Did you know that over 481 billion plastic bottles are used worldwide every year? Americans purchase, on average, 50 billion water bottles per year. This averages about 13 bottles per month for every person. The US, China and Indonesia are the largest consumers of plastic water bottles. Purchasing plastic water bottles in these countries buying, plastic water bottles are seen as a luxury whereby the water is regarded as “healthier” or has a better taste. Countries in the Global South together represent roughly 60 percent of the market. These countries are almost dependent on plastic water bottles due to the lack of reliable access to safe tap water.
The issues surrounding the overconsumption of plastic water bottles include the fact that the groundwater extracted to help fill the billions of plastic bottles a year poses a potential threat to drinking water resources. Moreover, the industry’s growth helps distract attention and resources from funding the public water infrastructure needed in many countries. Using plastic water bottles harms the planet because most plastic gets thrown into landfills. In fact, only 9 percent of the plastic from these bottles is recycled, which is only getting lower due to China no longer accepting US plastics.
Despite the adverse effects plastic, especially plastic water bottles, have on the planet, there is no sign of these sales slowing down. Experts are saying that plastic water bottle sales are expected to rise by 2030.
To reduce the use of plastic water bottles, at least in the US, the Los Angeles Airport (also commonly known as LAX) is banning the sale of these single-use plastic water bottles. Over 9 million plastic water bottles were sold at LAX alone in 2019, which averages more than 24 000 bottles a day. The LAX plastic water bottle ban went into effect on June 30, 2023.
The LAX plastic water bottle ban includes concessionaires, restaurants, lounges, vending machines and events happening at the airport. Only single-use water bottles made from recyclable aluminium, cartons or glass may be sold at the airport. The airport encourages visitors to bring their own reusable water bottles and use the water bottle refill stations located in the various terminals. The LAX plastic water bottle ban does not include other beverages sold in plastic bottles or bottled water from flight services on aircraft. This is something that might change in the coming years.
This new policy is part of the Los Angeles World Airports (including LAX and Van Nuys Airports) Sustainability Action Plan, which targets a zero-waste future. The plan is to make these airports zero waste by 2045. The LAX plastic water bottle ban is only the second airport in the world to ban the sale of single-use plastic water bottles and follows San Francisco International Airport, which placed its ban in 2019. In 2021, San Francisco extended the ban to include other types of beverages.
The LAX plastic water bottle ban is only part of a bigger push for sustainability. Los Angeles World Airport has a long history of committing to environmental sustainability. In the early 1990s, it introduced waste diversion and recycling programs at its airports and in 2007, it adopted one of the first sustainability plans for any airport in the nation. Reducing waste and eliminating single-use plastics are important goals for the Los Angeles World Airports and the City of Los Angeles. The LA City Green New Deal calls for all city departments to phase out single-use plastic by 2028 and achieved 100 percent waste diversion by 2050.
It’s impressive that no other airports have taken these initiatives yet. But we know that California is a leader in the sustainability movement. Hopefully, the LAX plastic water bottle ban will encourage other airports around the US and even across the globe to take part in this initiative and reduce dependence on plastic.
As part of Microsoft’s goal to be carbon negative, water positive and zero waste by 2030, its gaming console division Xbox is working towards reducing its carbon footprint through research, innovation, strategic investment, and accountability. Xbox is looking at ways to use less new plastic, minimise waste and reduce its carbon footprint.
Reducing Waste
The company has released a collection of controllers that contain 20% or post-more consumer recycled resins. The newest controller is the Xbox Remix. This controller is made from recycled plastics and includes the company’s leftover Xbox One generation controller parts. The old parts are reground and mixed with virgin plastic to make the controller. The post-consumer plastics used to make the new controlled include CDs, plastic water jugs and automotive headlight covers.
The company started incorporating post-consumer recycled resins into its controllers in 2021 when it introduced the Daystrike Camo and Electric Volt controllers. The Remix Special Edition is the first to include regrind (a term for ground industrial plastic waste) from other controllers. The controller also includes a rechargeable battery pack, allowing players to move away from disposable batteries.
Another way Xbox is reducing waste is by offering refurbished consoles. The consoles undergo a rigorous certification process and are tested to confirm they are working correctly and are inspected for hardware and cosmetic quality. This is an excellent alternative to buying brand-new consoles.
Carbon Aware
Xbox has also announced that they are the first to release dedicated energy and carbon emissions measurement tools designed for game creators. When the console is plugged in and connected to the Internet, and if regional carbon intensity data is available, Xbox will schedule game, app and OS updates at specific times during the night that may result in lower carbon emissions. The console will wake up and perform maintenance at a time when it can use the most renewable energy in the local grid. The company also considers updating consoles to the Shutdown (energy-saving) power mode. The Shutdown can cut power use by up to 20x when it is off compared to Sleep.
Another energy setting update is the “Active hours” setting which will allow the console to boot up and be available for remote wake during the selected active hours. It will fully shut down once the active hours are over.
Xbox also introduced their Xbox Developer Sustainability Toolkit, which includes analytical and visual systems, measurement tools, and resources to help creators make informed decisions about energy consumption and carbon emissions associated with their game designs. The Toolkit includes energy consumption feedback, certification reports, dashboards that show the carbon footprint and total energy consumer during gameplay, guidance, best practices and case studies.
Xbox is taking important measures to reduce its impact and is leading as an example to other game console companies. At the rate they are going, they will reach Microsoft’s carbon goals by 2030.
Renderings of the Six Senses Svart in Norway are straight out of a sci-fi movie. An overwater hotel shaped like a wheel glows at the foot of a glacier – the Svartisen glacier in the Holandsfjorden fjord, to be specific – like a space station floating in orbit.
If all goes according to plan, the otherworldly image will come to life in 2024 as the first carbon-neutral and emission-free resort (Six Senses has not yet broken ground on the project), joining an emerging movement of carbon-conscious hotels.
In Turkey, the Stay Hotels says it is the country’s first carbon-neutral hotel group. In Denver, construction is underway on Populus, a 265-room property that claims it will be the United States’ first “carbon positive” hotel when it opens in late 2023. In New Haven, Connecticut, Hotel Marcel, opened in April, is the first US net-zero hotel.
Hotels contribute about 1% to global carbon emissions, says Claire Whitely, head of environment for the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance charity.
Of the 36.3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide emitted worldwide last year, that would mean hotels contributed roughly 363 million tonnes – about as much as it takes to power about 45.7 million homes for a year.
There are more than 90,000 hotels in the United States using energy on air conditioning and heating; laundering towels and sheets; lighting rooms and lobbies; and refrigerating the mini bar – not to mention the energy and resources to build and furnish them.
Parkroyal on Pickering in Singapore calls itself the world’s first “hotel in a garden”.
