There’s this old joke about vegans. How do you spot a vegan at a dinner party? "Don’t worry, they’ll tell you," goes the answer.
Most of us have been on the receiving end of a diatribe about the environmental impact of meat production, about how meat isn't just murder, but greener is actually cleaner. The opinion seems to be growing in popularity: Less and less, environmentally-conscious veganism isn’t something we cynically deride, but something we celebrate.
This is because our generation is truly beginning to accept the reality that climate change is happening, and that it’s probably going to affect us, and our children. According to the UN’s most recent report, Climate Change 2014, the “severe and pervasive” impacts of climate change will be felt globally in our lifetimes. Sea levels are rising; deforestation means that food insecurity is increasing, and entire species are at risk of extinction. Things aren't looking good.
Leonardo DiCaprio even used his Oscar acceptance speech to share his concerns. "Climate change is real," said the actor. "It is happening right now, it is the most urgent threat facing our entire species and we need to work collectively and stop procrastinating. We need to support leaders around the world... who speak for all of humanity."
While all of humanity ought to agree that becoming more sustainable in your everyday life is a good thing, sometimes it’s difficult to know where to start. We’re all busy, we’re often broke and exhausted, and the last thing you want when you can barely find time to wash your hair is to introduce a huge lifestyle change that’s just going to leave you with even less of your precious time.
That said, you don’t need to sacrifice huge amounts of time, effort or money to become more sustainable. There are small changes you can make to your everyday routine that will not only cut on wastage, environmental damage and fossil fuel emissions, but save you money in the process. So scroll through the following slideshow for some top tips to becoming more sustainable – without becoming the sort of person everyone avoids at dinner parties.
Make Your Home More Sustainable
If you want to be really sustainable, you’re going to have to do some home improvements. Don’t worry; you won’t have to pick up a power drill (probably not, anyway). Plus side: you’ll definitely end up saving some coins. Your overall goal here is simply to reduce how much you consume.
Start in your bathroom. Turn off the tap when you’re brushing your teeth. Stop taking so many baths (I know they're nice, but view them as an occasional treat). Fix dripping taps (or better still, get your landlord to fix them for you). Outside the bathroom, turn off electronics and lights when you’re not using them. Treat it like a fun game – if you can see a little yellow light blinking anywhere, you lose. According to USwitch, the average household wastes £80 a year leaving appliances on overnight.
According to the Guardian, Britain has one of the most inefficient housing stocks in Europe, meaning that we leak a load of heat out of our windows everyday. It’s literally money going up in hot air. Simple things you can do to reduce your heating bills and conserve energy include making sure all your windows have thick, lined curtains (IKEA do good ones you can hem yourself), and if your door isn’t fitted properly, put a towel down to stop heat leaking out. Put the heating on a timer, and invest in a better duvet and a hot water bottle – the duck feather duvets make you feel like you’re staying in a fancy hotel.
All this stuff sounds simple, but cumulatively you’ll not only save loads of money, you’ll massively reduce your environmental impact. So you’ll be better off financially and smug, too.
There's An App For That
Believe it or not, the Internet has other functions beyond reading dubiously sourced news or stalking your ex. Nowadays, sustainability begins online. When you break something and you’re not sure how to fix it – don’t just buy a new one. YouTube it. Hairdryer not working? Microwave blown a fuse? There are YouTube videos that will teach you how to mend pretty much anything.
If you’re more ambitious, up-cycle dated pieces of furniture in order to update your house without throwing anything away. The Ikea hacks will make your slightly crap furniture look banging, or buy one of those mini tester pots of paint and paint your boring old coffee table. Once again, YouTube is your friend, or look at Pinterest for inspiration.
As your Mum always used to say, learn to share. Being sustainable is about pooling resources. Use websites like Gumtree when you want to buy or get rid of furniture, instead of dumping it and buying something new. If you’re driving somewhere, try a carpooling app like Hitch-a-Ride or uberPOOL. You may even meet someone nice in the process!
Go Vegan(ish)
Look, we all saw that documentary Cowspiracy, but in case you’ve been living in a cave for the last year: some facts. A 2014 study from the University of Oxford found that meat-eaters produced twice as many greenhouse gas emissions as vegans. So it doesn’t matter how many lights you turn off or dripping taps you fix: if you really want to be more sustainable, you’re going to have to reduce your meat consumption.
