22 Simple changes for a more sustainable 2022
24 January 2022
As our planet is getting warmer, climate change is a hot topic. The Council's Climate Emergency Response Plan sets out how the borough aims to become carbon neutral by 2045. We can all take action to reduce our impact on the planet. Here are 22 simple changes that you could make in 2022 for a more sustainable year.
Food
1. Take reusable bags when you go shopping and choose packaging-free fruit and vegetables.
2. Buy local, fresh, seasonal produce – it will have travelled fewer miles to get to you, and you'll be supporting local businesses too.
3. Eating less meat and dairy products will reduce your carbon footprint. Try introducing a few plant-based foods into your diet.
4. When you open your fridge/freezer door, get everything you need out in one go. Every time you open the door, your fridge/freezer uses extra energy to get back to temperature.
5. If you don't have a garden, use a windowsill or worktop to grow your own herbs instead of buying them. You could even reuse a plastic bottle as a container. As well as being therapeutic, you'll save money and use less packaging.
Home
6. Replace standard light bulbs with light emitting diodes (LED) lights – they usually last a lot longer and are more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs.
7. Reduce your shower time by just one minute – you'll save between 5-15 litres of water and it could save you money.
8. If you haven't already got one, ask your energy provider for a smart meter so you can keep an eye on how much energy you're using. Alternatively, take meter readings more often to track your usage.
9. If you're buying soil for planting, make sure it's peat-free. Our peatlands store carbon, help to reduce flooding and provide habitat for different species, so peat is best left where it is.
10. If you can, line dry your clothes instead of using a tumble drier. A household that normally runs the tumble drier 200 times a year could save nearly half a tonne of CO2e, and around £90 a year by drying clothes outside or on a clothes rack inside.
Stuff
11. If you have clothes you no longer wear, try selling them, going to a clothes swap or donating them to a charity shop. This is a more sustainable way of getting rid of unwanted clothes – reusing is better than recycling.
12. If you're looking to purchase a product, consider buying second-hand. Click here for more ideas and information about buying pre-loved items.
13. There's a lot more that can be recycled these days. The Council's Waste and Recycling webpages has lots of information about recycling at home and in the borough's recycling centres.
14. Go paperless – you can access statements and bills online.
15. The unsustainable production of palm oil is one of the biggest threats facing forests and wildlife in areas of South East Asia. Look for the RSPO label to ensure you purchase products that have been made with certified sustainable palm oil. Find out more about sustainable palm oil on Chester Zoo's website.
Travel
16. Walk or cycle if you need to go on a short journey – it's better for the environment and for your physical and mental wellbeing.
17. Make travel part of the holiday: could you get to your destination by train, boat or car, instead of taking a flight with higher emissions? A journey from London to Madrid, for example, would emit 43kg of CO2 per passenger by train, but 118kg by plane, according to EcoPassenger.
18. If you have to drive, drive smarter: having the correct air pressure in your tyres gives better mileage, cheaper maintenance and a smaller environmental impact. Car sharing is also a great way to reduce your climate impact.
19. Whilst on holiday, eat local foods instead of imported ones. You'll be reducing your carbon footprint and supporting the local economy.
Work
20. Emails can add to your carbon footprint. Try reducing the number in your inbox by unsubscribing from any enewsletters you don't read, and really consider who you need to cc into your emails.
21. Set your printer to black and white and double-sided, and only print documents if you need to.
22. If you are heading into work, take a cutlery set with you so you don't need plastic cutlery when buying lunch.
Try making some of these simple changes then take the WWF's environmental footprint questionnaire or visit Giki Zero to calculate your personal carbon footprint.
Sources:
World Wildlife Fund - www.wwf.org.uk
WRAP - www.wrap.org.uk
Energy Saving Trust - https://energysavingtrust.org.uk
Sustrans - www.sustrans.org.uk
BBC - https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-49349566
Chester Zoo - Chester Zoo's website
Every effort has been made to that ensure the information used in all climate emergency articles is accurate. All information used to inform the articles has been taken from reputable sources and those sources are given at the end of each article.
We are aware, however, that data will change over time and that some information across the internet and printed matters can be contradictory.