“We are talking about properties that are operated 24/7 and talking about over a billion hotel nights,” says Peter Templeton, interim president and CEO of the U.S. Green Building Council.
The carbon-neutral and carbon-positive labels sound good on paper, but some experts question if they are more performative than productive. Travel industry experts and climate scientists explained what travellers should know about the new wave of ‘green’ hotels and how to pick one.
What does it mean to be carbon neutral?
When hotels says they’re carbon neutral, they usually mean they are taking the same amount of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere as they emit. Christoph Meinrenken, a physicist at the Columbia University Climate School says technically the term should be net carbon neutral, as true carbon neutral would mean having zero carbon emissions – but carbon neutral is more commonly used.
That is often done through carbon offsets, which account for a person, business or government’s carbon emissions by removing carbon from the atmosphere. This can be done in several ways, such as planting enough trees to capture the amount of carbon dioxide the hotel emits, or financing renewable energy projects or reforestation.
Svart will come to life in 2024 as the first carbon-neutral and emission-free resort. Source SNøHETTA/PLOMPMOZES
Some hotels may not necessarily have “green” operations; they just buy offsets. Other hotels become net carbon neutral by being more energy-efficient, then covering the rest of their emissions through carbon offsetting. For example, at the all-electric Hotel Marcel, 100% of its electricity is produced by solar panels on-site.
While it will cost hotels to make green changes, “it’s not going to cost much extra to do now that so many [green] strategies are becoming more and more commonplace,” says Peter Rumsey, founder and CEO of Point Energy Innovations, a building-systems and renewable-energy engineering company.
Rumsey says hotels can become more energy efficient for less money these days with solutions that are readily available, such as LED lighting, induction cooktops and management systems with sensors that make sure energy is being used efficiently.
Whitely agrees. “The technology that we need to decarbonise the hotel industry is here,” she says. “We just need to put it into place.”
What about carbon positive and net zero?
Carbon negative, energy positive or climate positive refer to a hotel offsetting more carbon than it emits. The term carbon positive is sometimes used in the same context, although the term is counterintuitive; we want less carbon, not more. “Some people use it in marketing, but technically, it doesn’t make sense,” Meinrenken says.
A property may strive to do this by producing more renewable energy than it needs, or make up for the carbon used in the construction of the hotel, not just daily operations.
Svart’s proposed design is an example. The hotel and its adjacent services, such as boat shuttles and guest activities, plan to be self-sufficient in electricity, water and waste management. It will also create a surplus of renewable energy using solar panels and geothermal wells to offset the carbon associated with the building’s construction.
To make Populus climate positive, Grant McCargo, founder, CEO and chief environmental officer of Urban Villages, says they’re planting trees to offset the carbon cost of the hotel’s construction and operations. They are also using a low-carbon concrete mix and installing windows with “lids” designed to reduce the hotel’s energy needs and require less washing. They also omitted a parking lot to encourage visitors to use public transportation.
Properties claiming to be net-zero mean they are offsetting all of their greenhouse gas emissions – methane, nitrous oxide, among others – not only carbon.
Templeton has seen thousands of projects move toward green building certification such as LEED or Passive House, with some embracing the concepts of zero energy or zero waste. He expects more to come, particularly as new policies incentivize greener choices.
Criticism of carbon claims
Critics say pledges such as carbon neutral and net zero don’t always accurately factor the full scope of emissions. Others are wary of their legitimacy.
Then there’s the concern that a hotel may have noble sustainability goals but doesn’t stick to them.
“Once you put the label of green or sustainable on something, many people tend to stop asking questions,” says Robert Krueger, a sustainability expert who created the Environmental & Sustainability Studies program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
“The architects and engineers work to create a building on paper that works a certain way. But when you put people into that building, it changes the way it functions,” Krueger says.
Rumsey says buying carbon offsets can be a good thing, but it shouldn’t be considered a final solution to hotel sustainability concerns.
“That’s just sort of a temporary Band-Aid approach,” he says. “At the end of the day, we can’t buy our carbon-way out of climate change through offsets. These hotels and these flights have got to change their emissions in a fundamental way.”
The majority of Svart will sit on stilts. Source SNøHETTA/PLOMPMOZES
How travellers can do their research
Rumsey doesn’t think it’s up to consumers to fix the problem, but the hotels that travellers choose can influence the industry.
While shopping for a place to stay, Meinrenken says travellers should scrutinise a hotel’s sustainability claims. Consider it a red flag if a hotel claims to be green, eco-friendly or carbon neutral but offers no explanation on how.
“Usually, architects are proud of their designs, and the website will describe whether that hotel is off the grid or whether it uses solar panels on the roof, whether it’s a Passive House design, which would indicate very low intrinsic energy consumption, etc.,” Meinrenken says.
As for digging into what offsets a hotel uses, it may be difficult for a traveller to research whether the claims hold up. “Unless they voluntarily disclose that, it’s probably difficult to find out – too much work for travelers,” Meinrenken says.
Of course, greener hotel choices aren’t the only considerations travellers should be making.
“The most significant emissions associated with travel involve lifting a couple hundred people to 30,000 feet and propelling them to their destination at 500mph,” Michael Wara, director of Stanford University’s Climate and Energy Policy Program, said in an email.
“But making the hotels more sustainable can’t hurt and changing people’s perception of what luxury feels like can be very significant in terms of moving policy,” Wara added.
Ultimately, it’s not just about greenhouse gases. Meinrenken says it is also important to be concerned whether a hotel treats its workers fairly, whether it destroyed an ecosystem where it was built and whether it contributes to the community or just takes its resources.
Krueger recommends supporting social causes as well, and taking steps such as setting your own carbon emissions budget and making compromises to offset your trip (e.g., biking or taking public transportation to work).
A new light brown paper made of sunflower pollen can automatically fold itself into a food container or straw when exposed to moisture in the air, breaking the mould for single-use packaging.
The intelligent pollen paper – created by scientists from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) – is created by adding potassium hydroxide to sunflower pollen grains.
After 24 hours, the pollen transforms into a gel that is moulded onto a petri dish, for example, and left to dry overnight. The dried pollen paper is then peeled from the mould.
The pollen paper can vary in thickness from 20 to 200 micrometres, similar to that of a strand of hair – but it is far from fragile.
In fact, pollen is known as the diamond of the plant kingdom as it is one of nature’s most durable materials, said the research team’s co-lead, Professor Cho Nam-Joon from NTU’s School of Materials Science and Engineering.
Prof Cho’s research includes turning pollen into plastic and metal alternatives.
The pollen paper can be made thicker or layered if it were to be folded into a container or straw. It can be used as a greener alternative to materials such as plastics and styrofoam for disposable products and packaging.
Pollen is also abundant and can be degraded in nature gradually.
