Don’t exercise! And other really easy ways (you’d never thought of) to be green
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Happy Decarbonisation Day! This heatwave has me worried and more motivated than ever to make a change.... but it’s not easy being green. I’ve always believed that it’s better but never that it's easy. The benefits we gain are usually hard won. You have to be more engaged, more active, and more willing to put the effort in... or do you?
The world is changing and convenience isn’t always king anymore, so for #WorldDecarbonisationDay I’d like to share my top 5 really easy ways to be green:
1. Stay delightfully local
Not travelling for work isn’t just good for the planet – it’s a brilliant excuse to avoid trains that mysteriously vanish from existence and meetings that could have been emails. There was once a time when I commuted 2 hours to the office each way each day. I don’t know why or how I managed it for so long! It might feel tough to base your life decisions around transport options but time is our most precious resource and practical boundaries can help you to think laterally and make great career moves you’d never thought of before.
2. Don’t exercise (yes that’s right!)
Active travel no longer needs to be that active, electric bicycles are the greatest invention since the bicycle itself! As a non-driver I always knew I’d be cycling with my daughter but I never realised what a joy it could be to do this every day. There have even been butterflies fluttering over her on our commute this week! Electric bicycles do require an initial investment but they’re far less expensive that running a car and still provide an amazing amount of freedom. We can go anywhere and carry anything. No waiting for buses. No traffic jams. I dare you to try it - you’ll save emissions, money, and your sanity.
3. Bulk up your cupboards
Not all shopping is fun shopping, some things we just need to keep stocked up. Toiletries and cleaning products are perfect for bulk buying from sustainable suppliers: easy to store, endlessly useful, and quietly life‑simplifying. Fewer plastic bottles, fewer emergency dashes to the shop, and future you will be forever grateful that everything is always to hand.
4. Embrace second hand style
Some shopping is fun shopping and it’s never been easier to sell and seek out second hand clothing. Sure there’s still an impact from couriers constantly zig zagging across the country but breaking our addiction to new things is progress towards breaking our addition to things in general. Every outfit is a step forward and every step takes us closer to a more sustainable circular economy.
5. Invest in a teapot
Tea (and coffee) production can be a driver of deforestation in areas of the world that are rich in biodiversity and put significant pressure on water supplies. The good news is though, it’s absolutely possible to get more than one cup of tea out of a single teabag. All you need to do it is… a teapot! Buying a teapot is the gateway to a slower, greener life. Two (or more!) cups of tea for the effort of just one: less consumption, less emissions, less deforestation.
I think a lot about how I will explain my choices to my daughter when she's old enough to understand all this. It helps me to make better choices - and the more I do it the more I realise: they're not necessarily hard choices, they're just choices, as long as I approach them the right way.
Wishing you a Happy Decarbonisation Day and a simpler and more sustainable year ahead.
