by Ipshita Sharma
It truly isn’t enough to carry a tote bag for your shopping anymore. The world needs us to step up our game and be much more sustainable in our choices.
Carrying straws and even your own cutlery – While there was a growing understanding about the dangers of straws and single-use plastic cutlery pre-covid; the danger of sanitising everything has pushed plastic cutlery to the top of the problems faced by this earth. Discarded masks and gloves have made every garbage-related issue only worse, so we need to get serious with our earth love!
Everyday ways to … be better
Choose organic chemicals for cleaning purposes, laundry and for sanitising purposes. Grow a small little herb garden at home for a special touch of awesomeness and get some compost started to add some extra pizzazz!
Switch to menstrual cups or period panties to move on from sanitary pads. Not only are they uncomfortable and terrible for the environment, cups and panties are so much more convenient as well.
Clean up your appliances so that they don’t take up more energy and repairing them is also better for the environment because electrical waste is really hard to get rid of.
Travel better
Try to find places to visit that care about the planet – Use ecologically-friendly options to travel like planes that are carbon-neutral and check out wildlife options that don’t ruin the environment while indulging tourists. Another big point to watch for is when visiting locations where animals aren’t maintained well, skip riding animals, especially in locations like Petra and the pyramids. Try and visit and support wildlife parks around the world, especially those parks that carry out conservation activities like Ranthambore in India or Hwange in Zimbabwe. Definitely avoid cruise liners and choose options for whale and dolphin watching based on the ecological track record of the companies running those experiences. Many are known to illegally herd sea creatures so their guests get the best views!
Shop better
What do you think about going back to a simpler time? Before currency was king, everyone bartered whatever they had extra of. Instead of shopping extensively and contributing to waste, buy quality items consciously. Opt for classic pieces that you can get a lot of wear out of and shop in thrift stores or online stores. Stay away from the likes of Shein and BooHoo and choose brands that are known for using fewer chemicals and are ecologically friendly. Avoid beauty brands that are not cruelty-free and plastic free. Read labels to understand where the items are created and packaged and what truly goes in them. Choose options with little or no packaging – single bananas already have great packaging, they don’t need separate plastic packaging of their own!
Eat better
Eating plant-forward meals can be incredibly great for the environment – Choosing to go vegetarian even once a day can make a huge difference not only to your own health but also to the planets! You can opt for locally grown and in-season produce from farmer’s markets in business bay and the waterfront market in Deira. Stay away from over-processed food and frozen seafood because those are terrible for the environment. Safely farmed seafood is a better alternative. Buying in bulk based on meal prepping for the week is also a great way to reduce food waste. Check out Herogo and their imperfect veggies that help in saving vegetables that are destined to go bad and give you great options for the week ahead at fantastic prices!
There is so much we can do in this New Year to start making a difference and just one person really can make a difference.
Tell us in the comments what you think and what you would like to try first. Remember to tag us when you try something environmentally awesome!