“If we make the paper thicker, its properties will be more plastic-like. The original raw material itself is very strong. So, by modifying that, it can be stronger,” said Prof Cho.
The pollen paper comes to life when it is exposed to humidity, and after some toner – a powder that works like printer ink – prints lines and patterns on the brown paper. Toner acts as the ink in office and home laser printers.
To apply toner on the pollen paper, it goes through an ordinary printer, just like writing paper.
The pollen paper is then exposed to different humidity levels in a controlled environment.
While the pollen paper is sensitive to moisture in the air and curls up, the inked parts do not respond to water. These opposing behaviours cause the flat paper to morph into three-dimensional shapes as humidity drops.
How the paper folds or twists depends on the printed pattern.
For example, a piece of pollen paper cut into an outline of a box would automatically fold into a box when the folded hinges are printed with barcode-like vertical lines.
A strip of paper printed with diagonal lines would curl into a straw.
Pollen paper with an ink pattern printed on it. PHOTO: NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
Prof Cho said: “Products can be produced without manual folding, reducing the skill and time necessary for fabrication. The whole process is also eco-friendly and scalable.”
Coating the morphed paper with petroleum jelly or chitosan – a natural sugar found in the shells of crabs and shellfish – will prevent the product from unravelling due to humidity changes, and lock it in shape.
NTU president Subra Suresh, who co-led the research, said: “We combined easy-to-process pollen grains and cost-effective digital printing to develop a moisture-sensitive (material) that can morph on demand into… complex shapes depending on the patterns we print.”
(From left) Professor Cho Nam-Joon, NTU President Subra Suresh, and NTU research fellow Zhao Ze examining the pollen paper. PHOTO: NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
Prof Cho said this is the first time pollen is used to develop self-folding materials. The research team’s method was published in the scientific journal Proceedings Of The National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America last month.
Packaging waste, including plastics, makes up about one-third of domestic waste in Singapore. Last year, about 200,000 tonnes of disposables – including carrier bags and takeaway containers – were thrown away here.
The NTU team is now working on optimising its pollen paper and method so that companies can eventually use the technology to manufacture greener products, including humidity sensors.
As Singapore marks 50 years since its first Tree Planting Day, each and every Singaporean can do his or her part to keep the country green and sustainable, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said on Sunday (Nov 21).
“The saplings planted 50 years ago have grown into beautiful trees with broad canopies and deep roots,” he said.
“In the same way, the Clean and Green Movement can continue to broaden and deepen in the years ahead.”
In a pre-recorded message from Mount Faber where one of Singapore’s founding fathers, Dr Goh Keng Swee, planted a raintree at the first Tree Planting Day in 1971, DPM Heng said tree planting has become a cherished national tradition that has evolved and expanded into the Clean and Green Singapore movement which was launched on Sunday.
In his speech, he outlined how people can keep the country green, reduce waste and ensure the city remains clean.
He said Singaporeans could keep the country green by taking part in the One Million Trees movement which aims to plant more than a million trees here over the next decade.
They could also partake in the national gardening movement and the NPark’s Gardening with Edibles programme, which saw some 460,000 seed packets distributed last year.
To reduce waste, DPM Heng said Singaporeans should buy only what they need and bring their own reusable bags and containers, while recycling regularly and correctly by depositing different materials in the correct bins and ensuring these are free of food contamination.
Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat (centre) with (from left) North West District Mayor Alex Yam, National Development Minister Desmond Lee, Senior Minister of State Amy Khor and Sembawang GRC MP Mariam Jafaar at the launch of Clean and Green Singapore in Kampung Admiralty on Nov 21, 2021. PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
Businesses can also play their part, such as the 169 partners of the National Environment Agency’s Say Yes To Waste Less campaign.
Keeping the city clean is also important.
DPM Heng said the pandemic has taught us the importance of hygiene and cleanliness.
Initiatives to encourage this include the Clean Tables Campaign launched earlier this year to remind diners to return their trays after meals.
During the launch of Clean and Green Singapore 2021 at Kampung Admiralty, DPM Heng presented 16 national awards to grassroots organisations for their efforts in public hygiene, cleanliness, resource conservation and energy efficiency.
He also planted a critically endangered Knema curtisii tree with Mayor of North West District Alex Yam.
They were joined by Minister of National Development Desmond Lee and Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Amy Khor, who planted a Horsfieldia polyspherula.
The trees are from the nutmeg family.
The event also saw the launch of CGS Experiences, an online series of webinars with a live host that will bring participants through a virtual tour of sites of significant environmental interest.
Twenty sessions are available for public booking till March 31 next year.
DPM Heng concluded his speech on Sunday with a Chinese saying that meant trees planted by former generations will provide shade for future generations.
“Much like how young saplings planted in 1971 have flourished into a tree planting movement, what we build today will have a lasting effect for our future generations,” said DPM Heng.
“Let us all play our part in building a cleaner and greener Singapore for tomorrow.”
You can hear Madam Ng trundling down the road long before you see her.
In the quiet of the early morning, the low rumble of her heavily laden trolley reverberates through the streets of the historic Tiong Bahru area of Singapore.
Madam Ng is a karang guni trader, one of the rag and bone collectors who have traditionally picked up the things people throw away.
This includes everything from old newspapers, drinks cans, second-hand clothes to unwanted electronic devices. They usually sell them on to other karang guni traders or recycling firms.
Karang guni itself comes from the Malay term for the large hessian sacks that they traditionally used to carry their goods.
Madam Ng has been working as a karang guni for over three decades Source BBC
Nowadays, these have been replaced by trolleys like Madam Ng’s, often four-wheeled flat-bed carts, or two-wheeled sack trolleys as well as trucks and vans.
Madam Ng became a karang guni more than three decades ago, as she wanted to make extra money to help pay for one of her daughters to study abroad.
“I was in my 40s and still a nurse. I used to go around collecting newspapers, magazines and books after work – but now I’ve been doing it daily since I retired,” she says as she takes a rare break from her round.
Now, aged 78, her daily work routine would be daunting for many half her age. “Every day I wake up at 4am and am out of the house by 4.30am. I push my cart around the neighbourhood, collecting discarded newspapers and cans. I am out for about four to five hours, then I go home and I’m done for the day.”
Karang guni men and women collect the materials thrown away in Singapore. Source GETTY IMAGES
‘Zero waste’
While rag and bone collectors may seem like an echo from the past in many countries, they are still part of Singapore’s present and most likely its future.
Singapore is known as one of the cleanest cities in the world, and its army of collectors are the city-state’s original recyclers. Even in this $380bn (£270bn) economy, the government sees them playing a crucial part in its sustainability programme.
A karang guni woman weaves through heavy traffic with her trolley. Source GETTY IMAGES
The Singapore Green Plan 2030 covers a whole range of sustainable goals, including cutting the amount of waste sent to landfill by 30% within the next decade.