Does that mean you have to become vegan overnight? No. Even being a part-time vegan is better than nothing. Plus, vegan food is seriously delicious, and often cheaper than eating meat. Sassy from award-winning vegan blog Naturally Sassy has some tips. “Start with simple switches; changing regular milk for almond milk, dairy milk chocolate for dark/raw chocolate etc. Main meals can often be the trickiest to get right when transitioning to a meat-free diet as it can feel like the heart of the meal is missing. Try using a combination of grains, pulses and root vegetables to really give yourself a balanced nutritious meal.“
Be realistic. “There’s no right or wrong way, as everyone’s journey to finding the diet that makes them feel their best is different.” And beware of the pitfalls that befall many new vegans. “The common mistake I see," says Sassy, "is that we often believe a vegan diet is naturally a very healthy one, and that really isn’t the case. Cutting out dairy and meat produce does not necessarily mean you have a balanced diet. As well as the majority of junk food that is vegan friendly, the ‘meat-free’ replacements found in supermarkets are also very bad for us.”
Think About How You Travel
You don't have to cycle to work every day in the pissing rain or only go on holiday to Bognor Regis, but travelling more sustainably can have a huge environmental impact. The average car can produce up to a tonne of CO2 per year of commuting. Do you know how much CO2 a bicycle produces? None.
Cycling to work isn’t just environmentally friendly – it’s great exercise, cheap, and you never have to worry about finding a parking space or your Oyster card again. If you’re anxious about cycling in London, lots of councils do free cycling safety courses which are hugely helpful. The trick with cycling, as with all these measures, is to take things slowly. Practice the route on a day when there won’t be traffic, and if you’re feeling nervous, always get off and walk the bicycle – no one will think that’s weird. Of course, you need to wear a helmet too.
When it comes to holidays, Stefania Guglielmi, founder of sustainable travel blog Every Steph, has some advice. “You don't need to go camping, or be a hardcore adventurous traveller in order to be sustainable. There are simple things you can do while you travel that might seem small, but are a starting point.”
Obviously, it’s preferable to try and travel by train, bus or ferry when going overseas, but that’s not always possible. If you must fly, try and pick a more sustainable airline – you can look at the ratings online. When you get out there, try and be responsible.
“Respect the environment, don't pick 'souvenirs' from national parks, keep your garbage with you until you find a bin, and don't waste water, which is such a scarce resource in some parts of the world,” says Stefania. Support the local economy: avoid chain hotels or restaurants, and while it’s nice to stay in luxury eco-resorts, often much smaller places will be equally environmentally aware – and cheaper.
Quit Boredom Buying
We live in a materialistic, consumer-focussed society, and the temptation to buy stuff is everywhere – it’s even embedded into the algorithms of our online life. Mention you’ve started running in a message to a friend? You might start noticing adverts for expensive trainers popping up on your news feed.
When you’re feeling a bit shit, it’s easy to buy stuff to make yourself feel good. Which is stupid, because there’s other stuff you can do which is free and doesn’t have a negative environmental impact, like... sex, for example.
Joshua Becker is founder of Becoming Minimalist and author of forthcoming book The More of Less: Finding the Life You Want Under Everything You Own. He explains the advantages of decluttering your life to become more sustainable.
“It is important to de-clutter our lives because physical possessions rob us of precious finite resources. They require time and energy to clean and manage, maintain and organise. Every increased possession adds anxiety to our lives. People who choose to live with less tend to consume in a more intentional way—looking for products that are multi-purpose, built to last, and produced in responsible ways.”
Becker says that the best place to start is at home. “Build up little victories and momentum by clearing the clutter from your automobile, a drawer, your living room, or a bathroom cupboard. Sometimes the best thing you can so is grab a bag, walk around your home, and quickly remove everything you can easily part with.” Remember to recycle what you can.
When you have to buy new things, go for multi-purpose items; a cheek crayon that doubles as a lipstick, coconut oil as leave-in conditioner and makeup remover (I swear by this). You get the drill. I’m a cosmetics fiend, and I have a rule that I’m not allowed to buy new makeup unless I’ve already used up everything I own. Treating yourself to a new mascara because you’ve used up all the half-used ones in your drawer is the most satisfying feeling, I swear.
And, if you really have to splash on something new? Why not head down to your nearest second hand shop? As I sit here, writing this now, half of the clothes I’m wearing are from my favourite charity shop (I’m not telling you which one, it’s a closely guarded secret). You’ll be amazed at the stuff people give away.
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