive everywhere, when in reality there are a lot of times where you could probably walk or cycle quite easily.

Choosing to walk or cycle where possible is good for your health both physically and mentally, it's nicer on your bank balance as you'll be saving the fuel, and it's nicer to the planet because less emissions! It's a win all-round really!

Next time you find yourself needing to nip around to the corner shop, why not have a quick looksy on Google maps to see how far of a walk it is and give it a go!

Until next time,

Cas :)