The recycling business was hit hard by the pandemic as the volume of material Singapore recycled dropped, as the global economy was shut down to slow the spread of Covid.
The sudden halt saw the country’s overall recycling rate, for homes and businesses combined, fall to 52% in 2020 compared to 59% the previous year.
Workers sort through waste by hand at one of Singapore’s recycling hubs. Source GETTY IMAGES
The National Environment Agency (NEA), which is charge of Singapore’s recycling efforts, thinks that this was just a blip and is now focussed on plans to become a zero-waste economy.
Christopher Tan, director of NEA’s sustainability division says he sees karang guni men and women playing an important role as part of the city-state’s recycling network as it aims to hit that ambitious zero-waste target.
“They can complement the current collection methods. There’s still the challenge of getting the recycling from the door of your home. They have networks. They have knowledge of what can and what cannot be recycled,” he says.
Singapore relies on the private sector to manage the island’s rubbish collection, waste disposal and recycling services – and it is these firms that are working with the karang guni industry.
Next generation
One such firm is SembWaste. It has created an app – ezi – that helps to connect the karang guni collectors with the company during their working day, as well as members of the public who want recycling collected from outside their homes.
Technology is being used to create waste collection networks. Source SEMBWASTE
“We have forged partnerships with a network of karang gunis… with more than 100 of them as part of the ezi network,” says Goh Siok Ling, SembWaste’s commercial director.
At 32, Aiden Ang is part of the new generation of karang guni traders. After graduating with a diploma in telecommunications engineering he chose to follow in his father’s footsteps to join the clothing recycling business rather than pursue a more mainstream career.
Despite the downturn in recycling due to Covid, Mr Ang is confident the industry has a promising future: “I personally believe this trade is here to stay in the long term.
“Everyone is getting into the habit of recycling because of education. I am confident the number of recyclers will increase over the years to come.”
Mr Ang sees the use of apps as a big step forward, “with young blood in the company we can run the business in a better way, especially with technology”. He says this is what helped convince him to enter the trade – and to improve it.
“It is super convenient for the residents interested in participating in the recycling drive. For us as the operator, it helps us to organise the operational flow and handle the transactions very efficiently.”
Singapore’s Boat Quay district is full of restaurants, bars and cafes which all need waste collection and recycling. Source GETTY IMAGES
Mr Ang also points to opportunities he sees for young people, as the trade is currently dominated by older karang guni collectors, like Madam Ng, many of whom are nearing retirement.
‘I want to keep on’
Although Madam Ng may not be part of the new generation of tech-savvy karang guni traders, she is not planning to give up her trolley just yet.
“I sell my collection [on] to another karang guni who comes round on his lorry. He’s very busy, as a lot of seniors do what I do, and he collects from them too,” she says.
A criticism sometimes levelled at the karang guni business is that it relies on elderly people who are paid poorly for the amount of physical work they put in.
But for Madam Ng the job isn’t really about money these days. Since being widowed, she has lived comfortably with one of her daughters and her family.
“It is physically tough. My daughters tell me to stop. But I’d rather do it than sit around at home.”
“Sitting too much is bad for you – it’s very bad for the mind. When I’m out with my cart, it helps to clear my mind.”
Virgin Media is widely regarded as an innovator in the world of sustainability reporting, having shifted to a digital-only format in 2010 and subsequently launched the world’s first 360 sustainability video. 2017 saw the firm publish a string of GIFs, infographics and social media posts in lieu of a hefty PDF and, in 2018, the report was football-themed in a drive to boost engagement against the backdrop of the FIFA World Cup.
But with a net net-zero target to work towards as part of a new ‘Meaningful Connections Plan’ the company is looking to engage its workforce and key stakeholders on the journey ahead.
For the company’s head of sustainability, Katie Buchanan, the purpose of a sustainability report is to act as a “springboard for genuine engagement”, which in turn requires breaking the stories and milestones down into engaging and interactive tools for staff and stakeholders to experience.
“At Virgin Media, we talk about our sustainability performance as a period of reporting rather than a standalone report,” Buchanan said. “In doing so, we turn it from being a static look back at the past to something that can be a springboard for genuine engagement with our customers, people and sustainability colleagues about our future.
“To do this effectively we use different platforms and formats to reach each of these key stakeholder groups, presenting our performance information on platforms they’re used to using every day and in the level of detail they’re interested in.”
Virgin Media has achieved zero waste to landfill operations and has reduced carbon emissions across its operations by 46% since 2014. Earlier this year, the company unveiled new commitments to achieve net-zero operations by the end of 2025 and to transition its entire fleet to electric vehicles by 2030, as part of a sweeping new sustainability strategy.
The sustainability team at Virgin Media is attempting to create long-lasting interaction with the sustainability report by sharing the results and information across different forms of media.
The company has created a virtual presentation, or ‘prezi’, a podcast, and a pop quiz so that its employees can access key findings from the report in an engaging manner. Buchanan hopes it will help employees gain a better understanding of the role they can play in delivering key environmental and social targets.
The firm is working towards a new five-year strategic partnership with Carers UK, a charity set up to support the UK’s seven million carers. A key focus will be helping unpaid carers combat loneliness and isolation using technology.
The Meaningful Connections Plan, more broadly, includes a commitment to connect 1.5 million people to their communities and each other in a “meaningful” way. One million carers will be supported to access digital services and platforms designed to build friendships and to connect with community groups and local Virgin Media workers.
On the latter, Virgin is giving every full-time member of staff five annual paid volunteering days. This will enable the firm to give 450,000 hours to community causes.
“Our annual report creates a moment to engage our people and customers in all that we are up to,” Buchanan said.
“By taking the content to them in engaging and accessible ways we are helping to reflect with pride on what we achieved together in response to the pandemic while also keeping our longer-term social and environmental impact programmes running. And create a greater understanding of Virgin Media’s new Meaningful Connections Plan and how each and every one of our employees can support our ambitions for the next five years.”
Virgin Media has recently started using Facebook Workplace to act as an employee engagement platform, and Buchanan claims that they can use this to measure engagement with the report and get feedback on any content posted on there.
Both the “anecdotal feedback and the quantitative reach and engagement data” will be used to shape future versions of the report in order to drive better understandings of other topics across the sustainability spectrum.
Shaping the conversation
Against a backdrop of changing environmental science and disclosure legislation, compounded by changing public sentiment, the corporate sustainability conversation is evolving rapidly. After strings of new social and environmental targets were set over the past 12 months, many firms are also evolving ways of reporting progress. In fact, edie recently published an in-depth feature looking at how corporates are embracing new ways of reporting (read the full piece here).
Buchanan advises a “straight up” approach, whereby the report presents an accurate reflection on what an organisation has achieved, or failed to achieve in the last year. Discussing the negatives, as well as the positives, and laying out new action plans can then appease potential concern.
