If we all do lots of little everyday things to reduce waste and pollution, it will all add up to make a big difference and take the Island a closer to reaching 2050 net zero targets.
Here are three tips that you, your friends, family, classmates or work colleagues could do to be a bit more green.
- Try to cut the amount of plastic packaging you buy when shopping at the supermarket. Attempting to cut out ALL plastic packaging when we shop can be very difficult – especially if you need products for health or dietary needs where the only option is to buy a plastic wrapped item. But we can all cut down on plastic. Make a note of your latest weekly shop and how much plastic is in it. Use that as your benchmark, then try to cut the amount of plastic next week.
- Let the grass grow. If you need an excuse not to cut the lawn for a few weekends, now you’ve got one. Letting your lawn grow longer between cuts means you’re saving energy if you have an electric mower, and cuts carbon emissions if you have a petrol-powered machine. It’s also good for encouraging wildlife in your garden – especially bees which are vital to our ecosystem.
- Make second-hand clothing your first choice. Making, mending and reusing clothing is a great way to help the environment. The clothing industry uses up a lot of resources in terms of the raw materials required, and the energy and carbon emissions used in the manufacturing process – plus waste if old clothes end up in landfill. So next time you need something new, why not try looking at your local second-hand or charity shop first?
If you try out any of these tips, let us know how you get on and we will share your experiences on our Environment section! We want to see those second-hand outfits you bought to help save the planet!
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