“Sustainability reporting should be more than a single moment in time,” Buchanan added. “Consider how you can use communications when publishing your report as a springboard to engage your people in a new (or existing) programme, campaign or activity that supports the objectives of your sustainability strategy.”
“Reporting your performance should be engaging, insightful and fun. Ultimately, nobody will read an 80-page PDF – so really focus on the design, language and length of the report. Reports should be aimed at your customers, employees, and as a tool for your peers to learn. As sustainability professionals, we are all striving to create an impact with our work and we should be proactive and proud to learn from each other – which ultimately will have a positive effect on where we work and the communities we serve.”
A thoughtful lifestyle means this family of 11 renting in Māngere puts out less than one bin of rubbish a week.
A chance encounter on a bus driving job to Waitākere Transfer Station sparked Koia Teinakore’s interest in zero waste.
After dropping his passengers off at the Zero Waste Zone learning centre, the father of six and grandfather of three decided to sit in on the class rather than wait on the bus.
Koia Teinakore was working as a bus driver when he discovered an interest in zero-waste. Sitting in on a workshop inspired him to teach himself about waste management. Delving into the topic led him on to gardening, making compost, and now rainwater collection at home. RICKY WILSON/STUFF
“I went home to the wife that night and told her what a great job I’d had,” he said. Then, he got his children to tip out all the rubbish in the house on to the floor, and to claim responsibility for every bit that was theirs.
Teinakore drove a further three groups to the learning centre and sat in on every workshop. He was hooked.
“Each time I took a trip, my eyes were getting wider and wider. My partner, Robyn, and her kohanga reo colleagues attended one of the workshops and when we got home we started thinking differently about how we needed to get it right, to look after Papatūānuku for our tamariki and mokopuna,” he said.
Kiwis throw away 157,389 tonnes of perfectly good food each year, a waste worth $1.17 billion ($644 per household).
Koia Teinakore has followed his passion into a role with ME Family Services in Māngere where he helps other families like his be kinder to the environment, grow fresh food and save money. RICKY WILSON/STUFF
Teinakore started monitoring his family’s bins. He said that, like most households, they had an “OK” recycling system but “the rest” would fill five big rubbish bags in a week.
The first change he made was to build each of his children their own set of bins to keep in their bedrooms. They became responsible for sorting their waste before adding it to the house rubbish, recycling, soft plastics or compost.
Koia Teinakore lives with his wife, six children, and three grandchildren. He likes being in the garden with his mokopuna best. RICKY WILSON/STUFF
“My younger ones were not really getting it, so we had them tip out a bag at the end of the week and talked them through the right place to put each piece of packaging,” Teinakore said.
Now, the family often does not have enough rubbish to put their bin out for collection. They manage that by buying all the household essentials (such as soap, sugar and flour) in bulk, like Teinakore’s own mother did, and freezing their food waste to repurpose into creative leftovers, like goulash and soups.
“We don’t have much money anyway but whatever we can save helps,” he said. “And it is also kind to the environment.”
ME Family Services is an Auckland Council partner delivering place-based waste education and support. They are creating a thriving regenerative community in Māngere that connects people to their ecosystems. RICKY WILSON/STUFF
Changing habits does take a bit of work. “It did not come overnight. It took a good three years for us to get it right.”
Teinakore’s passion led to a paid role at ME Family Services as a waste minimisation facilitator, through which he has been able to share what he has learned with the wider Māngere/Ōtāhuhu communities in partnership with Auckland Council.
He educates church, school and marae groups about waste, and finds people within those groups who can champion the issue. The community organisation has kept 14,000 kilograms of waste material out of landfill in the past year alone.
Koia Teinakore collects his family’s food waste in bokashi bins and then digs it into the garden. RICKY WILSON/STUFF
The biggest thing Teinakore said he had learned thus far was that growing the food yourself was one of the easiest ways to manage food waste.
Teinakore grew up with big gardens but had lost touch with the skill in adulthood. Again, he sought out some free lessons and brought the knowledge home with him.
He put in winter vege seedlings with his three mokopuna during the last lockdown to teach them that their corn did not come out of a can.
Bokashi bins are a Japanese system that pickles waste – unlike traditional composting where food is allowed to decay – suited to small spaces. Bokashi bins produce a nutrient-rich material that you can dig straight into your garden. Teinakore keeps several of them in the kitchen.
When they are full, everything goes back into the ground, along with any paper and cardboard waste. In three months that will be a fresh load of “beautiful soil” to feed his plants.
Change takes time but the results speak for themselves. In three years, Koia Teinakore’s family of 11 went from putting out five full bags of rubbish a week to just one. RICKY WILSON/STUFF
“I am chuffed about doing the gardening with my moko because they are at the age where they really listen,” he jokes. “That is the joy of being a granddad.”
Te Puna Oranga, a community garden and resource recovery space in Māngere East, is now in Teinakore’s care. It is open to the community and provides hands-on learning opportunities for anyone interested in finding ways to re-use rubbish as a resource.
Teinakore said he did this work because he wanted to ensure the next generations of his family had the knowledge to carry on the kaupapa.
The community garden is open to everyone and provides hands-on learning opportunities for people interested in finding ways to re-use “rubbish” as a resource. It serves as a model for what a backyard patch of land can produce. RICKY WILSON/STUFF
“When we were younger we were told that there was a big bright future ahead. But in my own mind, I am not sure there is going to be a big bright future unless people change their attitudes and stop trashing the environment.
“I am no expert but I am willing to learn every day.” Next on his personal to-do list is a home water collection system.
A study has reported an estimate of 2,183,500 tonnes of fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, seafood and dairy products is wasted each year due to breaks and deficiencies in the cold food chain.
A report prepared for Refrigerants Australia and the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment has shown that poor temperature management is the greatest risk for perishable food. During transportation and handling between mobile and stationary refrigeration points, there are sometimes huge temperature variations between truck or trailer, loading docks and storage facilities. This results in significant amounts of food waste before items get to the supermarket or restaurant.
Preliminary and conservative estimates put the cost of food waste within the cold food chain at $3.8 billion at farm gate values in 2018. This is comprised of:
• 25% (1,930,000 tonnes) of annual production of fruit and vegetables worth $3 billion
• 3.5% of annual production of meat (155,000 tonnes) worth $670 million, and seafood (8,500 tonnes) worth $90 million
• 1% (90,000 tonnes) of annual dairy production valued at $70 million
The greenhouse gas emissions from food waste, attributed to sub-par refrigeration technology, practices and processes in the cold food chain, are estimated at 7.0 Mt CO2-e in Australia. Globally, if wasted food was viewed as a country, it would be the third-largest greenhouse gas emitter on the planet.
The transportation and storage of food in this country is big business. In 2018, more than 23 million tonnes of foodstuffs, worth $42 billion based on farm gate values, passed through the Australian cold food chain. This number is predicated to get bigger with production and transport of food and is projected to grow strongly in Australia over the next 20 years as export capacities expand.
Dr Greg Picker, Executive Director of Refrigerants Australia, says whilst industry was aware there was a problem, the report shows the true size and the implications this has on business and the environment.
“The numbers in this report are truly astonishing,” said Picker. “We always thought there were issues, which has now been confirmed for us in a big way. And it’s alarming as the faults are mainly behavioural which could be changed through educating those involved. Leaving food on the loading dock for too long, not closing truck doors, incorrectly stacked crates, these are small things that are resulting in temperature changes and food being spoiled.
“The cold food chain in Australia is long and complicated, and innocently each company, each link in that chain, would think a little bit of waste at their point wouldn’t matter. However, when you collate that waste across the entire chain the end figure is mind blowing.
“There is also the environmental consequence to consider. Think of all the water that would get used to grow and produce this food, or the emissions emitted during the farming, packaging and transporting of this food that gets tossed out. There are far too many people hungry people in Australia and starving across the world for this amount to be wasted unnecessarily,” said Picker.
Mr Mark Mitchell, Chairman of the Australian Cold Food Chain Council, forecasts that Australia will need to adopt training and education programs so that those responsible for moving food and pharmaceuticals around the country can get the best out of available technology.
“The best way for Australian food and refrigerated transport businesses to celebrate World Refrigeration Day would be to promise to do a great deal more to limit horrific food waste through better management of their refrigerated spaces and transport processes,” said Mitchell.
“While this is an opportunity to remind the world of the great benefits and opportunities provided by refrigeration, it also provides us with an opportunity to call to account those industry sectors in Australia that are misusing refrigeration through abuse of temperature controls and poor food handling processes in refrigerated transports, loading docks and cold rooms.
“Due to the vast distances in this country, food transport is a series of refrigerated events, in the hands of a range of stake holders, many of whom don’t understand how it all works. As an example, mangoes picked in the Northern Territory may be handled through stationary and mobile refrigerated spaces as many as 14 times by multiple owners on a 3,400 km journey to Melbourne. If temperature abuse through poor refrigeration practices occurs in just one of those spaces, the losses at the consumer end are compounded, and shelf life can be either drastically reduced, or result in the whole load being sent to landfill,” said Mitchell.
Kylie Farrelley, General Manager of Refrigerants Reclaim Australia, says this report highlights how the refrigeration industry and those organisations involved in the food cold chain can make improvements to reduce waste.
“The refrigeration industry is a crucial part of the cold food chain which, considering the volume of food that moves through it, has been extraordinarily successful,” said Farrelley. “However, there is room for improvement, both in how refrigeration technology is used and improved practices in the cold food chain. If everyone in the cold food chain works together, we can reduce the amount of food that is wasted, which will have positive impacts on everyone involved, from farmers, to the end consumer and the environment.
“While there are many and varied causes of food loss and waste, this study identifies many simple practices that would cost-effectively reduce perishable food waste, which would be of benefit to the whole community,” said Farrelley.
David Appel, President of Refrigeration Carrier (Global), of which Carrier Transicold is a sub brand, says the cold chain is in greater demand now more than ever.
“Carrier technology plays a leading role in the safe transport of medicine and the global effort to reduce food loss and waste, and greenhouse gas emissions,” said Appel. “COVID-19 shines an even brighter spotlight on the cold chain and getting food and medicine to those most in need. Cold chain system resiliency has proven to be an essential element to supply availability. We see that in the life sciences segment, monitoring strict temperature compliance is mission-critical to the delivery of diagnostic test kits, clinical-trial materials and vaccines.
“Greater connectivity is an essential piece of the future for the entire cold chain. We envision and are working to build an end-to-end cold chain that will reduce cost and waste in today’s cold chain network,” said Appel.
Thinking of going zero waste at home? Your Earth-conscious actions could have a massive impact on our ever-changing planet. In the United States alone, nearly 260 million tons of solid waste are generated on an annual basis, and landfills are rapidly nearing capacity.
While it’s certainly important to take action at the global, national, and community level, individual concern and simple modifications in our everyday lives can lead to lasting change.
Zero Waste: What Is It?
The term “zero waste” can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Simply put, the goal of low or zero waste is to reuse products when possible, cut down on items sent out for recycling, and avoid sending trash to landfills. In short, the resources we’d normally throw away are always in rotation rather than being disposed of.
Reasons to Go Zero Waste at Home
There are lots of reasons to cut down on waste in your home, from saving time and energy, to cutting down on trips to the store. Plus, zero waste reduces pollution, which improves the state of our planet, and can even improve human health as a result of decreased pollution.
In December 2018, National Geographic reported that 91% of plastic isn’t being recycled. In addition to overflowing landfills, these plastics make their way into our oceans and other bodies of water, leading to the ingestion of toxins by fish and eventually people.
The magnitude of the global waste crisis can’t be ignored any longer. By making small changes at home, we can begin cleaning up our planet and preserving it for future generations.
Wondering where to start? Below, we share 35 helpful hints that will benefit you, your family, your community, and our planet.
How to Go Zero Waste at Home
When transitioning to zero waste, many folks prefer an all-in approach, opting to implement multiple changes at once rather than tweaking their habits slowly to create lasting change.
While we applaud that level of commitment, we’ve found that gradual changes make the process easier and setbacks less likely. If you’d like to work up to a completely waste-free lifestyle, we suggest mastering one or two of the following changes each week for long term success.
1. Evaluate Your Current Level of Waste
Getting real with yourself about your habits regarding waste will help you create a plan of action. While the evaluation phase may be a bit overwhelming, it can be equally enlightening. It’s important to practice self-compassion as you assess your current situation and begin implementing small changes.
2. Start Now, Not Later
As you look around your home, you’ll likely notice unnecessary and/or unwanted items that are collecting dust and cluttering up your living space. A great introduction to the zero waste lifestyle is decluttering your home.
Refrain from throwing things away in large quantities in an effort to start fresh. Instead, donate unwanted clothing and household items, gift things to loved ones, compost at home, and don’t forget to recycle. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published a helpful guide on common recyclables to simplify the process.
3. Reevaluate Household Necessities
If paper towels, plastic straws, and/or disposable razors are on your weekly shopping list, this is a great place to start making slight modifications. There’s no need to break the bank by splurging on an eco-friendly shopping spree. Small changes will add up quickly, so we recommend researching Earth-safe alternatives as you run out of your current products.
Swedish dishcloths are an Earth-friendly, cost-effective alternative to traditional paper towels, and compostable straws can replace plastic options, which release harmful chemicals into the environment as they break down.
As for your shaving needs, we’re forever fans of this unisex, plastic-free, reusable razor by Eco Roots, but there are many eco-friendly alternatives on the market for you to choose from.
Plastic toothbrushes can be easily replaced with ecofriendly brushes. We recommend Brush with Bamboo, which are plant-based and completely safe for the environment.
4. Remember: Quantity Matters
When it comes to a zero waste lifestyle, being mindful of the quantities of products you use is a great way to save money—and the planet.
Household cleaner dispensers are often designed for overuse to ensure these products are purchased frequently, but some consumers use excessive amounts of personal care and household cleaning products even if the packaging isn’t poorly designed.
Examples of frequently overused products include:
Toothpaste
Soap
Face cleanser
Shaving cream
Toilet paper
Shampoo and conditioner
Dishwasher detergent
Paper towels
Laundry detergent
Bleach
Glass cleaner
Furniture polish
Making a conscious effort to cut down on the use of these products will drastically reduce the frequency of your purchases, as well as waste.
5. Treat Yourself to a Reusable Water Bottle
Plastic water bottles may be convenient, but they’re one of the key contributors to the alarming amount of waste on our planet. A 2019 article published by National Geographic reported that no less than one million water bottles are sold every minute around the globe, and in the U.S., a mere 30% of them are being recycled. When compared to Norway, which recycles 97% of water bottles, we have some work to do.
If you’re wondering if eliminating disposable water bottles from your home will actually make a difference, the answer is absolutely! It takes one plastic bottle at least 450 years to break down completely, so you’ll literally be doing your part to save our planet each time you fill up your reusable bottle rather than reaching for a plastic one. Consider using a reusable thermos or vacuum flask for drinking water on the go.
6. Eliminate Plastic Grocery Bags from Your Life
One of the easiest changes you can make immediately is banning plastic shopping bags from your home. According to the Center for Biological Diversity, the average American family uses up to 1,500 of these single-use bags each year, and on average, just 15 of those bags (1%) wind up being recycled. What’s more? Each plastic bag is used for an average of 12 minutes before being thrown away.
In lieu of traditional plastic, opt for reusable bags made from durable cloth. Keep them in your car for trips to the grocery, and stash one or two in your purse to ensure you have a sustainable bag anytime you need it.
7. Ban Freezer Bags and Plastic Wrap, Too
By now, you’re probably noticing a theme when it comes to all-things-plastic. Our planet isn’t fond of plastic, so it’s important to utilize Earth-friendly alternatives when possible. On average, families in the U.S. use about 500 single-use storage bags per year. With well over 120 million households throughout the country, that’s a whole lot of unnecessary plastic.
If you have a stockpile of storage bags at home, they can be reused if carefully washed and dried between uses; however, we’d advise against reusing bags that have been used for raw meats and odorous or moldy foods. As you run out of single-use storage bags, we recommend replacing them with reusable containers or more durable zip-style bags. While these options are a bit pricier than traditional bags, you won’t have to buy them nearly as often.
As a sustainable alternative to plastic wrap, we adore Bee’s Wrap products, which are washable, reusable, and easily compostable.
8. Stock Up on Glass Jars
Using glass jars and containers for food storage is a great way to cut down on plastic. These reusable items can be found at virtually any discount or thrift store, and they’re a great alternative to Tupperware and other plastic containers.
If you don’t have glass storage solutions at home, and you’re not keen on purchasing in bulk, simply wash and reuse glass jars from your fridge and pantry.
9. Opt for Foods with Minimal or No Packaging
As you begin transitioning to a zero waste lifestyle, you’ll become more conscious of your shopping habits. Lots of convenience foods come in unnecessarily bulky packaging. When food shopping, choose products with the least amount of packaging and/or biodegradable containers.
Farmer’s markets are a great place to pick up fresh goodies with little to no packaging.
10. Switch to Bar Soap—for Your Face, Body, Hair, and Dishes
One effective way to decrease waste is by replacing liquid soap with bar soap. While bar soap has always been available for the bath and shower, many companies are now offering bar options specifically for dishes. You can even switch to a bar variety for your hair, as Lush offers a line of deliciously aromatic shampoo bars that last up to 80 washes.
11. Try DIY Beauty Products
As you probably know, store bought beauty products often contain chemicals, such as petroleum, and they’re generally packaged to draw the eye—not to preserve the environment. Plus, they tend to be exorbitantly overpriced.
Transitioning to DIY beauty products is fun, cost-effective, and allows you to handpick safe, natural ingredients. We’re currently loving this list of 50 amazing handmade beauty products compiled by Earth911. Our absolute favorite? The deliciously refreshing lemon sugar scrub recipe by Thrifty Jinxy, which is great for personal use and makes a beautiful gift. You can even print a premade label for pretty packaging.
12. Be Mindful of Your Water Consumption
This may seem like a no-brainer, but many of us still leave the faucet on when we’re brushing our teeth, scrubbing our kitchen counters, etc. So much energy can be saved simply by turning off the faucet when it’s not in use.
As far as baths vs. showers, filling a bathtub generally requires much more water than the average 10-minute shower. Of course, this largely depends on the size of your tub and your particular shower head, as well as the amount of water you use.
13. Skip Takeout
Ordering in can be a difficult habit to break, but foregoing takeout reduces waste. If you do opt to order in, choose an environmentally conscious restaurant that considers our planet in both food sourcing, preparation, and packaging.
14. Grow Your Own Food
One amazingly fun and easy way to help preserve our planet is by growing your own fruits, veggies, and herbs. This is a safer and healthier alternative to buying in-store, as you can eliminate pesticides and other toxins.
Knowing exactly what goes into your food will give you peace of mind, and there’s nothing quite like watching a seed or sprout grow into something delicious! Consider using a good quality multi purpose compost to get you started.
15. Eat Less Meat
Lots of environmentally conscious folks are eating less meat to help do their part to preserve our planet. If you’re not keen on giving up meat altogether, consider going meat-free a few times a week, or eat vegetarian options for breakfast and lunch, and only eat meat at dinner.
16. Store Foods Properly
Whether it’s fresh meat, produce, or last night’s leftovers, storing your food properly will help it last longer and ensure you get the most bang for your buck. According to the EPA, the vast majority of the food we throw away winds up in landfills. In 2017, Americans disposed of more than 38 million tons of food waste. We can all work together to reduce that astronomical number.
17. Ditch the Dish Sponges
We get it… Kitchen sponges are convenient. Unfortunately, they’re also bacteria breeders and terrible for the environment, as most are made from synthetic materials.
When it’s time to replace your dish sponges, check out eco-friendly substitutes, such as a plastic-free brush like this one from Life Without Plastic. Silicone sponges are another sustainable option that are more sanitary than traditional synthetic sponges. Although silicone isn’t biodegradable, it’s easily recyclable.
18. Forego the Tissues
Many folks don’t realize that tissues can’t be recycled once they’re used; in fact, after a single use, they’re detrimental to the environment. Old school handkerchiefs might seem like a blast from the past, but they are a much more sustainable option, as they can be reused time and again. You can even turn old sheets and towels into a reusable tissue alternative.
19. Reevaluate Your Laundry Habits
Rather than throw every clothing item in the laundry after every use, consider only washing your clothes when necessary. While you’ll want to continue washing underwear, socks, and swimwear each time you wear them, items like pants, skirts, and shorts can be worn two or three times between washes, along with bras and PJs.
Line drying also saves lots of energy in comparison to machine drying. Trust us… The environmental benefits outweigh the extended drying time.
20. Switch to Sustainable Light Bulbs
Traditional incandescent light bulbs last about 1,000 hours. Switch to LEDs, and your bulbs’ lifespan increases up to 50,000 hours, saving you time and money.
For the most part, lightbulbs are recyclable; however, not all recycling centers accept used bulbs, as the components must be separated during the recycling process. Check with your local center to make sure they accept these items.
21. Opt for Rechargeable Batteries
When it’s time to replace the batteries in your remote or clock, purchase a rechargeable set instead of going the disposable route. Toxic metals from decaying batteries seep into our landfills and eventually our earth. Rechargeable sets aren’t just planet-savers… They’re convenient and much more cost-effective than traditional batteries.
22. Unplug Electronics Between Uses
Leaving electronics plugged in when they’re not in use is a waste of energy and money. From kitchen appliances to televisions and computers, the simple act of unplugging will reduce your carbon footprint and your electric bill.
One common energy-sucking culprit? Your cell phone. Many experts suggest maintaining a charge of 40-80% and unplugging overnight. These tweaks to your phone charging habits will help save the environment—and the life of your phone.
23. Purchase High-Quality Products
When possible, buy well-made items that are intended to last a very long time, if not a lifetime. From tools to cookware and everything in between, opt for items that are known for their longevity.
This concept goes a long way with kitchen items such as pots and pans. Also consider a knife sharpener to keep your knives sharp so that you don’t have to replace them.
24. Reel in the Thermostat
If you tend to crank up the heat in the winter and the A/C in the summer, keep in mind that nearly 50% of the average household’s electric bill is the result of temperature control.
While it’s impossible to gauge a temperature that will work for everyone, being mindful of the temp in your environment can help. One simple fix? During the winter, snuggle up in a sweater and slippers rather than turning up the heat, and let the fresh air in during the warmer months before switching on the A/C.
25. Utilize a Rain Barrel
Whether you plant an annual vegetable garden or you’re a self-professed flower fanatic, outdoor watering really adds up. In addition to being environmentally conscious, using a rain barrel could potentially lower your water bill. If you set up the barrel directly below your gutter’s downspout and you live in a rainy climate, you should collect plenty of water to hydrate your plants and/or flowers.
26. Purify Your Air Naturally
Many houseplants and flowers act as natural air purifiers, which can help you breathe easier and banish allergens, along with pollutants and unpleasant odours. According to Live Science, indoor plants absorb harmful gases through their leaves and root systems. If you’ve ever wanted an excuse to fill your home with beautiful plants, here’s your chance!
Snake plants and spider plants are two of our absolute faves, but the famous 1989 Clean Air Study by NASA found that at least 29 different plants and flowers do an excellent job of purifying air. Check out the list—which still rings true today—and take a trip to your local nursery. Just remember to return any plastic pots, which can be reused.
27. Buy Second-Hand
Opting for second-hand clothing and household items keeps the recycling community going strong. As an added bonus, when you donate gently used goods or offer them for sale at a reduced price, you’re allowing others to try brands and products they may not have access to otherwise.
You can shop locally at thrift stores and community yard sales, and online sites like eBay and Poshmark are great for secondhand items.
28. When Buying New, Pay Attention to Where Your Purchases Come From
Not all products are created equal, so it’s important to research before making purchases. Buy from Earth-conscious retailers that are actively trying to cut down on excess waste to save our planet. The best way to research a company? A simple internet search should do. Most ecofriendly companies produce sustainability reports, which you can typically find on their websites. Any recognition or awards for being ecologically friendly are also a good sign.
29. Opt to Repair Rather than Replace
If an appliance is on the fritz, try getting it repaired before shopping for a replacement. The same goes for other household items and clothing. For instance, ripped jeans and sheets can be mended.
If an item is beyond repair, consider repurposing it rather than throwing it away. You’ll likely notice that this new mindset will spill over into other areas of your life.
30. Reuse Gift Wrap and Gift Bags
When you receive a gift, save the gift wrap, bag, and/or tissue paper when possible. Greeting cards can be used for crafts, such as ornaments and gift tags. It’s amazing how many items can be reused and repurposed when we think outside the box!
31. Treat Yourself to Experiences Instead of Things
Many of us celebrate our successes and/or sooth our sadness with impromptu shopping sprees. The next time something goes right—or terribly wrong—why not treat yourself to an experience instead? Sign up for a dance class, enjoy a night on the town, or book a low-key getaway. Scaling back on unnecessary purchases and focusing on experiences will cut down on the clutter in your home and help you tap into your creativity instead of your bank account.
32. Go Paperless
A super easy way to protect the environment is by cutting down on paper usage. Opt-in to paperless billing and online banking to do your part. If at all possible, forego printing documents and other papers, and store them virtually instead. Opting for paperless receipts at retailers and restaurants is also a simple way to cut down on paper use.
If you absolutely have to use paper, use both sides! Little changes really do add up.
33. Become an Environment-Conscious Reader
If you’re an avid reader, there are a few effective ways to cut down on your carbon footprint. Digital options eliminate paper altogether, while borrowing and buying secondhand are environmentally conscious alternatives.
If you ever decide to whittle down your beloved book collection, consider donating to a local library or school. You can also upcycle books by creating DIY projects. From decorative balls and flowers to canvas art and greeting cards, we absolutely love Felt Magnet’s list of 53 creative ideas for repurposing book pages. Check it out here.
34. Not Sure How to Dispose of Something? Do Your Research
It’s not always obvious where to dispose of specific items, so some research may be required before trashing that old phone or kitchen appliance. We regularly use Martha Stewart’s “How to Get Rid of Anything” list when we’re clearing out old items.
35. Get the Whole Family Involved
Your passion and excitement for preserving our planet will likely rub off on your loved ones. Encourage everyone in your household—and beyond—to get involved.
Launching Your Zero Waste Lifestyle
Keep in mind that there’s no race to the zero waste finish line. Even the most environmentally conscious individuals admit that preserving the environment is a constant work in progress. Strive to make one small change at a time, and pat yourself on the back for making a difference for our planet and future generations.
